Review: "Deadpool: Last Days of Magic" #1

Deadpool: Last Days of Magic, a one-shot that ties in with the current story arc in the Doctor Strange comics, does a hell of a lot of things right. First and foremost, it's not mandatory at all to have read any of the previous chapters to get right into the action. And frankly, if you're a Deadpal that is solely interested in the "Merc with a Mouth", you don't even have to read any of the upcoming Doctor Strange comics that conclude the "Last Days of Magic" story line. This one works pretty well on its own. Saying this, writer Gerry Duggan does a solid job of providing enough exposition to never make new readers feel lost, giving constant updates on what has been going on in previous chapters.

While Deadpool himself was a bit of a hit-and-miss in recent issues of the main series, he is absolutely outstanding in this one. Duggan manages to capture him at his wisecracking best while also delving into his more emotional side as he explores the friendship with Michael Hawthorne, all resulting in a in a story that is tremendously fast-paced without ever losing its edge and can effortlessly switch between hilarious absurdity and some emotionally deeper themes. 

Artist Scott Koblish shines with his playful approach to all characters, while managing to stay within the narrow range of constantly being over-the-top, but never too absurd. His larger, crowded panels make quite an impression as well, as they are able to tell a lot without unnecessarily confusing. Guru-eFX's accentuated colors have become a trademark in Deadpool comics and perfectly enhance story and pencils here, too.

Deadpool: Last Days of Magic is a superbly entertaining affair from start to finish that not just relies on one single strength to make it stand out, but masters a whole array of different topics.

9/10

Further Links:

Deadpool & The Mercs For Money #4
Deadpool #11
Deadpool: Masacre #1