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A highly subjective ranking of a selection of last week's comics (28/12/16).
Admittedly, it's sort of difficult to write a review of Deadpool #20 after that excellent epilogue by writer Gerry Duggan himself. As he already goes into detail about the positive impact even unstable anti-heroes such as the Merc with a Mouth can have on people in need, I feel everything relevant has been said about this already. But the comic does something else as well...
Admittedly, the sheer influx of Deadpool titles recently didn't do the character much good. The "Mercs for Money" proved to be a welcome change in the beginning until, well, they weren't anymore and just bored everybody (don't have any high hopes in the new outfit either). And the Gambit crossover? We shall never talk about it again.
If, after 6 months after the last part, you don't have any clue where this actually left off, rest assured, the writers do neither. Warda Wilson and Ellie Preston were probably fighting and shouting overly-clichéd bon mots at each other, because that's pretty much all they're doing here. Geezer Deadpool is good for a couple of laughs, but becomes more and more unbearable as this drags along. 
"The Punisher" #5: This is one big slaughter-fest, and it absolutely convinces with its pacing, grit and dialogue. Even Dillon's execution of blood and gore is more spot-on than in earlier issues. The best one so far!?
"Deadpool" #18: Less Mercs, more fun. The impact of Deadpool no longer being tied to the Mercs for Money can be felt immediately here, most simply by the fact that the series is no painful bore anymore. If you'd stopped caring about Deadpool some months ago, now's probably the time to get back into it. And if you're reading this because of Civil War II, you have my sympathy. That this get's still marketed as a tie-in is an unacceptable money grab.
"Cyborg: Rebirth" #1: It's exactly what you'd want from a "Rebirth" title, with its concise Cyborg origin story and a premise that is able to set this series apart from its predecessors. One to have an eye on in the upcoming weeks.
"Deadpool v Gambit" #4: Only picked that up again because both Marvel and DC hardly released anything that week. And yes, the moment Deadpool and Gambit do not even really appear in their own comic, we suddenly have a half-decent story at our hand, treating the inevitability of fate through the Scramblers backstory here. 
"Green Arrow" #4: It's fast, light and fun, with Percy knowing not to overemphasize Oliver Queen's personal drama; and the art here is simply spectacular, as Ferreyra's makes every panel look like a small portrait. 
"Darth Vader" #24: It's a small glimpse of what this series could have been, if only Kieron Gillen had remotely made use of the potential a character like Darth Vader offers. Too little too late, even though this one here convinces.
"Deadpool & The Mercs For Money" #1: The reboot nobody really needed (yet) actually delivers the best "Mercs" comic so far, especially benefitting from a clear narrative outline.
It's definitely a positive to see Deadpool being so "meta" again in a comic, something that was unfortunately missing from recent issues. And even though it's solid fun, with writers Acker and Blacker creatively justifying that their Deadpool story is less violence and more intrigue, it is let down considerably by its narrative execution. Constant jumps in time and holes in its story create a substantial lack in terms of coherence, denying the reader a more pleasant experience.
In the tradition of recent Deadpool writers Bunn and Duggan, Blacker/Acker (hihi!) offer a fun ride that even tries to top aforementioned's work. Admittedly, its avalanche of satirical pop culture and self-references sometimes lack cleverness, but the playful, vivid art and entertaining chemistry between the protagonists make for a convincing first issue.
It's the inevitable Civil War II tie-in, featuring the "Mercs for Money", which surprisingly offers a more complete package than the standalone series did in its last issues. It's still funny and fast, but not as over-the-top, with less anarchist mayhem and more clear-cut ideas. We see a different, more nuanced depiction of the Mercs, and all for the better.
Deadpool & The Mercs For Money's first story line ends here, as we finally get a full backstory of the recorder robot and artist Salva Espin continues his dynamic art approach with some impressive big panels. Even though its conclusion is a bit effortless, the comic still convinces as a high-paced, colorful roller-coaster ride that will keep you entertained. 
Although Chapter 2 of "Deadpool 2099" is thoroughly enjoyable, it has a hard time of containing its scope and characters within a coherent story, resulting in a somewhat messy and overambitious narrative. 
You have to give the creative team behind Deadpool & The Mercs For Money a lot of credit for the work they've been doing over these four issues so far. A big part of it is their ability to make the comic flow smoothly and effortlessly on the surface when it's really their attention to small details that lays the groundwork here.
When the Deadpool/Sabretooth dynamic started to wear off in #10 last month, the fear started to creep in that writer Gerry Duggan might just not manage to drag this story across the finish line. And even though he does, the ride turns out to be a lot harder and uglier than anyone could have wished for.