Cable & Deadpool #30

Written by Fabian Nicieza

Pencils & Cover by Staz Johnson

It had to happen sometime, I mean it couldn’t just go on the way it was forever could it? Fabian Nicieza has written his first Cable & Deadpool comic that I actually found funny. Lately, Cable has been playing more of a supporting role to Deadpool despite his name being first on the cover. Cable provides Nicieza with the necessary plot material to keep the book going, Deadpool provides the laughs and charisma to actually keep the book interesting. It’s not quite a buddy book, but the main lead’s on-panel time certainly plays to the theme.

As the Civil War tie-in, the book is showing Cable’s involvement as he offers aid to Captain America. Deadpool, on the other hand, is simply pro-registration because the government will pay him to hunt people down, and he just likes that kind of thing. They both seem to blithely ignore each other’s involvement with the opposite side, Cable because he doesn’t care what Deadpool does and Deadpool because he…well he just doesn’t seem to look at the situation as him choosing a side so much as getting paid to have fun.

Deadpool hasn’t really gotten to the point of working for the government yet, so he goes after the Great Lakes Avengers. Problem is they had already signed up, so when the cops arrive, they hire him. Deadpool then goes after Daredevil and runs into the whole anit-registration side for his efforts. Most of the issue is a fight between Deadpool and various superheroes. Which is kind of what Deadpool comics are about, creating comedy during fighting, wash, rinse, and repeat. As I already said, the comedy factor is finally here again (last time I truly laughed was when Gail Simone was writing it).

As for the action, it’s done well-enough to occupy the eye while you read the comedic dialogue, but never does it truly excite or inspire. Nicieza isn’t entirely to blame, although he’s never been known as a great action writer—Staz Johnson shares a lot of the fault too. His large panels are done well and with great energy but his small transition panels are found lacking. A lot of the panels have bad anatomy and look like they were thrown together last minute, which they may very well have been.

Like most Cable & Deadpool comics, this isn’t terribly ground-breaking material. At least it’s funny again. That was always reason enough to read it before, let it be so again.

Rating - 6