Ed McGuinness

Deadpool’s road to super-stardom, from a 90s-riffic Liefeld character to movie star and perennial bestseller is an odd, almost-unprecedented one. Without a doubt the most successful (in terms of revenue-generation, multi-media exposure and overall popularity) solo Marvel character introduced after Wolverine, Deadpool was born amidst the dying gasps of New Mutants, a series that was being put to pasture in order to transform it into X-Force, a move intended to placate superstar artist Rob Liefeld by giving him a brand new series in which he could cut loose in EXTREME 90s fashion.

Spider-Man/Deadpool #1 is filled with jokes, sexual tension, gross out gags, and slightly self-aware supervillains galore all from the wacky mind palace of Deadpool legend (and basically daddy) Joe Kelly. Ed McGuinness and Mark Morales’ art is slick with a side of disgusting and helps the story move on at a bouncy pace. There may be an overreliance on bathroom humor due to this issue’s villain, but there’s also jokes about Uber’s labor practices and some great puns for folks whose eyebrows are glued on higher than the rest of us. Early on, there seems to be a gap between the Hydro Man battle and Deadpool accidentally teleporting him and Dormammu to Hell, but by the final page all his revealed along with the series’ hook. It’s another Deadpool redemption story, but this time with Spider-Man as his goofy guardian angel. But his path isn’t as simple as that last sentence. (Deadpool does have a handy morality choosing gadget that is McGuinness’ best visual funny.)

One year after the Guardians of the Galaxy and the X-Men teamed up for the first time in “The Trial of Jean Grey,” the two teams reunite to contain the mystical artifact known as the Black Vortex. After glimpses and whispers of the artifact in the pages of Legendary Star-Lord, does the power of the Vortex justify the massive amount of characters in play here? And is there enough intrigue and mystery to last thirteen issues?

Nova #1 Written by Jeph Loeb Illustrated by Ed McGuinness Colors by Marte Gracia Cover by Ed McGuinness, Dexter Vines, & Marte Gracia Published by Dan Buckley There is a lot that can be expected from issues of Nova in the following months.  With a writer like Jeph Loeb (Daredevil: Yellow, Fallen Son: The Death …