Review by Frank Plowright

All in the Family is a hodgepodge Deadpool collection combining three stories starring Deadpool Corps members originally issued in a one-shot with a couple more co-starring Cable. With a different creative team on every story, consistency probably speaks to Deadpool’s madcap world encompassing pretty well any format.

Cullen Bunn and Dominik Stanton open the collection with a bunch of children being more interested in a box of robot toys than the exploits of Kidpool and Dogpool. Bunn has plenty of experience with Deadpool, but while the idea of Kidpool stealing an experimental military robot is viable, not much happens afterwards.

Lady Deadpool and Headpool are taken on by Mary H.K. Choi and Irene Strychalski who really ramp up the disgusting qualities by exploring the relationship between the two unhinged personalities.

Dogpool as Saturday morning cartoon is next by James Asmus and Darnell Johnson. Once over the situation of ‘Krypto’ putting in an appearance, the joke wears thin.

Are Cable and Deadpool the two first choices to protect a baby? Well, they’re more competent than assumed in Duane Swierczynski and Paco Medina’s contribution, which starts with gunmen and just keeps ramping up the threats. It’s thrilling, it’s funny and the only downside is there being no explanation of why the baby’s so important to Cable. To provide a public service, we’ll reveal it’s Hope Summers, and much of Cable’s subsequent continuity involved her.

Swierczynski also writes the closer, which is surprisingly touching in places as Deadpool struggles with the death of his pal Cable. He revisits some old stomping grounds, and recalls some old stomping in the impoverished and desperate country of Rumekistan where Cable once tried to make a difference. Leandro Fernández certainly can, with perfectly aligned layouts and crisp style bringing everyone to life. His Deadpool in action is athletic and gymnastic, and he draws everyone distinctively, be they the focal point or a bystander.

As a collection the quality line extends ever upward, but that’s from a poor starting point, so not for everyone.