Review by Karl Verhoven

This third selection of Deadpool Team-Up continues the previous lunacy with each successive writer and artist team trying to better their predecessors. However, compared with some of the obscurities seen in Special Relationship, this volume begins as near to normal as Deadpool gets. Team-ups with the Thing, Thor and Iron Fist? This could be Spider-Man!

Well, not quite, despite Deadpool imitating the first Spider-Man story by joining a wrestling franchise. Cullen Bunn and Tom Fowler supply the magic of the squared circle as per “Wrestling! Where men are men and women are driven into a frenzy over sweaty, well-oiled studs roughing each other up”! It’s grim, it’s gruesome and it’s hilarious. What an opener!

Matteo Scalera’s excellent sample art shows the developing threat about to be faced by Deadpool and Thor, courtesy of Rob Williams, who plays through his Raiders of the Lost Ark jokes. There are some good lines, but a plot that’s too simple fills the pages without shining.

Next up are Shane McCarthy and Nick Dragotta with their martial arts extravaganza. Really. Yet it’s no conventional martial arts extravaganza as Deadpool’s multi-million dollar contract and Iron Fist’s ethical concerns clash. Not literally. Again, very funny.

The real silliness kicks in as Rick Spears and Phil Bond team Deadpool with Hell-Cow, an immortal vampire cow whose milk has life-restoring properties. Unfortunately, the person who’s discovered that is a complete no-goodnik who figures the cow’s milk along with an essence of Deadpool’s healing properties is the key to immortality. Vomit aplenty in this one.

Imagine being the Watcher and having to watch everything… even Deadpool. Ugh, right? Well that’s the plan Tom Peyer and Jacob Chabot follow, except it all goes wrong. If the Watcher thought watching Deadpool was bad, imagine being stuck in a lift with him. Yeah, smell as well as sight.

What could possibly top that? How about Skottie Young and Ramon Pérez’s story of Deadpool becoming the new herald for Galactus? Ever wondered how Galactus acquired a new herald? It turns out he advertises like every other boss, and Deadpool replies. How’s this one? Everything you want it to be.

If you only want to buy one selection of Deadpool Team-Up, this is the one to go for. If you want the lot, head for Deadpool Classic 13.