For the second time, in as many Carnage series, I’ve had to combine my review of two issues because there just wasn’t enough material to cover in single reviews. That bodes well for Deadpool vs. Carnage, doesn’t it?

Deadpool Vs. Carnage: Rounds Two & Three

Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Salva Espin
Colorist: Veronica Gandini
Letterer: Joe Sabino
Cover Artists: Glenn Fabry & Adam Brown
Editors: Mike Marts, Jordan White & Frankie Johnson
Editor-In-Chief: Axel Alonso

Short story, made shorter: Deadpool and Carnage duke it out, two more times over the span of two issues. They both decide to embrace their inner chaos and this leads them to their various fight locations. Deadpool gets his ass kicked, quite severely and bonds with not one, not two, not three, but four symbiotes for their final battle. Oh, and Shriek is kicking around in the background but does nothing of importance; Deadpool killed her, but she didn’t stay dead. 

Thoughts: There isn’t a plot here, it’s just a well drawn mess. I remember being distinctly disappointed in issue 2, but by the time issue 3 swung around, I actually kind of had fun with the random chaos that this series is. Is it good? No. Is it fun? Yeah. How often do you get a comic book series that can make sense out of chaos? Deadpool’s speech to Carnage about what chaos is in the third issue was is the highlight of the series, thus far. 

My biggest complaint for the series is the generic use of both Carnage and Deadpool’s powers, including Deadpool’s perchance to break the fourth wall. Although Bunn and Espin start having some fun with what Carnage can do as the series progresses, there is nothing here that is revolutionary in any way, shape, or form. 

The art is nice, but unremarkable. The only thing I noticed colors wise is that when Carnage and Deadpool are separated, Carnage’s scenes have more of a reddish hue to it while Deadpool’s has more of a blueish hue. 

And that’s it… that’s all I got to say. 

Verdict: This is the cotton candy of comics; it’s not good, but you enjoy it while you’re reading it. Fans of the characters will probably be disappointed in this series, unless you’re a fan of the unhinged Deadpool that writers like Cullen Bunn and Daniel Way use. And even for those people, this is not a “rush out to buy” series nor is this a “buy it when it comes out in trade” series. This is a “Marvel Digital is having a 99 cents sale and they’re a cheap mindless fun” series. A review in under five hundred words, that’s a first for me. 

Pros: 

• Well drawn
• Makes sense out of chaos

Cons: 

• Nothing new
• Bland use of the characters

C