This is 100% absolute insanity and I loved it! Man, I wish I could say that about this book. Don't get me wrong, it did start out really well...
Gwenpool is from an alternate earth. But even she knows that Galactus is bad news. The Eater of Worlds is not the bringer of gifts to all of the good little boys and girls of Earth-616! Plus, what in the heck is Pantsgiving?! Something is seriously wrong with Christmas and it's up to Gwenpool to find out what!
Then there's a very odd Christmas story starring the Red Skull and the ghost of Hitler? Clearly this is a pre-Trump presidency comic because this tale of holiday hi-jinx would not fly today.
Actually, I am surprised that the book made it to press in 2016 when it did. You know what happens during the holidays, right? Hanukkah! I just cringe to think that some kid asked for this book as a gift during the Festival of Lights and this was one of the stories inside! This just seemed wrong.
This holiday special doesn't just cover a mixed up Christmas, screwy Thanksgiving, and hopefully not an Aryan Hanukkah... it also has a Halloween story starring Deadpool. The real Deadpool! It was funny but I think the damage was done with that Red Skull disaster.
Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.
Though the newest member of the Deadpool family is on the cover and this Marvel holiday special's title star, Gwenpool is hardly in this book. Really, the star is She-Hulk, but I guess she's not a big enough draw to shoppers. Thus, the Pink Merc from another Earth is center of attention.
In this holiday special from last year, the building that She-Hulk's law office resides is about to be sold to some shady developers. It's determined that the landlord has been put under some kind of spell prompting the sale. But if they can keep the owner happy until dawn the next day, when the spell is at it's weakest, then all should be saved and She-Hulk can keep her law firm. So prepare for the wildest superhero party on this side of the Bronx!
With short-stories starring Deadpool, the Hawkeyes, Ms. Marvel, and even Gwenpool- this special is a highlight of the new generation of stars of Marvel. Hardly any of the original old school Marvel heroes are in this book- Tony Stark and Steve Rogers make brief cameos and yet Howard the Duck and Aunt May have more lines than they do. Plus, characters like Spider-Man, the Hulk, Thor, or the Fantastic Four don't even appear here.
Even without these titans of the House of Ideas, this was a good issue. It was very funny and I loved that She-Hulk got some major love in this special. But it was also very different.
I would look forward to sharing the holidays with my favorite Marvel characters every year. It would be the one time that I'd pay full price for a comic book as opposed to waiting to find it in a bargain bin years later. But quality and care at Marvel has waned over the years. That's why with this book, I waited until I found it for only a dollar during my 2016 FCBD exploits- thus why I'm reading and reviewing this book now...
Over the years, DC has managed to evolve while still devoting it's focus to it's main body of heroes like Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Flash. But with the influence of (relatively) new owner Disney (compared to how long Warner Bros. has owned DC), Marvel has been forced to shy away from many of their 'unprofitable' properties, as well as those that have been licensed out to other financial rivals of the House of Mouse.
Marvel's got another Gwenpool Christmas comic coming out next week. I may get one if I can find it. But because Marvel's owner seems more interested in attracting a new audience than pleasing comic fans who've been around for decades, my hard earn money is devoted to DC's new holiday special which also drops December 14th.
A fun read that just doesn't feel as familiar as it used too.
Worth Consuming
Rating: 8 out of 10 stars
