Monday, July 16, 2018

Not everyone shops at the same store, but still.


Our Gwenpool strips will be wrapping up shortly (for now, maybe) but we've got a second to check out a book I didn't think I'd end up with, which is I think her second in-continuity appearance: from 2016, Howard the Duck #2, "Ms. Poole if you're Nasty, part two of three" Written by Christopher Hastings, art by Danilo S. Beyruth.

Right out of the gate, this one starts with a plot point I hate: crime boss Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat. To be fair, she is played as "scary...even in kind of normal, non-cat apparel." Gwenpool stole something from her, so Cat is leaning on Howard to get it back, not realizing Gwen is hiding under Howard's desk right then! To keep from being found, then, Gwen decides she had best shoot Howard...By her rationale, Marvel hadn't published Howard appearances for "months...years at a time," but even if he died he would just come back later. In-universe, she sounds like a nut!

But the fun part of this issue is Gwenpool explaining why she dresses like a "ninja ghost." Recently arrived in the Marvel U, and during a massive fight from a previous Howard volume, Gwen visits "Big Ronnie's Custom Battle Spandex," since, "I've noticed if you're not wearing a mask or cape...you're just an extra." Misreading the form Gwen Poole filled out, the tailor thinks she's Gwenpool, but can work with it. And maybe get rid of some pink fabric while she's at it. (She has a point, no one wears pink!)

Super-fun, and while I like the tailor bits, I was mildly disappointed she didn't get her suit from Deadpool's old tailor, whom we saw a couple times back in Priest's run! From 2000, Deadpool #38, "Johnny Handsome, scene one" Written by Priest, pencils by Paco Diaz, inks by Jon Holdredge. Previously, Loki cursed Deadpool with "Thom Cruz's" face, until he seeks his father's forgiveness. Unwilling to let Loki win (and since it wasn't his face) Pool tries multiple times to rearrange said face, "but Loki's magic was pretty foolproof." After a security device doesn't recognize him with his new face and blasts him, Pool goes to visit the tailor that first gave him a suit. (Maybe.) He's a little unreasonable here.

We see that tailor a few times, and I think this was the second. The first time, Deadpool tries a few different looks, before settling on this one; and the costume has a note on the back "Thanks but no thanks, S-M." The last time we see him, he confuses Titania with Thundra and gets his shop wrecked, with Pool again being a dick about it. (Of course, that's "Titania" if you've read that!)

1 comment:

Mr. Morbid's House Of Fun said...

I think she's got a nice gimmick, being hip to the 4th wall, and all, even if it becomes/is a bit derivative of Deadpool's shtick. But it seems to work for her.

I wonder just how long she'll last in the real world, popularity-wise before she's sent to the back-burner. I mean even a concept like Gwenpool's gotta' have a limited shelf life right?