Spider-Man/Deadpool #6 Review - Marvel Mondays

Hollywood Vacation


Writer: Scott Aukerman
Art by: Reilly Brown, Rick Magyar, Le Beau Underwood, Scott Hanna, & Jason Keith
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: June 29, 3016
Publisher: Marvel
Review by: Branden Murray

I have a conflicted relationship with one shot comics. What I’m about to say may be a controversial stance since I’m well aware my older comic brethren enjoy smaller overall stories. To that I say, “Nonsense! Give me long arcing stories damnit and don’t you dare interrupt the flow of that mojo.” So it’s with minor hesitation that I introduce the review for issue six of Spider-Man and Deadpool as they take a time out from their regularly scheduled adventures to give us a one shot set in Hollywood, California. Without further ado, let’s web sling through these pages to see if Scott Aukerman and company can knock some sense into this “middle-aged whipper snapper” and change opinion about one shots altogether.




We kick off the issue with a character called the Salmon Stuntman vying for Deadpool’s attention.  We find out the stuntman, with a costume and color scheme as ridiculous as his name, is here to tell Deadpool that they are making a Hollywood movie about his life. Well, of course Deadpool is down with this and the awesome fact that Salmon Stuntman wants to offer him the opportunity to help perform the flicks stunts.  Did I forget to mention that the pink jump-suited stuntman also states directly to Deadpool that “there is nothing suspicious about all this”? Yeah, sure buddy, I personally have trust issues with any grown man wearing a pink leotard, hot take nowadays I know. (Jim: What about A.C. Slater's pink tank top?  Nothing wrong with that, preppie!)

 Anyway, as a result of this offer, Deadpool seeks out the only hero who knows all about the ups and downs of Hollywood and he just happens to be the co-star of this book. How convenient!  Of course, it's Spidey and after initially balking at the opportunity because “superhero movies are getting so dark and gloomy these days”, Spidey agrees when Deadpool promises an Associate Producer credit. There are about fourteen shots fired in the direction of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice throughout this issue or as it’s laughingly referred to herein Marvel terms as Nighthawk v Hyperion: Yawn of Boredom. Nice!

As our heroes hit Hollywood. we see a beautifully rendered splash page filled with a ton of pop references with comic and movie jokes. I wish I could give credit where credit is due here, but there’s a giant art team on this book and we have a strict lite research policy (Jim: Lite is too much!) around here so we’ll move on. The following slew of pages introduces us to several characters working on the flick and the star playing the Merc with the Mouth.  This part of the book with the cast and production team is hysterical and the whole second act steals most of the spotlight of the issue as we're treated to jokes tailor made for the Weird Science Get Fresh Crew.

As we progress to the end of our story, we see Deadpool and the Salmon Stuntman beginning to mix things up in what should be the giant set piece to this potential blockbuster movie. Only we find out, as things go south quickly, there was a mystery brewing under our noses all along. All before things wrap up in classic Scooby-Doo fashion right down to the “and I would have gotten away with it too if it too if it wasn’t for those darn super-heroes.”

I’ve purposely tried being coy in this review without revealing any full on spoilers because I think if you like the lighter side of these characters you need to splurge for this. I only gave you a few names to go on in this review so maybe you’re good at the Wheel of Fortune and are able to deduce the giant mystery on your own, but nobody likes the Wheel of Fortune right? (Jim: Right!) I’ll wrap this up by eating some humble pie. Yes, old people and veterans of the comics medium, you were right (in this one instance anyway). One shots apparently can be an “over the plate home run”...Eric Shea would be proud!

Spider-man and Deadpool fans don’t need to fret even though the ongoing story is placed on hold, their money will be well spent here. Scott Aukerman is part of the Comedy Bang Bang team and has some killer comedic chops and its visible here in spades.  The guy is still new to the comic book medium having written only one other story, a one shot in a Secret Wars compilation issue, but I'd say he's hit the ground running! The character interactions were clever and the jokes all hit. This issue is legitimately funny enough that you’ll laugh out loud at least a couple of times.  I’d like to see Aukerman on some more books in the near future.

Bits and Pieces:

If you are a  Marvel fan or like fun and hilarious comics, go out and buy this book. The writing is sharp, the art is clean, and you get an entire story in one neat little package. Weird Science tested, Weird Science approved...lit’s just worth your time.

9.0/10