AGENT X #1
"Dead Man's Switch, Part 1"
Mildly Recommended (6/10)
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Marvel Comics
Writer: Gail Simone
Artists: Udon
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Editor: Andrew Lis & Mike Marts
Price: $2.99 US/$4.75 CAN |
Fans of Simone and Udon's run on Deadpool will not be disappointed here. They pick up on elements from that now-defunct title and incorporate some of the same supporting characters. That could make for a certain degree of inaccessibility for new readers, though.
An amnesiac covered in X-shaped scars all over his body suddenly appears in the apartment building of Sandi, the one-time assistant of the mercenary known as Deadpool, believed to be dead. Sandi, suspecting the scarred stranger is her old employer, sees his appearance as an opportunity to get back her old career, and she asks an old friend to help the memory-deficient man develop the skills and attitude to be a gun for hire.
The guys from Udon continue to impress with their artwork. They capture the darker aspects of the story and the humor equally well without resorting to radical shifts in visual tone. The bright colors never threaten to overwhelm the more mature, violent aspects of the book. My one qualm with the art is the inconsistency with which the title character's scars are rendered. They had the same problem with Deadpool's grotesque appearance in their previous efforts. That visual inconsistency takes the reader out of the story a little bit, interrupting the flow of the book.
The first half of this book was notably different in tone from Deadpool. Simone, known for her humor, seemed to be playing the story straight, but in the latter half of the book, her trademark penchant for jokes returned. Unfortunately, the darker, more dramatic aspects of the story seem to be separated entirely from the humor here, and I think both sides of Simone's writing work better when blended together, making for a multi-layered read. In other words, the pacing of this issue seems off. It's almost as though this is an anthology issue: a merc story to start, and then a humorous adventure at the end.
I think what I most enjoyed about this book more than anything else is that Simone seems to be telling not only the title character's story, but that of Sandi, Deadpool's one-time assistant who's looking to take control of her life again. Sandi's a strong character, and I'm pleased to see Simone hasn't forgotten her. Unfortunately, while the writer builds on what she established during her short Deadpool run, she doesn't incorporate enough of that background in this new starting point. While Deadpool readers are sure to enjoy this book, with a new title and new #1 issue, it's bound to attract new readers, and I fear some will feel as though they've been left out of the loop. Hopefully, they'll stick around, though. Simone has definitely piqued my curiosity and once again tickled my funny bone.
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