Today’s reading: Deadpool #17, 1998
Story by Joe Kelly
Art by Walter McDaniel
For about a year and a half now, Zoe Culloden has teased
Wade with promises of playing a role of cosmic importance. Now that Wade’s on
the Landau, Luckman & Lake payroll, it’s time to explain what that means.
At least, according to Overboss Dixon it’s time. Zoe still
thinks Wade’s not ready to process what’s being requested of him. And Dixon
just wants Wade to fail anyway.
Per team LL&L, an alien lifeform has been on a direct
course for Earth for at least 20 years (pretty slow when you consider how many
times the Shi’ar, Kree, Skrulls, Galactus, et al have popped by for visits in
that span). Somehow, Wade’s involvement, as the so-called Mithras, “the light
before the sun,” is supposed to allow whatever’s coming to usher in a new age
of enlightenment and utopia on Earth.
To make their point, they show Wade a virtual-reality
hologram of New York City circa 2002. Allegedly the city becomes a futuristic
utopia or at the very least a green-hued version of New New York from Futurama, which won’t premiere on Fox
for about a year from the publication of this comic. Oh, and there’s a giant
statue of Deadpool.
“I guess Giuliani’s quality-of-life laws really did the trick,
huh?” Wade says. Topical!
All jokes aside, DP predictably flips out and says he’s not
their man.
“A guy like me isn’t even allowed to walk on the same block
as Avengers Mansion,” he tells Zoe. Just
give it 17 years, Wade.
Fortunately, Dixon purports to have a backup Mithras. But
whoever that is may not be necessary, as Montgomery the precog shares a trio of
visions with Wade that snap him out of his post-exposition freakout:
“You will close the door to the sharpest edge of your soul
and open a bitter heart. The kiss of Death (capitalization mine) will mean a
lease on life to a walking ghost. Finally, in the coldest circle of Hell, the
devil will teach you mercy, and for a brief moment, you will believe. When
these three events transpire, you will know that I can see through the veil of
time, that I speak true.”
Wade responds to Monty’s vision by returning home and
fulfilling the first prophecy, by sealing up the door to The Box and
apologizing to Blind Al for putting her in there back
in issue #13. He’s about to tell her she’s free to leave when his
teleportation belt clicks on by itself and whisks him away.
Where’s he going? Well, he’s about to meet the man who’s
been on his tail since issue
#14. Ajax has found his best lead yet in one Dr. Emrys Killbrew. (Remember
him from issues 3-5?) Turns out the two are old friends, dating to when
Killbrew worked for the Weapon X program. Ajax tortures Killbrew a bunch till
Dr. K – whom McDaniel draws much less like Wilford Brimley – gives up how to
find Deadpool, which involves hacking the signal on his belt and, through the
magic of science, bringing him to them.
Next time on Thursdays with Wade, Deadpool and Ajax have
their first confrontation, and Wade meets the next most important woman in his
life. This one’s real bony, though. See ya then!
In addition to writing
for The Matt Signal, Dan Grote is now the official comics blogger for The Press
of Atlantic City. New posts appear Wednesday mornings at PressofAC.com/Life. His
new novel, Magic Pier, is available however you get your books online. He and Matt have been
friends since the days when Onslaught was just a glimmer in Charles Xavier's
eye. Follow @danielpgrote on Twitter.
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