Grimlock ♥ Ultra Magnus

Deadpool's throwing a pity party, but at least he's aware of the cycles of his life and he's trying to do something about them.   If there's no character growth, I can't keep coming back and Duggan's been great at balancing that growth with who Deadpool is and what his series does so well.  In fact, I don't think I've seen a better balance elsewhere, which makes Duggan's two runs my favorite Deadpool runs. 

Which is why I was so taken aback last issue when Deadpool took huge steps backwards towards the pre-Duggan Deadpool.   This issue finds him rallying, far more quickly than he would have before.   Not to mention that he wouldn't have been anywhere near this self-aware.   

I'd have told you that Deadpool simply couldn't be himself and self-aware before: part of his charm was his obliviousness, at least some of it willful - and I'd have argued more than half.   His life sucked so much he coped by blinding himself to so many of his realities. 

The thing is, I didn't realize how freeing and how great a self-aware Deadpool could be.   Duggan just had to give him something - or more accurately someone - to be self-aware for.   He won't, but when his daughter Ellie comes along, things change, especially since he finds himself a single father.   As much as I love Wade and Ellie's antics, the rational part of me realizes that as much as he cares, he can treat her poorly.   Depending on the background, it might be because his father treated him poorly and its learned behavior, although I don't think this is entirely at fault.   Deadpool is irresponsible, possibly mentally ill, and if not that has huge gaping holes in his memories.   His double set of memories.   Who knows what the constant cancer - because, yeah, let's not forget that he has cancer and his healing factor just works faster than the cancer - is doing to him.   (Somewhere, I've seen it hinted at that his healing factor is working so hard all the time that it messes with his brain chemistry.   I think it would help explain some things that seem inconsistent, like how he can care so deeply for Ellie and also put her in harm's way as bait.   I don't think he thinks the same all the time, because of a mixture of the healing factor, the cancer, the experimentation including implanted memories and using him as a sleeper agent, and the possibility of mental illness rearing its head in some of his childhood memories.   People tend to retcon a lot, though, so the last may or may not be accurate depending on the writer, and I don't remember Duggan tackling this aspect.   Right now, since this is his series, I'll defer to what he writes in the future if he does get too into Wade's childhood.)

Regardless, Deadpool realizes that he is at best not the ideal father, and that he certainly can't keep Ellie safe if people learn she's his daughter.   It's why he set her up with a family tied to S.H.I.E.L.D - the mother is a life decoy, or a robot with her soul implanted in it which is a long story in itself.   I don't think Wade's come to the realization that he's this irresponsible without laughing or shrugging it off, or both, before.  'Oh, well, guys, that's just me.'   

Not when it comes to Ellie.   

So it's not a huge surprise in retrospect that Ellie sets him straight again.   It's when Ellie is threatened that he mans up and takes care of things.   The final panel is a letdown which makes me wonder when this pity party will end - not soon apparently - but I'm willing to see where this goes.   Even though I feel that these past two issues haven't quite been up to par, I was far more disappointed in the previous issue, and I'm willing to cut Duggan some slack: he's been so consistently good for so long, he gets some slack.   That doesn't mean that I'll rate this up because I definitely feel they weren't his strongest work.   What it does mean is that I won't cut ties quite yet.   I have a feeling he's trying to do a little bit of a reset and figure out a new direction for Deadpool.   It was perfection last time he did this, with the introduction of Ellie.   I guess I have higher expectations do to this, but I realize I'm not going to get that every single time.   What it boils down to is I trust Duggan as a writer, and I trust him to find his way, even if I side eye some of the stories along the way.