Slapstick #1
Writers: Reilly Brown and Fred Van Lente
Artist: Diego Olortegui
Colors: Jim Campbell
Letters: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Marvel
Reviewed by David Hildebrand
Sometimes I surprise myself. Sitting down and reading Slapstick #1 is high up there in surprises for me this week. Want to guess what is a bigger surprise? I’ll tell you, its the fact that I actually enjoyed reading a Slapstick comic. Created in 1992, the jokester was introduced as an animated clown with cartoon world abilities, like reality shifting and invulnerability. So after the mutiny in the comic Mercs for Money, Slapstick is out on his own. Just a smartass killer using Deadpool’s MERK account (yeah, its kinda like Uber for Mercs) to get contracts so he can earn enough money to move out of his parents house.
The premier issue gives us a little taste of everything going on in Slapstick’s life. We start out seeing him break up a robbery at the docks. And I do mean break up, he dishes out some brutal justice with his huge mallet, Gertie. Don’t think Slapstick #1 is all fun and games, there is plenty of blood of guts for everyone to enjoy. We also get a glimpse into his home life. His family is just as dysfunctional as he is. And don’t bring up his dingus at the dinner table… just don’t. Ultimately we get into the plot of the story. Using MERK, Slapstick discovers that a shipment has been jacked from a Manhattan tech firm, that just so happens to be Parker Industries. As Slapstick arrives on the scene, he crosses paths with Spider-Man. And we have ourselves a team-up!
Brown and Van Lente do an excellent job in writing for a character that normally I have no interest in. I had a hard time with Mercs for Money as well for this very reason. The pair here have a good chemistry with this first issue. The humor stands out with one liners like “Crime is the disease, I am the ointment that makes the redness and swelling go down!” Even the bad guys have some nice lines. I think what makes this book successful is the addition of Spider-Man. I usually scoff at cameos in premiere issues just as a ploy to sell books, but Spider-Man gels with this story and makes it a fun read. Olortegui and Campbell’s artwork clicks so well with the story. I like how there is a Roger Rabbit feel to the art. Slapstick has his cartoony appearance while the world around him appears more realistic. And the blood and guts are the cherry on top!
The Verdict:
Check It Out! Slapstick #1 is a fun read and as I said, it certainly surprised me. I really dove into the book with little to no expectations and was pleasantly surprised at how well this first issue went. All the sour taste that I had with Mercs for Money disappeared and trust me when I say that was an incredible feat to achieve. So if you are a Slapstick fan, then you are certainly going to want to check this out. If you aren’t but looking for a fun read, then Slapstick #1 will fulfil your comic fix for the week!
