I admit: I have no clue who the Thunderbolts are and I'd never read Deadpool before, though I'm familiar with his character just by being a Marvel fan. I decided to read all the Dark Reign trades, and this popped up on my radar. And I loved it.

I started with Deadpool, Vol. 2: Dark Reign, which provides a paragraph recapping this trade about halfway through. So, I stopped that book to read this one. Happily, readers don't need to know who the Thunderbolts are (or even read the other trade) because this book can stand alone. Readers should be familiar with the overarching story of Dark Reign, and Norman Osborn being in power, but beyond that, Deadpool himself recaps how he got where he is on the first page. Essentially, Deadpool thinks Osborn owes him money, and Norman has been trying to have him killed. The other trade covers Tiger Shark and Bullseye's attempts, and the two trades really should've been combined into one collection. However, both are worth purchasing.

After getting over the initial shock, because it is unlike any other comic I have ever read, I found Deadpool to be hysterically funny, unbelievably violent, and overall an amazing character. Some of the dialog was lost on me until I figured out Deadpool was having two-sided conversations- between him and his brain. Even other characters didn't know if he was speaking to them! Plus, I loved Deadpool's flirting with the [evil] Black Widow; it was raunchy and hilarious. This trade is not essential to Dark Reign continuity but it is a fantastic story that is well worth reading.

Overall, I think I'm hooked on Deadpool and will definitely be reading more. I wouldn't recommend this for young readers because it is extremely violent, even gory at times, and Deadpool is not strictly a hero. He can and will commit murder. But for adults, Deadpool is an experience every comic reader should try! ( )

Deadpool is starting to get some massive coverage in Marvel right now, and so far it seems to be working in his favor. Hopefully he doesn't go the way of Carnage and Venom and end up overstaying their welcome due to overexposure.

As far as the story goes, Deadpool feels like Norman Osborn owes him for the way that he was able to kill the Skrull Queen at the end of Secret Invasion, so he goes out to seek his reward. To halt Deadpool, Osborn sends in the Thunderbolts to get rid of him permanently, causing Deadpool to seek help from an ally that has always been a source of trouble for him.

This TPB is great, simply put. At times it does feel like Deadpool gets most of the spotlight, but the Thunderbolts get their moments to shine as well, leading to a fun and meaningful romp. Definitely a must for Dark Reign, Deadpool, or Thunderbolts fans. ( )