Nightmare Specialist Dr. (Joe) Kelly
Art Therapy Dr. (Walter) McDaniel
Inkblots Dr. (Whitney) McFarland
Color Charts Dr. (Kevin) Somers
Handwriting Analysis Doc (Richard) Starkings & Comicraft
Paranoia Dr. (Matt) Idelson
Prozac Boy Dr. (Bob) Harris
Cover Dated April 1999
Joe Kelly is by far, one of my favorite Deadpool writers. I owned all of his issues, before downsizing my collection. I’m glad that at least one of his issues stayed in the collection.
This issue deals with the fallout of the incredible, Dead Reckoning, storyline. In it, Deadpool had to fight Captain America so that he could kill an alien messiah so that people could have free will. Thus, everything bad that happens – to anyone – is on him, as humans would have been walking mindless drones. Which is a good thing, that we still have free will but it is a pretty heavy burden to carry.
The issue opens with Deadpool, screaming on Doctor Bong’s (an old enemy of Howard the Duck’s) couch. Deadpool keeps seeing white bunnies and a brunette lady in a purple dress. The brunette is setting up the next storyline.
Deadpool is Doctor Bong’s first patient as he has recently completed his psychology Ph.D. So he is finally a real doctor. Doctor Bong still postures, as it is hard to quit that old habit.
I miss this Deadpool, the one that kept making pop culture references. Sure, the comments with Janet Reno makes the comic a tad dated but I like it.
Doctor Bong does have a suggestion that will help Deadpool’s situation. A hero must die!
Bolivia . . . the former hacienda of a former Bolivan general formerly among the living. I missed Montgomery, whatever happened to that guy? It appears as if he just fades away, which is probably for the best as he had gone through some stuff.
http://comicbookdb.com/character_chron.php?ID=2396
I’m sure I read issue 81, I just don’t recall those later issues as much.
Monty doesn’t recommend Deadpool take Doctor Bong’s advice. Deadpool’s depression is natural after making the decision that he made to save the entire world.
There is a half page ad for Avengers Forever, by Kurt Busiek and Carlos Paceco. Such a great series!
Deadpool thinks it is a good idea as getting in a fight does help clear his head. Deadpool calls his new lady pilot, Ilaney – who I also liked. Deadpool had such a great supporting cast during this run.
The Next Day. Ilaney is practicing her English – she’s Swedish, I believe or German. Deadpool is using his image inducer. They are in Chinatown of San Francisco. Doctor Bong, in full costume, is also present.
We finally get to the reason why I own this issue! Kitty Pryde and Wolverine are guest starring! Seeing Wolverine’s red narration boxes takes me back! He’s inner monologuing about how smells and memories are so well tied. Kitty and Wolverine are there to meet Black Crane, who I don’t recognize as a character.
An old lady shop keeper starts poking Wolverine with a stick. The lady speaks in yellow dialogue balloons, so we know that is Deadpool. S/he implies that Kitty is a prostitute and Logan is her client. Wolverine knows it is Deadpool now.
Wolverine doesn’t view Deadpool very highly even though he has to look up at most people. He asks Kitty to phase the old lady, which she does and now everyone sees Deadpool. Deadpool is embarrassed that now everyone knows about his cross-gender cross-cultural cross-age cross-dressing! So very funny!
This is Deadpool and Kitty’s first meeting! I doubt she has even heard of him, before this moment. He grossly hits on her, which disgusts her.
Wolverine doesn’t have time for this, he has that meeting to get to. Deadpool is trying his best to get Wolverine mad, by insulting Kitty.
Deadpool grabs Logan’s wrist, he wants to be snikt-ed so hard! Logan isn’t taking the bait.
Deadpool knows what to do, and he shoryukens Kitty! She goes flying! It is now . . . ON!
Morocco. We check in on Deadpool’s current financial backer – Alestaire Grunch, who is doing an experiment on a cat. He gets an envelope in the mail and freaks out.
San Francisco. Doctor Bong is having a fight with his lady friend, Barbara. She’s not every understanding nor supportive of his new career choice.
We’re treated to an awesome double page spread, of Wolverine in full feral mode, and Deadpool in full pop cultural references mode.
Deadpool gets the upper hand and puts a knife in Wolverine’s side. This shakes Wolverine out of his feral state.
Kitty is slowly getting up from being sucker punched. Doctor Bong asks her to not get involved in the fight.
Ilaney is shocked by the actions and the people that Deadpool knows, she’s starting to get excited about all of this – which is what Monty was worried would happen. That Deadpool found this lovely and simple lady and is corrupting her.
There is an ad for Power Rangers Galaxy, for anyone keeping track of that. I would have stopped watching by this point. Once Amy Jo Johnson was gone and replaced with Kat who can turn into a cat, I was pretty much done. Outside of that awesome Forever Red episode.
Wolverine and Deadpool are not able to exchange dialogue, which is all Deapdool wanted. Plus, they keep fighting, as they are professionals.
A man says Logan’s name, startling Deadpool and he shoots the guy – the guy was Black Crane, who I definitely don’t recognize.
Bullpen Bulletins. Comics on sale for March 3 –
Cable 67
Captain America : Sentinel of Liberty 9
Daredevil 7
Fantastic Four 17
Spider-Man : Chapter One 0
Thor 11
Uncanny X-Men 368 – Requim for an X-Man! In the aftermath of “The Magneto War,” X-Men past and present gather at Xavier’s Institute for Higher Learning to bid a final goodbye to their fallen comrade. By Alan Davis and Adam Kubert.
X-Men Manga 27
Wolverine checks with Black Crane, he’s going to live. Now that his friend is okay, Wolverine starts to fight Deadpool again.
Deadpool’s vision of the lady and the rabbits (who have been present, off and on) are now just standing around. Deadpool asks Doctor Bong about the meaning of all of this. Doctor Bong tells him that he is on a cusp of a breakthrough and to confront the hallucinations.
Kitty shouts to Wolverine about how she is stuck in a force field. Doctor Bong hits the force field to silence her, and offers to give her therapy to work her daddy issues that she has with Wolverine.
Deadpool doesn’t know where to start with chatting with the hallucinations. They started standing around when Wolverine was going on about the past so Deadpool asks for another story.
Wolverine starts talking for half of a page, all in mid leap! Good for Ilaney for pointing out how odd that is to be able to do. Wolverine is talking about how the past will always come back to haunt, so now Deadpool knows where to start.
Look how great that two page spread is!
Bong hits the force field again and Kitty swears this is the last time she guest stars in a non-X-Book. Look at Kitty getting into the fourth wall breaking fun!
Doctor Bong starts psycho-analyzing Deadpool, helping to explain what must be happening in his mind. All of this is not correct, if I’m remembering the rest of the storyline correctly. Deadpool is about to recognize who the lady is when . . .
Wolverine puts all six claws into Deadpool’s back! Doctor Bong teleports himself, Ilaney and Deadpool away.
Ilaney is worried about Deadpool but he explains that he has a healing factor. Deadpool tells Doctor Bong not to worry about who the brunette is, she broke his heart years ago and is dead now.
Epilogue. Atlanta, Georgia. We see the brunette, her name is Mercedes (I recall that) and she looks like she’s been running or escaping for a while now.
Such a good issue!
Back cover ad is for The Mod Squad movie, when old shows were getting the revamped movie treatment. I didn’t watch it and I don’t recall anyone ever seeing it. I don’t really know the television series either, it isn’t one of those that gets brought up. Claire Danes, Omar Epps and Giovanni Ribsi are the Mob Squad. There was a while there, that I was watching every movie Giovanni was making. I wasn’t seeking him out but he kept coming into films I enjoyed or saw. Josh Brolin is also in it.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 