FOOLKILLER #1 Spoiler: Stare Into The Tiny Cosmic Cube...

[CraigTheCylon]

...replica. There are no actual Cosmic Cubes in this book.

Synopsis:
spoilers:

We open to Foolkiller, a.k.a Greg Salinger, narrating about the benefits of a man-purse at his psychotherapist office before meeting today's patient, Rodney, who would like to be known as Young Red Skull. This leads into a page-long recap of the Foolkiller name as a means of explaining the concept of legacies, which - with some mild theatrics from Greg - starts to get Rodney to open up a bit. Next, a flashback. After his career 'peaked' while he still dressed like a pallette-swap Lone Ranger, Greg spent some time in a mental hospital, and following his release joined Deadpool's Mercs for Money, a decision he regrets. Since leaving that team he'd tried his hand at solo gun-for-hire work, but after getting beaten up by SHIELD agents on his last job, Greg had an epiphany and surrendered, deciding the pain wasn't worth the money. The intervention of one Captain Gary Span led to him skipping a jail sentence in favour of plying his therapy skills on SHIELD's payroll. Speaking of Span, after a phone call from Greg he has some kind of prisoner dragged into his office. The prisoner calls him a 'traitor' and that others will come in his place to take Span down. Span shoots him and screams a bunch. Guessing he's probably not on the level. Greg, blissfully unaware of this, goes back home to do roleplay sex with his girlfriend, Melanie. She likes the old Lone Ranger-y outfit. Back to therapy: Greg uses hypnosis on Rodney to settle him into a reflective trance, comparing the life stories of Johann Schmidt and the boy, how they were both traumatized by their fathers and attempted to inherit the mantle of living symbols greater than themselves, while still living in those symbols' shadow. Unfortunately Greg gets carried away and starts talking about himself instead. In the evening, Greg is dragged away from dinner with Mel by an emergency call from Rodney. He finds Rodney at a dock in Brooklyn surrounded by fresh corpses. Apparently they were from Rodney's old white-supremacist gang and had attempted to drag him back into the fold, setting him off in the process. Rodney's distraught, and begs Greg not to tell SHIELD about this. Greg agrees, then kills him. Musing about how easy it is to fall off the wagon, Greg opens the man-purse and brings out the Foolkiller gear just as the rest of the gang shows up...

end of spoilers

Initial Thoughts:
- Look...I know you probably weren't rushing down to the store today (or to your smartphone app of choice) to buy Foolkiller. It's launching the same week as 2 new, exciting Avengers series, and really, who was asking for a spin-off outing for a guy from a Deadpool team book who seemingly only existed to complain about Deadpool? That's why this thread. Because no matter how pointless its existence may seem, Foolkiller doesn't deserve to be slept on.
- I loved Max Bemis' work on Worst X-Man Ever, which is why I wanted to try this. Apart from being within the more fixed reality of Earth F*** You Brevoort It's Still 616, this is a more straight-shooting book, yet still with its tongue planted in its cheek. It's not making me cry like Bailey's story did either, but it's making me pause for thought, certainly. It's also funny, and packs in a lot of detail into this one issue.
- No, Young Red Skull is not related to actual Red Skull. Nor does he have a skull for a face. He mostly looks like a guy who likes strawberry jam too much.
- Speaking of looks, the art's really nice too. Dalibor Talajic has a great eye for layouts and terrific expressions/body language, which is what sells a talky book like this. And Jose Marzan Jr.'s inks are clean and clear, giving the book that same sort of modern-retro look as the Waid/Samnee Daredevil.
- I sincerely hope to find out more about Greg's little dog in future issues. It's only on one page but it's so cute!
- Hey, you know what I really like to see in my comics? Young Avengers being mocked.
foolkiller_1.jpg
"Zooey Deschanel Hawkeye". THIS. BOOK. IS AMAAAAAAAZZZZZINNNNNNG

...sound off.

[Of Atlantis]

I've had more luck trying out more obscure titles lately. I may try this out. "Zooey Deschanel Hawkeye" kind of sold me on it.

[Prof. Warren]

I had an impulse to get this and I'm glad I did. I wouldn't have thought I needed a Foolkiller solo but this was a really strong first issue. Great character work, an intriguing premise and some good laughs. And the art was solid to boot.

Hopefully people will give this one a shot as it deserves some attention.

[batnbreakfast]

What older stuff do I need to read for the INTRO of THIS Foolkiller? Or does he start with #1 ?

I remember hating Hurrwitz' Foolkiller back then but this one sounds like a great concept.

[scribbleMind]

Of all the Mercs for Money spin-offs, I was looking forward to Slapstick the most, but that book had two very prominent issues: 1) Slapstick isn't a character I could root for and 2) The supporting cast seemed pretty uninteresting as well. So, when it's all said and done, despite the great concept, it was a very disappointing issue.

However, Foolkiller alleviated that disappointment. I really liked this one, and it took the concept of being a psychiatrist and made it far more fun and interesting than I expected it to be. So long Slapstick, I'd be a Fool not to follow this book.

[Enigma]

I absolutely loved this! I only started reading comic books last week and this is my first 'monthly', so I didn't really know what to expect going into it. I loved the art, I loved the concept and I liked the little bits of humour. Such as, 'I've found my passion'. All in all, I'm glad that I picked it up.

[Diamond]

What older stuff do I need to read for the INTRO of THIS Foolkiller? Or does he start with #1 ?

I remember hating Hurrwitz' Foolkiller back then but this one sounds like a great concept.

This Foolkiller has nothing to do with Hurwitz's. Your best introduction is Amazing Spider-Man #225 or the first Foolkiller series in the 90's, which I absolutely recommend tracking down.

[Digifiend]

I've had more luck trying out more obscure titles lately. I may try this out. "Zooey Deschanel Hawkeye" kind of sold me on it.

I can actually see where that came from. I don't think Speed, Wiccan, and Patriot (that's who he meant by Bucky, his original costume was Bucky's with a mask) would appreciate what he said though!

So SHIELD gave him the same punishment that Rick Jones got after Standoff... I guess that's their replacement for the Thunderbolts program?

[batnbreakfast]

This Foolkiller has nothing to do with Hurwitz's. Your best introduction is Amazing Spider-Man #225 or the first Foolkiller series in the 90's, which I absolutely recommend tracking down.

Thanks, bro Amazing #225 is from the month I was born... fate! I should definitely add it to my collection

[Kusanagi]

Out of all the new spinoffs from mercs, I felt this had the most potential. Going to keep an eye on it, probably pick up this one as I think trade waiting may kill it.

[Enigma]

Do it! (In Flashart's voice)

[Doc Sonic]

The first issue of Foolkiller was surprisingly fun and definitely recommended.
Although i do feel obligated to point out:
a) one cannot practice psychotherapy if you have a criminal record
b) it takes more than a weekend seminar to earn a license in clinical psychology
c) your shrink will not break your neck if you disappoint them by making regressions in treatment
Otherwise a strong first issue and a lot of fun :3

[Digifiend]

Don't forget, he's not the first psychotherapist that's been used in this way. Norman Osborn was having Moonstone do the same thing - Penance, Robbie Baldwin, was one of her patients - in Thunderbolts 9 years ago (after Civil War, before Secret Invasion).

[Doc Sonic]

Don't forget, he's not the first psychotherapist that's been used in this way. Norman Osborn was having Moonstone do the same thing - Penance, Robbie Baldwin, was one of her patients - in Thunderbolts 9 years ago (after Civil War, before Secret Invasion).

And Doc Sampson turned evil for a while as well. Making Marvel 0 for three in positive portrayals of psychotherapists. :/

[Link]

This title, although written by a different author, has a very superior foes of spider man feel to it. I'm on board. In my experience, when Marvel puts out odd ball titles like this, they're usually the better titles in the Marvel line up. Writers on these kind of titles aren't bogged down much by the current Marvel status quo and are free to entertain us with a good story. Give it a try people, you won't regret it.