Bad Ass has been touted as the child of Deadpool and Kick Ass with quick witted, black humor. I found the first issue fun enough that I checked this one out. Is it as funny as they claim? Read on to find out!
BAD ASS #3
Writer: Herik Hanna
Artist: Bruno Bessadi
Letterer: Marshall Dillon
Colorist: Gaetan Georges
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously in Bad Ass: Dead End is a villain only looking out for himself. He’s taken out a gang of villains and stolen a bunch of jewels. Nice job for someone who used to be a pimple faced nerd.
EVERY NERD’S WET DREAM OF REVENGE
The first issue of Bad Ass was good and entertained me enough that when the chance to review this one came up I decided to give it a read. I haven’t read issue two but based on the story quality of this one, I don’t think I missed much. Dead End’s backstory continues and it’s your typical revenge fantasy. Bullied student becomes attractive, confident and proceeds to humiliate his tormentors while also becoming the most popular student, wanted by all the girls. We’re shown Jack/Dead End using his “powers” (which happen to be extremely similar to Bullseye’s) but it’s unclear how he got them. Maybe it was revealed in the previous issue but a clearer explanation would have been nice. The rest plays out just like the other. Dead End fights another super villain and we’re left with a “cliffhanger”. So much of this issue had elements seen many times before that I was bored all the way through. The humor is immature and not as witty or funny as the first issue’s and only one joke earned a chuckle. A thirteen year old would love this but not me. It follows the formula set not only by itself but other stories as well. With only one issue to go, I can’t see how a satisfying story can be wrapped up here.
THAT’S KIND OF RACIST, RIGHT?
Bruno Bessadi does a serviceable job with the story providing some nice action scenes and simple panel layouts. It reads smoothly and the style works well with the issue. The various villains’ quirky designs continue to be fun and one of the best things about the book. Faces look off at times but he sure can draw big breasted women well. Coloring is bright and looks just like a typical superhero story the average person would visualize.
There was one thing that bothered me to no end. Blacksnake’s butler looks just like a stereotypical African-American straight out of 1865. I found myself playing a game of “Is That Racist?” Bald with white hair on the sides, big lips, it’s all here. Think Samuel L. Jackson (the L stands for motherf@cker) in Django Unchained and that’s what you have. Maybe it’s just me overthinking things, but my answer to “Is it Racist?” would be: Yes?
BOTTOM LINE: WANTS TO BE SOMETHING IT’S NOT
Bad Ass #3 has so much that’s been seen before that there is no need to read this. It wants to be a dark, quick witted, funny book but fails. The humor is juvenile, the story of a bullied nerd getting revenge has been done to death and, once again, Dead End finds himself fighting another villain. The art is fun and characters have fun designs but I’m pretty sure that butler is offensive. Pretty sure…
