Even Marvel Thinks Too Many Universe-Ending Crossovers Is Boring
Warning: contains spoilers for Deadpool: Black, White & Blood #2!
The sheer abundance of epic, universe-ending crossover events in comics is becoming stale, and Marvel Comics uses a Deadpool comic to warn readers about the issue. Both the house that Stan Lee built and the Distinguished Competition (DC Comics) are equally guilty of this; readers can only believe the universe will end only so many times. Deadpool: Black, White & Blood #2 says as much in the story Pool of Death?, both written and illustrated by Daniel Warren Johnson with lettering by VC's Joe Sabino.
Deadpool: Black, White & Blood is an anthology series starring the fan-favorite Merc with a Mouth in various adventures. Deadpool has teamed up with Honey Badger to take down a corrupt executive in charge of turning animals into zombies, hunted far and wide for a VHS copy of the Bea Arthur film Hotline to Heaven, and was momentarily under the control of Jessica Jones' nemesis Killgrave. But in Pool of Death?, a funny and heartwarming meta-narrative about the nature of writing also contains Deadpool pointing out the ridiculousness of world-ending crossovers in comics.
The writer, (Daniel Warren Johnson in an in-comic cameo) sits inside his apartment and discusses his writers' block with Deadpool. They discuss all possible scenarios - fighting the Hulk, teaming up with Cable - but all have been tried before. When Deadpool mentions that the stories are too violent, asking if the writer believes he "...shoots and cuts things 24/7? A man needs hobbies! We need a fresh take!", the writer decides to create a story with Deadpool going on a date with the mutant Dazzler. But things quickly escalate: the writer enters them into a swing dance competition that will result in the end of the universe if Deadpool and Dazzler don't emerge victorious.
"No, no, no!" says the writer (over Deadpool's protestations). The scene abruptly transitions back to the writer's apartment. While it's true the writer is suffering from writer's block (and he admits he wouldn't know how to end the story anyway), this could also be Marvel's way of sharply criticizing stories that begin with crossovers and end with the fate of all existence hanging in the balance. Stories like Secret Wars, The Infinity Gauntlet, and Secret Empire had massive world-changing stakes - but the readers lose interest if the stories lose sight of the characters within those stories. DC's various "Crisis" crossovers are a perfect example: surely the reader knows the world and/or universe will stand once the crossover is over (how else would the comic continue otherwise?).
Pool of Death? ends with a very personal moment: the writer remembering his father buying his first Deadpool comic. It's an effective way to end a story, and an equally effective way to communicate the importance of small stakes as opposed to large ones in comics. Despite his propensity for violence and vulgarity, Deadpool can inspire and help others as much as any other Marvel superhero.