Name: Wade Winston Wilson
Current Alias: Deadpool
Place of Birth: Canada
Height: 6’2
Weight: 210 lbs
Created by: Rob Liefeld, Fabian Nicieza
Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool aka the “Merc with a Mouth”, is a popular anti-hero in the Marvel universe, and an essential facet to any True Believer’s collection. A mercenary mutated by medical experimentation, Deadpool possesses regenerative healing powers and immunity to chemical and telepathic assaults. However, this constant regeneration has resulted in his overt mental lunacy, and severely disfigured skin.
It was obvious since his inception that Deadpool wasn’t the typical Captain-America-esque hero fans were accustomed to, but Wilson’s wild humour and erratic behaviour established him a cult-like following in the Marvel community. Deadpool does still possess many generic hero traits- such as masterful acuity in martial arts, the puzzling ability to pull weapons out of thin air, and of course superhuman strength, agility and reflexes- but his most unusual (and endearing) of characteristics would be his unique ability to break the fourth wall.
Deadpool is well aware he is in a comic book, commenting on his yellow dialogue boxes, prior comic issue numbers, and even acknowledging the reader.
Another capability proven beneficial to Deadpool’s livelihood would be his obnoxiously loquacious conduct in battle.
“I always forget (or just black out to spare myself the agony) what Wilson’s most lethal weapon is…his mouth! He’ll talk nonsense until you surrender or commit suicide,” says Neena Thurman, aka Domino.
Deadpool’s nonstop, nonsensical banter and his deranged mental state make him generally unpredictable in battle, constantly distracting his opponents with bawdy remarks and erratic moves.
Deadpool has all the makings of a villain: the grotesque appearance, the irrefutable insanity, a past riddled with betrayal and mercenary exploits…yet he still, with out any recognition from his peers, manages to do good. In a world of consummate stud heroes, Deadpool breaks the mold, but without that glimmer of humility buried deep in his mess of a mind, there no longer lies a good guy. Thus, Deadpool is constantly battling his inner demons.
Deadpool can also be spotted in the video game Marvel vs Campcom 3, where he will literally assault his opponents with their own health and hyper combo bars, and will mock your skill level as you play. There’s really nothing like having a 210 lbs mercenery shout at you through a t.v. screen.
Where to start reading: If you can’t get a hold of the original singles, the trade Deadpool Classic #1 contains Deadpool’s first apperance (New Mutants 98), his first two Mini-series, and the 1st issue of the ongoing Deadpool series (originally written by Joe Kelly). The next four “Classic” trades contain the subsequent comics of Joe Kelly’s series.
Daniel K. Way, the current Deadpool writer, and my personal favourite, does an absolutely marvelous job at highlighting Deadpool’s most captivating traits. His work is available in the current Deadpool trades (Deadpool Volume 1: Secret Invasion, Deadpool Volume 2: Dark Reign, etc.). You can certainly enjoy these trades without any prior reading of Deadpool, but I’d recommend reading at least Deadpool Classics 1 through 3 first for sufficient understanding of his origins.
Recommended Series with Deadpool:
Deadpool – currently written by Daniel K. Way
Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth – Originally meant to be an ongoing series, but was cancelled after 13 issues, Merc with a Mouth introduces serveral incarnations of Deadpool, including a female version. This seres was written by Victor Gishcler.
Deadpool Team-Up – Features a different creative team each issue, teaming Deadpool up with a different character from the Marvel universe.
Deadpool Corps – A spinoff from the Deadpool: Merc With A Mouth series, and also written by Victor Gischler, follows a team of different Deadpools from other dimensions together in outer space. The series was cancelled after 12 issues.
Deadpool MAX – A film-noir-like re-imagining of Deadpool by David Lapham under Marvel’s MAX line (contains explicit content). The series was cancelled after 12 issues.
Uncanny X-Force – Not strictly a Deadpool comic, but he is part of the current X-Force team (fighting side-by-side with Wolverine, another fan favourite). This series is written by Rick Remender and it’s awesome.
Highly Recommended Trade:
Deadpool Volume 10: Evil Deadpool – Deadpool’s constant battle with his divided conscience is rushed to the surface when a morally deficient and ruthlessly violent version of himself is unleashed upon the world. This storyline gives a whole new meaning to fighting your inner demons.
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Joanna Tsanis is a columnist for the Toronto Standard. Follow her on Twitter at†@joannatsanis
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