Following last month’s release of the highly-anticipated Deadpool game (and recent X-Force film rumours), explanation of the character’s lewd persona is surely warranted. Contentious Marvel anti-hero Wade Wilson is a mercenary mutated by medical experimentation. His regenerative healing powers and immunity to decapitation have proven lucrative in combat. However this constant regeneration resulted in his patent lunacy, and severely disfigured skin.
Deadpool isn’t your typical Marvel superhero, but his bawdy humour and erratic behaviour have established him a cult following in the Marvel community. Though he still possesses many generic hero traits (such as acuity in martial arts and superhuman strength) his most endearing of characteristics has always been his ability to break the fourth wall. Deadpool is sentient- a character who’s aware of his falsehood, and delights in acknowledging his readers directly.
If you’re a fan of the puerile humour Wade Wilson exudes in Marvel vs Camcom or his recent self-titled video game, I recommend you delve into Daniel K Way’s run of DP comics. Way highlights Deadpool’s most captivating (and depraved) traits, but never fails to concede Wilson’s unexpected humility.
“He’s crass and vulgar and violent and nasty (but) just when everyone else wearing spandex is ready to toss him into the sun, he does something amazing…” writes Mike Fahey of Kotaku.com.
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 generic 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 hero… just a lunatic in spandex.
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Joanna Tsanis is a columnist for the Toronto Standard. Follow her on Twitter: @joannatsanis.
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