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Deadpool has emerged as a standout figure in the comic book world. Making his first appearance in New Mutants #98 in 1991, his witty and satirical behavior quickly earned him a place in many of Marvel’s top series. Recognized as #13 on IGN’s “Top 100 Comic Book Heroes” list, he has also headlined his own video game, and speculation about a standalone movie has circulated for years.
Discover 10 entertaining tales about the infamous “Merc with a Mouth.”
10. His Origins Were Inspired by a DC Comics Character
Rob Liefeld, a controversial figure, initially conceived Deadpool, though the term “conceived” is used loosely. Liefeld was notorious for drawing inspiration from existing characters for his creations. One of the most notorious examples was his take on Marvel’s Captain America, named Agent America, which led to a legal battle due to its striking resemblance.
Deadpool was Liefeld’s response to DC Comics’ Deathstroke the Terminator. According to the tale, Liefeld presented a sketch of his new character to writer Fabian Nicieza, who noted its uncanny resemblance to Deathstroke. Even Deadpool’s real name, Wade Wilson, was a nod to Slade Wilson, Deathstroke’s actual name.
Marvel and DC Comics have collaborated on a few crossovers, and one of them (unofficially) included Deadpool. In the 2006 issue Superman/Batman Annual #1, Deadpool incessantly annoyed Deathstroke and other DC characters. Due to rights issues, his name was never explicitly mentioned, and the character was frequently cut off before revealing his identity.
9. Frequently Shattering the Fourth Wall
Deadpool, a wisecracking, sarcastic, and juvenile assassin, is known for his humor that matches his dark, sadistic tendencies. However, his early appearances in his original stories emphasized his violent and disturbed psyche rather than his comedic side.
Deadpool’s signature “fourth wall-breaking” trait gained prominence when Joe Kelly took over in 1997. This marked Deadpool’s first solo series, and Marvel was initially skeptical about its success. Kelly revealed that Marvel frequently threatened to cancel the series almost every few issues.
With little incentive to develop lengthy, intricate storylines, Kelly transformed the series into a satirical adventure across the Marvel universe. Deadpool humorously critiqued past Marvel issues, such as Amazing Spider-Man #47, where the time-traveling mercenary mocked the dated dialogue and actions of characters from 1966.
Deadpool frequently reminds his audience that he is conscious of his existence as a comic book character. He achieves this by often alluding to real-world news and pop culture phenomena. He even mimics covers of unrelated comics, such as G.I. Joe #42.
8. He Annihilated the Entire Marvel Universe
Deadpool ranks among Marvel’s deadliest fighters. His weaponry spans swords, grenades, handguns, rocket launchers, and even a sheep cannon. When he does lose a battle, it’s typically because of his numerous distractions, particularly his tendency to ramble about himself.
In the four-part series “Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe,” Deadpool loses all sanity following a botched experiment. He embarks on a rampage, eliminating Marvel’s most iconic heroes, villains, and teams. Using Pym Particles, he annihilates the Avengers. With just his sword and combat skills, he takes down the Fantastic Four. Spider-Man meets his end with a precise headshot. The Punisher is lured into a trap, left trembling before his demise. Even The Hulk isn’t spared, as a decapitated Deadpool regenerates, ambushes Bruce Banner, and tears him apart upon waking.
Deadpool even gains control of another villain’s abilities, using them to compel numerous characters to end their own lives. One of the most chilling moments is his confrontation with the X-Men, where he faces Wolverine wearing Beast’s skin as a grotesque coat.
Despite his descent into madness, Deadpool never stops addressing the audience. However, his tone turns increasingly menacing. At one point, he stares directly at the reader and warns, “I will find you soon enough.”
7. He Also Once Slaughtered All Your Beloved Fictional Characters
After obliterating the Marvel Universe across multiple dimensions, Deadpool casually turned his attention to characters from classic literature. In his warped reasoning, the only way to halt the endless revival of Marvel’s heroes and villains was to eliminate the original inspirations behind them.
This led to “Deadpool Killustrated,” which showcased gruesome scenes like gouging out Don Quixote’s eye, destroying the home of the Little Women, and butchering the Three Musketeers. With each kill, Deadpool would catch a fleeting vision of the Marvel characters inspired by them. For example, Captain Nemo mirrored Magneto, and Ariel the Little Mermaid was humorously linked to Namor the Submariner.
The series reached its climax in a showdown between Deadpool—joined by a murderous Frankenstein’s Monster—and a team comprising Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Beowulf, Natty Bumppo, and Mulan. Deadpool evaded Holmes by painting a grim picture of a world where children would only encounter horror and violence in literature. He described a version of the Jungle Book where Baloo simply eats Mowgli upon finding him.
6. He Battled Every Deceased President and Eliminated Them Again
Have you ever pondered which U.S. president would dominate the comic book realm? Could Theodore Roosevelt handle a gun? What about Andrew Jackson’s notorious temper? A recent Deadpool storyline settled this debate by pitting the Merc with a Mouth against every deceased American president. The tale even included a cameo of Jimmy Carter being choked by a zombie Lyndon Johnson.
Penned by Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan, Deadpool #1 debuted in 2012 as part of Marvel NOW!’s relaunch. Capitalizing on election season, a necromancer revives former presidents to restore American society. Predictably, chaos ensues as the resurrected leaders go rogue and begin wreaking havoc across the nation.
Deadpool teamed up with Dr. Strange and the ghost of Benjamin Franklin to halt the undead presidents, led by George Washington. The Founding Father’s mission? To eliminate America’s greatest issue: its own citizens.
Memorable highlights include Captain America beheading Harry Truman, Franklin Roosevelt causing chaos in New York from his enchanted wheelchair (dubbed by Deadpool as “Stephen Hawking gone mad”), Teddy Roosevelt hunting zoo animals, an overweight William Taft trapped in a bathtub, a cunning Abraham Lincoln mimicking John Wilkes Booth by shooting Deadpool in the back of the head, and Benjamin Franklin making an inappropriate remark to a black S.H.I.E.L.D. agent about her ancestry.
Deadpool had to disguise himself as Marilyn Monroe to distract John F. Kennedy, while he defeated Zachary Taylor, James K. Polk, and Millard Fillmore (whom Deadpool called “the forgotten presidents”) with his swordsmanship. Ronald Reagan, who commandeered a satellite to activate his “Star Wars” program, was ultimately pulled into the void of space. The climax saw Deadpool confronting Lincoln in a brutal MMA fight that escalated into a no-holds-barred wrestling match, complete with chair strikes.
5. The Many Faces of Deadpool
Narrative tools like alternate universes, time travel, and retroactive continuity (retconning) have allowed writers to reimagine beloved characters. Typically, these new iterations are rooted in logic and historical context. However, with Wade Wilson, writers enjoyed greater creative freedom, often venturing into the whimsical and outright bizarre.
The Deadpool who went on a killing spree, targeting both comic and classic literary figures? That was a clone named “Dreadpool.” The multiverse also introduced variants like Lady Deadpool, aka Wanda Wilson. Others, such as Dogpool (a canine in Deadpool’s suit), Headpool (a zombified head from the Marvel Zombies storyline), and Pandapool (a menacing panda), pushed the boundaries of strangeness. There was even Wolverinepool, or Poolverine, whose battle cries celebrated Canadian beer.
Nearly every alternate reality in the Marvel Universe features a completely unique version of Deadpool. Unfortunately, a team made up entirely of Deadpools didn’t resonate with audiences as much as its creators had hoped.
4. His Complicated Relationship with Death and Thanos
Deadpool’s romantic endeavors rarely succeed, largely due to his brash and often inappropriate behavior that verges on harassment. However, one of the most significant figures in his life was none other than Death herself—the literal embodiment of mortality.
Death has been known to indulge Deadpool with surreal experiences, such as a literal “Dance with Death.” Her growing interest in Deadpool sparked jealousy in Thanos, one of the most formidable entities in the Marvel Universe and wielder of the Infinity Gauntlet.
Thanos attempted to win Death’s favor by trying to annihilate all of existence. When his efforts were rejected, and Death’s affection for Deadpool grew, Thanos sought revenge by using his powers to render Deadpool practically immortal. If Thanos couldn’t have Death, he ensured Wade Wilson couldn’t either.
3. Ryan Reynolds Was Unhappy with Deadpool’s Portrayal in X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Despite its modest box office performance, X-Men Origins: Wolverine received harsh criticism from both critics and comic book enthusiasts. Beyond its predictable storyline and illogical plot twists, the portrayal of Deadpool sparked significant backlash.
Ryan Reynolds, a genuine fan of Deadpool, brought the character to life in the film. His witty remarks in the first half of the movie captured Wade Wilson’s humor perfectly. However, the unmasked version of Deadpool, featuring Baraka-like adamantium blades and Cyclops-style eye lasers, disappointed fans.
These changes not only diluted Deadpool’s iconic abilities but also saw filmmakers seal his mouth shut. Fighting Wolverine and Sabretooth without his trademark quips or jokes left fans, including Reynolds, baffled. While promoting the film, Reynolds masked his disappointment with sarcastic remarks, calling the portrayal “interesting”—a clear euphemism for “terrible.”
When questioned later about pursuing a Deadpool spin-off, Reynolds confessed that “Deadpool was dissatisfied with his portrayal in Wolverine,” describing it as a “WTF moment.” He even joked that the character was “one rewrite away from leaping across the desk to confront the studio executive.”
2. Much About Him Remains a Mystery
Most fans are aware that Deadpool was diagnosed with cancer and underwent the Weapon-X program, the same procedure Wolverine endured. This enhanced his senses, combat skills, and healing abilities. However, his cancer cells also gained this regenerative power, leaving him disfigured and explaining his mask. This transformation also contributed to his mental instability and erratic behavior.
On a more amusing note, Deadpool is famously obsessed with chimichangas and has an unusual fascination with Bea Arthur from the Golden Girls.
Much of Deadpool’s past remains a mystery. One narrative even challenges his established backstory. He was confronted by a man named T-Ray, who claimed to be the true Wade Wilson. T-Ray was happily married to a woman named Mercedes until they encountered a young mercenary named Jack, who was fleeing a failed mission. Jack intended to kill Wade and steal his identity. During a confrontation, Jack accidentally killed Mercedes, fled, and later became Deadpool.
Meanwhile, a vengeful T-Ray sought retribution, gaining immense power and even resurrecting Mercedes to manipulate Deadpool’s memories. However, Deadpool dismissed the entire ordeal as an elaborate prank rather than a tragic tale.
1. His Complicated Relationships with Nearly Everyone
Deadpool’s hunger for conflict is rarely satisfied. He once knocked Kitty Pryde into the air with an uppercut just to provoke Wolverine into a brawl. His attempts to join the X-Men were often rejected, including one instance where he wore Marvel Girl’s revealing outfit, much to Beast’s dismay. Despite his efforts to make friends, his antics have alienated him from Marvel’s most famous teams.
Wade shares a complicated bond with Althea, an elderly woman known as Blind Al. Her exact age is unclear, but hints suggest she once dated Steve Rogers (Captain America) during World War II. Initially tasked with killing her, Deadpool instead kidnapped her. He alternates between treating her as a maternal figure and confining her to “The Box,” a hazardous room filled with sharp objects.
He also shares a close friendship with Weasel, a former classmate of Peter Parker and a child prodigy whose life took a downturn after meeting Deadpool. As a quirky gesture of camaraderie, Deadpool sometimes gives Weasel a wedgie.
Deadpool’s most significant ally is Cable, the son of Scott Summers (Cyclops) and Madelyne Pryor (Jean Grey’s clone). Their dynamic, blending Cable’s seriousness with Deadpool’s chaos, made their 2004-2008 series a cult classic, praised for its action, complex storylines, and humor. Marvel has hailed Cable and Deadpool as one of its greatest duos.
