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For the film based on the character, see Deadpool (film). For other uses, see De
ad pool (disambiguation).
Deadpool
Deadpool-cover.jpg
Cover of X-Men: Battle of the Atom #1 (November 2013), textless variant.
Art by David Lpez.
Publication information
Publisher
Marvel Comics
First appearance
The New Mutants #98 (February 1991)
Created by
Fabian Nicieza
Rob Liefeld
In-story information
Alter ego
Wade Winston Wilson[1]
Species
Human Mutate[2]
Team affiliations
Agency X
Astonishing Avengers
Code Red[3]
Deadpool Corps
Frightful Four
Great Lakes Initiative
Heroes for Hire
Landau, Luckman, and Lake
Maggia
Secret Defenders
S.H.I.E.L.D.
Six Pack
Thunderbolts
Weapon X
X-Force
X-Men
Partnerships
Weasel
Bob, Agent of HYDRA
Blind Al
Taskmaster
Kingpin
Mr. Tolliver
Agent X
Copycat
Wolverine
Cable
Domino
Notable aliases
Merc with a Mouth, Regenerating Degenerate, Jack, Wade T
. Wilson, Mithras, Johnny Silvini, Thom Cruz, Hulkpool, Wildcard, Zenpool[4]
Abilities
Regenerative healing factor
Master martial artist, swordsman, and marksman
Extended longevity
Carries devices that grant him teleportation and holographic disguise and a
magic satchel
Deadpool (Wade Winston Wilson) is a fictional antihero appearing in American com
ic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist
/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in The New Mutants #98 (Februa
ry 1991). Deadpool was depicted as a supervillain when he made his first appeara
nce in The New Mutants and later in issues of X-Force, but has since evolved int
o the role of an antihero. Deadpool is a disfigured and mentally unstable mercen
ary with the superhuman ability of an accelerated healing factor. He is known as
the "Merc with a Mouth" because of his talkative nature and tendency to break t

he fourth wall, which is used by writers to humorous effect.

Ryan Reynolds portrayed the character in the 2009 film X-Men Origins: Wolverine
and will reprise the role in the upcoming 2016 film Deadpool.[5][6]
Contents
1 Publication history
1.1 1990s
1.2 2000s
1.3 2010s
2 Fictional character biography
2.1 Personality
3 Powers and abilities
4 Other versions
4.1 Age of Apocalypse
4.2 Captain America: Who Won't Wield the Shield
4.3 Deadpool Corps
4.4 Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe
4.5 Deadpool Killustrated
4.6 Deadpool Kills Deadpool
4.7 Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth
4.8 Deadpool Pulp
4.9 Marvel 2997
4.10 House of M
4.11 Hulked-Out Heroes
4.12 Marvel Zombies
4.13 Ultimate Marvel
4.14 Weapon X: Days of Future Now
4.15 X-Men '92
5 Reception
6 In other media
6.1 Television
6.2 Film
6.3 Video games
6.4 Toys
7 References
8 External links
Publication history
Further information: List of Deadpool titles
1990s
Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld,[7] Deadpool made
his first appearance in the pages of The New Mutants #98, cover dated February
1991. According to Nicieza, Liefeld came up with the character's visual design a
nd name, and Nicieza himself came up with the character's speech mannerisms.[8]
Rob Liefeld, a fan of the Teen Titans comics, showed his new character to then w
riter Fabian Nicieza. Upon seeing the costume and noting his characteristics (ki
ller with super agility), Nicieza contacted Liefeld, saying "this is Deathstroke
from Teen Titans". Nicieza gave Deadpool the real name of "Wade Wilson" as an i
nside-joke to being "related" to "Slade Wilson", Deathstroke.[9]
Cover of Deadpool vol. 1 #11 (Dec. 1997), in homage to the cover of Amazing Fant
asy #15 featuring Spider-Man.
Art by Pete Woods.
In his first appearance, Deadpool is hired by Tolliver to attack Cable and the N
ew Mutants. After subsequently appearing in X-Force as a recurring character, De
adpool began making guest appearances in a number of different Marvel Comics tit
les such as The Avengers, Daredevil, and Heroes for Hire. In 1993, the character

received his own miniseries, titled The Circle Chase, written by Fabian Nicieza
and pencilled by Joe Madureira. It was a relative success and Deadpool starred
in a second, self-titled miniseries written in 1994 by Mark Waid, pencilled by I
an Churchill, and inked by Jason Temujin Minor and Bud LaRosa. Waid later commen
ted, "Frankly, if I'd known Deadpool was such a creep when I agreed to write the
mini-series, I wouldn't have done it. Someone who hasn't paid for their crimes
presents a problem for me."[10]
In 1997, Deadpool was given his own ongoing title, initially written by Joe Kell
y, with then-newcomer Ed McGuinness as an artist. Deadpool became an action come
dy parody of the cosmic drama, antihero-heavy comics of the time. The series fir
mly established his supporting cast, including his prisoner/den mother Blind Al
and his best friend Weasel. The ongoing series gained cult popularity for its un
orthodox main character and its balance of angst and pop culture slapstick and t
he character became less of a villain, though the element of his moral ambiguity
remained. The writer Joe Kelly noted, "With Deadpool, we could do anything we w
anted because everybody just expected the book to be cancelled every five second
s, so nobody was paying attention. And we could get away with it."[11]
The series was taken over by Christopher Priest who noted that he found Kelly's
issues to be "complex and a little hostile to new readers like me" and that by i
ssue 37, he realized that "it was okay to make Deadpool look stupid."[12]
2000s
Deadpool lasted until issue #69, at which point it was relaunched as a new title
by Gail Simone with a similar character called Agent X in 2002. This occurred d
uring a line wide revamp of X-Men related comics, with Cable becoming Soldier X
and X-Force becoming X-Statix. Simone notes that 'When I took the Deadpool job,
the revamp hadn't been planned, so it was a complete surprise. Thankfully, we he
ard about it in time to make adjustments to the early scripts'.[13] It appeared
that Deadpool was killed in an explosion fighting the aristocratic (and telepath
ic) villain known as the Black Swan. Weeks later, a mysterious figure showed up
at the apartment of Deadpool's manager, Sandi Brandenberg. The man took the name
Alex Hayden and together they started "Agency X", with Hayden dubbed Agent X af
ter the company. Most believed that Hayden was Deadpool suffering from amnesia.
The title character of Agent X was eventually revealed not to be Deadpool and th
e climax of that series saw the original character restored. Simone left the tit
le after seven issues due to creative differences with the series editor, but th
en returned to conclude with issues 13-15.[14]
Deadpool's next starring appearance came in 2004 with the launch of Cable & Dead
pool written by Fabian Nicieza, where Deadpool became partnered with his former
enemy, Cable, teaming up in various adventures. This title was canceled with iss
ue #50 and replaced by a new Cable series in March 2008.[15] Deadpool then appea
red briefly in the Wolverine: Origins title by writer Daniel Way before Way and
Paco Medina launched another Deadpool title in September 2008.[16] Medina was th
e main series artist, with Carlo Barberi filling in on the first issue after the
Secret Invasion tie-in.[17]
A new Deadpool ongoing series written by Daniel Way with artist Paco Medina bega
n as a Secret Invasion tie-in. In the first arc, the character is seen working w
ith Nick Fury to steal data on how to kill the Skrull queen Veranke.[18][19] Nor
man Osborn steals the information that Deadpool had stolen from the Skrulls, and
subsequent stories deal with the fallout from that. Writer Daniel Way explained
, "the first thing Osborn does to try and take care of the situation is to bring
in a hired gun to take Deadpool down, which would be Tiger-Shark. That would be
the standard thing to do, but of course everything about Deadpool is non-standa
rd. So it goes completely awry and Norman has to get more serious about things."
[20] The story also sees the return of Bob, Agent of HYDRA, "I don't want the bo
ok to become 'Deadpool and Friends' so characters will drift in and out, but Bob

was someone I definitely wanted to bring in. It just had to be at the perfect m
oment and when I was putting this storyline together that moment presented itsel
f.".[20] This all led directly to a confrontation with the new Thunderbolts in "
Magnum Opus" which crossed over between Deadpool vol. 2 #8-9 and Thunderbolts #1
30-131.[20] Thunderbolts writer Andy Diggle said, "it's a natural progression fo
r Deadpool to go after Norman, and for Norman to send his personal hit-squad aft
er Deadpool."[21] In Deadpool #15, Deadpool decides to become a hero resulting i
n conflicts with proper heroes like Spider-Man[22] (who he had recently encounte
red in The Amazing Spider-Man #611 as part of "The Gauntlet"[23]) and leading to
a 3-issue arc where he takes on Hit-Monkey,[24] a character who debuted in the
same month in a digital, then print, one-shot.[25][26]
Another ongoing Deadpool series, Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth launched in July 20
09, written by Victor Gischler, with art by Bong Dazo. In it Deadpool teams up w
ith Headpool from Marvel Zombies 3 and 4.[27][28][29]
A special anniversary issue titled Deadpool #900 was released in October 2009. I
t features stories written by several authors, with the main feature written by
the original Deadpool series writer Joe Kelly and drawn by Deadpool's creator Ro
b Liefeld. A third Deadpool ongoing series, Deadpool Team-Up, launched in Novemb
er 2009 (with issue numbers counting in reverse starting with issue #899), writt
en by Fred Van Lente, with art by Dalibor Talajic. This series features Deadpool
teaming up with different heroes from the Marvel Universe in each issue, such a
s Hercules.[30] Deadpool also joined the cast of the new X-Force team.[31]
2010s
Another Deadpool series, titled Deadpool Corps also by Gischler, was released in
April 2010. Besides Deadpool himself, this series featured alternate versions o
f Deadpool, including Lady Deadpool (who debuted in Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth
#7), Headpool (the Marvel Zombies universe incarnation, now reduced to a severed
head), and two new characters; Kidpool, a child, and Dogpool, a dog.[32][33] Th
e series lasted twelve issues.
Marvel also published Deadpool titles through the Marvel Knights and MAX imprint
s: Deadpool: Wade Wilson's War, by Duane Swierczynski and Jason Pearson,[34][35]
[36] and Deadpool MAX by David Lapham and Kyle Baker.[37]
Deadpool (vol. 2) is written by Daniel Way and drawn by Al Garza. In the story ar
c "DEAD", Wade is "cured" of his healing ability and becomes mortal. As a side e
ffect, he also has his old, unscarred face once again. Although he spent the maj
ority of the story arc looking forward to dying, he suppresses his desires in or
der to protect his friend and sidekick Hydra Bob.[citation needed]
After he lost his healing factor, Wilson claimed he felt "more alive than ever."
[volume & issue needed] However, after a harsh beating from Intelligencia, Wade
realized that he had let his ability to heal compensate for skill so he decided
to ask for help with Taskmaster in training.[volume & issue needed] Taskmaster a
sked Wilson to help him steal Pym Particles from S.H.I.E.L.D., but actually he a
llowed Black Box to study Wade in order to prepare his vengeance against Wilson,
even letting him know Deadpool lost his healing factor.[volume & issue needed]
Wade managed to defeat Black Box, Black Tom and Black Swan, but in the process h
is face was burned and disfigured again.[volume & issue needed] Former FBI agent
Allison Kemp wanted to get revenge on Deadpool because of his involvement in an
accident which left her in a wheelchair, and she called other enemies of Deadpo
ol such as T-Ray and Slayback and trained them to kill Deadpool.[volume & issue
needed] Deadpool infiltrated their base and managed to get T-Ray and Slayback ki
lled, when Kemp was about to kill herself in an explosion which would kill Wade
in the process, he convinced her not to attack him.[volume & issue needed] In th
at moment, he was surprised by the returned Evil Deadpool, who informed Wade tha

t the serum they took was not permanent, reasons why Wade's face didn't heal or
a finger he lost grew back, so Wade would return after Evil Deadpool shot him.[v
olume & issue needed] Daniel Way's Deadpool series concluded with issue 63.
As part of Marvel's Marvel NOW! initiative a new Deadpool ongoing series was lau
nched, written by Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan and illustrated by Tony Moore.[3
8] He is also a member of the Thunderbolts.[39] In the 27th issue of his new ser
ies, as part of "All-New Marvel NOW!", Deadpool was married for the third time.
Initially a secret, his bride was revealed in the web comic Deadpool: The Gauntl
et to be Shiklah, Queen of the Undead. Deadpool also discovers that he has a dau
ghter by the name of Eleanor from a former flame of Deadpool named Carmelita.[40
]
During the events of "Original Sin", it was revealed that Deadpool was tricked i
nto killing his parents by a scientist known as Butler (who abducted Eleanor and
gave her to his brother), however Deadpool does not know about it.[41]
Much later, he clashed with Carnage,[42] and Carnage vowed revenge on Deadpool f
or tricking him into wounding Shriek.[43]
During the AXIS storyline, Deadpool appears as a member of Magneto's unnamed sup
ervillain group during the fight against Red Skull's Red Onslaught form.[44] The
group of villains becomes inverted to heroes, after a spell cast by Scarlet Wit
ch and Doctor Doom.[volume & issue needed] This group was later named the Astoni
shing Avengers.[45] This Deadpool, referred to as "Zenpool" was pivotal in turni
ng Apocalypse to fighting the Inverted Avengers.[46] Prior to facing Red Skull's
Onslaught, Deadpool was asked to join the X-Men by Storm, but turned the offer
down.[47]
Deadpool's death occurs in Deadpool #250, involving story ideas that cowriters G
erry Duggan and Brian Posehn have had in mind since the beginning of the NOW ser
ies.[48] Issue #250 was technically issue #45, but was so named as it was the cu
mulative 250th issue of the character's solo series.[citation needed] Deadpool f
aces off in a final showdown with ULTIMATUM and Flag-Smasher, killing all of the
m, and gives up the "Deadpool" identity, wishing to have a better life. He, alon
g with his family and friends, (and presumably everyone on Earth) are all killed
when the Earth collides with an alternate universe's Earth. Deadpool laments th
at the Secret Wars should have stayed an Avengers event, but then dies at peace,
content that everybody else is dying with him.[49]
Fictional character biography
The character's back-story has been presented as vague and subject to change, an
d within the narrative he is unable to remember his personal history due to a me
ntal condition. Whether or not his name was even Wade Wilson is subject to specu
lation since one of his nemeses, T-Ray, claims in Deadpool #33 that he is the re
al Wade Wilson and that Deadpool is a vicious murderer who stole his identity.[5
0] There have been other dubious stories about his history at one point the superv
illain Loki claimed to be his father.[47] Frequently, revelations are later retc
onned or ignored altogether, and in one issue, Deadpool himself joked that wheth
er he is actually Wade Wilson depends on which the writer or the reader prefers.
[51]
In the 2011 2012 series, Deadpool is implied, in a flashback, to be the real Wade
Wilson, the deranged and already partly insane son of a decorated war hero, ofte
n daydreaming childish and dangerous ideas, spurring him to the mercenary lifest
yle.[52] He has professed to be Canadian,[53] even though the original story had
him joining the Weapon X program after being kicked out of the United States Ar
my Special Forces.[54]
Personality

Deadpool is aware that he is a fictional comic book character.[55] He commonly b

reaks the fourth wall, which is done by few other characters in the Marvel Unive
rse, and this is used to humorous effect. He often has conversations with the ca
ptions in his panels; in Deadpool #28 it is revealed that the villain Doctor Bon
g, a foe of Howard the Duck, is the logical voice appearing in yellow captions.,
[56] and in Deadpool Annual #1 (2014) it is revealed that Madcap, a foe of Capta
in America, is the psychotic voice appearing in white captions.[57]
Deadpool is depicted as having an accelerated healing factor, which not only pre
vents him from being permanently injured through enhanced cell regeneration thro
ughout his body, but also causes psychosis and mental instability, as his neuron
s are also affected by the accelerated regeneration. It is thought that while hi
s psychoses are a handicap, they are also one of his assets as they make him an
extremely unpredictable opponent. Taskmaster, who has photo-reflexive memory whi
ch allows him to copy anyone's fighting skills by observation, was unable to def
eat Deadpool due to his chaotic and improvised fighting style.[58] Taskmaster ha
s also stated that Deadpool is an expert at distracting his opponents.[59]
The character is known for his talkative nature, dubbing him the "Merc with a Mo
uth". It is sometimes implied that his healing factor merely exacerbated an unde
rlying mental issue, with Wilson having been a withdrawn, disturbed youth; this
is demonstrated when Deadpool at one point lost his healing factor but did not r
egain his sanity.[52] In the Ultimate Spider-man cartoon series Deadpool reveals
he has a mental tic. He cannot say the word "kill" and substitutes various phra
ses such as "un-liven" or "K-word" instead.
Despite all this, Deadpool has a strong sense of core morality; in Uncanny X-For
ce, he storms out after Wolverine tries to rationalize Fantomex killing Apocalyp
se, who was at the time in a child form. After Wolverine argues that Deadpool is
motivated solely by money, Archangel reveals that Deadpool never cashed any of
his cheques.[60]
Powers and abilities
Deadpool's primary power is an accelerated healing factor, depicted by various w
riters at differing levels of efficiency. Artificially endowed by the Weapon X p
rogram, this enables him to regenerate any destroyed tissue at a superhuman rate
, as well as making him immune to diseases.
Deadpool's brain cells are similarly affected, with dying neurons being rejuvena
ted at a super accelerated rate. This allows Deadpool to recover from any head w
ounds, and it renders him nearly invulnerable to psychic and telepathic powers,
as the altered or damaged neurons quickly regenerate to their original state. It
has been revealed that at the time that his healing ability was given to him, D
eadpool suffered from some form of cancer. After the healing factor was given to
him, it made his normal cells as well as his cancerous cells unable to die, giv
ing him a heavily scarred appearance beneath his suit.[volume & issue needed] De
adpool's healing factor is strong enough that he has previously survived complet
e incineration and decapitation more than once. Although his head normally has t
o be reunited with his body to heal the wound,[61][62][63] he was able to regrow
his head after having it pulverized by the Hulk.[64]
Deadpool's body is highly resistant to most drugs and toxins, due to his enhance
d cell regeneration. For example, it is extremely difficult for him to become in
toxicated.[65] He can be affected by certain drugs such as tranquilizers, if he
is exposed to a large enough dosage. Deadpool's healing factor also slows the ag
ing process, and he is still alive 800 years in the future when the new X-Force
encounters him.[66] The inability to become intoxicated and an extended longevit
y is seen in other mutants with an accelerated healing factor, such as Wolverine
.

Deadpool is a highly trained assassin and mercenary, adept in multiple forms of

martial arts, and an expert swordsman and marksman. Although in earlier years he
was originally portrayed as having superhuman strength, he is no longer depicte
d as having this ability.[67]