Best Deadpool Comics To Revisit After The Movies - Comic Years
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Best Deadpool Comics To Revisit After The Movies

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BY March 3, 2021

There are a ton of reasons to love Deadpool. First of all, the character has brought a huge focus to the more obscure characters in the Marvel and X-Men universe. The movies, both Deadpool 1 and 2, have been huge box office hits. The second movie was such a hit, they even made a PG-13 version of the film to appeal to younger audiences. We all know uncensored Deadpool is the best Deadpool. For that reason, Deadpool comics are some of the craziest and most popular things on shelves right now. If the movies introduced you to Deadpool, it’s worth revisiting some of the best Deadpool comics to hold you over until the next movie.

Before recommending the best stories featuring Deadpool, let’s introduce who Deadpool is in relation to the comics, as well as the surrounding characters and interactions that drive his stories.

Who is Deadpool?

Deadpool owes his origin to the X-Men side of the Marvel universe. The character from the get go was meant to take a few traits from other characters. Most notably, the character Deathstroke from Teen Titans, who utilized crazy agility and skills as an assassin to become a hero. Both characters danced on the line of hero, however. They both had dark pasts that contributed to the anti-hero dynamic. In fact, Deathstroke’s artist reached out to Deadpool creator Liefeld and said that they were so closely related. As a joke, Deadpool’s name became Wade Wilson, which was meant to be similar to Deathstroke’s name Slade Wilson.


Deadpool’s Marvel Inspirations

The other two major inspirations for Deadpool were Wolverine and Spider-Man. Liefeld was always wanting to write for Spider-Man and Wolverine, but never could. Because of this, he created Deadpool to be a sort of Spider-Man figure, but with a very different approach to his powers. Likewise, the character Cable was created to be like Wolverine. Initially, Cable and Deadpool were meant to run into Wolverine through the mutant’s history. This was the best show Liefeld had at getting Wolverine in his comics. The story behind Deadpool is much like Wolverine in fact. The original inspiration behind Deadpool’s powers was the Weapon X program, but because of various reasons, he gets kicked out of the United States Special Forces. While in the program, he is given the ability to heal himself artificially, which is a power Wolverine has as well. Dr. Emrys Killebrew gave them both that ability to be weapons of war.

Deadpool’s Style of Comics

Deadpool almost immediately got his own comic series, which became an action comedy parody. The anti-hero theme was very present, and he was meant to kind of make fun of the genre of comics. His den mother, Blind Al, was actually kind of his prisoner. His best friend, Weasel, was also a sketchy character. The popularity of Deadpool was immediate, but never broke into the mainstream. Because not everyone was paying attention to Deadpool, the writers would see what they could get away with. This included high levels of angst, slapstick comedy against popular comics and culture, and more ambiguity. Most notably, Deadpool regularly breaks the forth wall and talks to the reader directly. It’s hilarious, and has made Deadpool a huge hit ever since. So, if you want to read the best Deadpool comics, where to start?

Best Deadpool Comics Image Credit: Bam Smack Pow

Best Deadpool Comics

If the movies sparked a love for Deadpool, it is time to go back to the comics. For the best Deadpool comics, most readers tend to start with a classic involving other favorite Marvel characters.

Best Deadpool Comics: Deadpool Classics Vol. 1      

Much like Spider-Man, classic comics are a great place to start. The very beginning of the Deadpool classics starts with time spent with the New Mutants. It is funny reading these comics, because Deadpool is still trying hard to be a good guy. The X-Force then comes into play in the volume, really getting into the antihero days that represent the Deadpool fans know from the movies. It might not be the most fun place to start, in terms of classic Deadpool stories, but it helps to get to the heart of where the anti-hero began.

Best Deadpool Comics: Dead Presidents

The Dead Presidents arc is a great storyline for Deadpool and some other Marvel favorites. If you want to see Deadpool interact with Avengers like Captain America or Wolverine, this is a great place to get a taste of the character’s interactions. The humor is top notch thanks to writing from Gerry Dugan and Brian Posehn, and things get wild. How wild, you might ask? Well, at one point a zombie Abraham Lincoln comes into play and makes things interesting. There have been some outlandish comics from Marvel in the past, but this is one of the wildest.

Best Deadpool Comics: All New Wolverine

These can be bought in a series pack as well. The All New Wolverine put Deadpool together with the new Wolverine, Gabby. Honey Badger is her nickname, and things are wild when they work together. An interesting part of their story is that Wolverine as we know the original is so rigid and serious. Gabby on the other hand is like an insane child going crazy over all enemies. The mixture of that energy with Deadpool’s love for the extreme is so much fun to read. It’s a great storyline because Deadpool is so sweet with Gabby. It’s like a sibling duo that can actually kill others instead of each other. Want a sneak peek at the craziness? Gabby cuts off her middle finger to give to Wade as a personal, and permanent, middle finger to his shenanigans. Wild right?

Best Deadpool Comics: Gwenpool Vol. 1

Okay, this is technically Deadpool, but also not at all. Gwenpool was meant to combine two incredibly popular characters, Gwen Stacy and Deadpool. It was initially pitched as a joke, but guess what? People loved it so much, it became a running series. Deadpool at this point had become an actual force in the comic book industry. Mixing him with the knowledgable, intelligent Gwen Stacy was sure to be a hit from the start. Some wild side characters pop up in the series, like Howard the Duck. That proves just how mad this series is. Gwen is able to warp reality as well as break the forth wall like Deadpool, making it a great combination. Because of her intelligence, Gwenpool owns in her stories, and she’s able to speak to the audience while she runs around killing people at the same time.

Best Deadpool Comics: Suicide Kings

Deadpool was based on Spider-Man in real life. In the comics, he is obsessed with Spider-Man. Anything with the two crossing paths is an instant classic, and Suicide Kings proves why that is true. In this series, Deadpool is wrongly framed for a crime he never stepped near. The Punisher starts to hunt him down, but some New Yorkers vow to help him out. Those New Yorkers just so happen to be Spider-Man and Daredevil. The Spider-Man and Deadpool relationship is great because the two are total opposites. Peter Parker is a straight to the point kind of guy, while Deadpool is looking to make things as insane as possible. There are a lot of funny moments, but none more than Spider-Man constantly rejecting being “best friends forever” with Deadpool. Sorry, Peter. We think you two are great together.

Best Deadpool Comics: Mrs. Deadpool and Howling Commandos

Rounding out the list is one more spinoff. It’s an interesting one, because Deadpool is in it, but he plays narrator. Why isn’t he in the action? He’s dead. Well, kind of dead. His ghost narrates things while Mrs. Deadpool, his wife, enters a horror world. That means Dracula is trying to hit on her, Frankenstein’s monster helps her fight, along with Manthing, N’Kantu, Werewolf, and the Living Mummy. It’s a wild tale of old school horror, and a ton of fun to read as Deadpool watches his wife go crazy on some hell demons. As far as spinoffs go, it is one of the best. Read a few of the earlier ones before this to really learn Deadpool’s comedy and style.

Conclusion

There are a ton of characters in the Marvel world to pick from when deciding who is a favorite. Deadpool rounds out a lot of lists. That’s because he’s so different, yet entirely based on our favorite heroes. It’s a great combo of humor and action, with a lot of Marvel fan service thrown in. If you have not read Deadpool comics, then this list is a great place to start. There are a ton of great options here, and plus, there are so much more other than this! With so much space to grow in your love for the character, there is no need to just wait for the movie. Until a new MCU film with Deadpool is on the way, fill up your time with these hit classics!

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Taylor is the Gaming Editor of Comic Years and a lifelong fan of video games. He holds two degrees in Political Communication and wrote a Master's Thesis on resistance movements, race, and the exploitation of college athletes. His wife and two Toy Australian Sheppards keep him sane.

          

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