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Grab Some Chimichangas Because Deadpool is 30

By Amanda Sheriff

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Combining high action and a sense of humor that is in constant overdrive, Deadpool has achieved a cult following for his unorthodox style as a morally ambiguous, mostly good guy. Also known as the Merc with the Mouth, he never shuts up and makes readers laugh by constantly making jokes, pop culture references, and innuendos. If he were here right now, he’d break the fourth wall to announce his 30th birthday in comics.

Before taking the name of Deadpool he was Wade Wilson, a skilled marksman, swordsman, and hand to hand fighter. He was created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza who introduced him in The New Mutants #98 (February 1991). Though Wade was initially portrayed as a villain and he has become a popular antihero.

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Wade joined the military when he was only 17 years old and after being discharged he became an assassin. While in this line of work he met Vanessa Carlyle and the pair immediately connected. Wade was assigned to kill a British operative named Althea (better known to Deadpool fans as Blind Al), but turned against his employers and saved her. In retaliation, they attempted to kill Vanessa, but she was saved by Zoe Culloden, a special agent who had been spying on Wade.

Once Wade learned that he had an aggressive form of cancer, he broke up with Vanessa and signed up for the Weapon X program. The procedure healed his cancer and gave him regenerative healing abilities so extreme that he can heal from mortal wounds and regenerate entire body parts. He joined their team of mercenaries, but his new powers had some setbacks so he was discarded and sent to Hospice.

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There he connected with other people in the same situation and through their shared gallows humor, they created a pool to see who would die first. They dubbed it the dead pool, which was a name Wade appreciated, so he took it as his new moniker.

After he escaped from Hospice Wade imprisoned Blind Al, though their relationship would become more of a bizarre friendship as time went. Deadpool returned to being an assassin working for the likes of Kingpin and Tolliver, and was hired to kill Cable, but was stopped by Copycat – Vanessa as a shapeshifter.

Zoe Culloden and her group pursued him regarding the Mithras Directive, convinced that he was the messiah. He joined them briefly, but the alliance did not last long.

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Deadpool teamed with tattoo artist Anastasia to kill mob bosses and they fell in love, but she betrayed him, so he killed her. He joined the Weapon X program but fresh conflict came when Sabretooth killed Copycat. Deadpool confronted the program’s director who responded by destabilizing his healing abilities, which caused his body to disintegrate. Then Thanos cursed Deadpool with immortality because he was jealous that Deadpool had a romantic entanglement with Lady Death, so his body regrew.

After a short run with Deadpool, Inc., SHIELD recruited him for some jobs and he was assigned to work with Agent Emily Preston. He came up against Cable when he was hired to steal the Façade virus for One World Church and again when he worked with the X-Men to stop Cable from destroying all weapons. During Civil War SHIELD tasked Deadpool with finding rogue heroes and he was briefly a reserve member of the Great Lakes Avengers. In the Secret Invasion event Nick Fury hired Deadpool to find a way to destroy the Skrulls, only to be thwarted by Norman Osborn.

Deadpool lost his healing abilities and had to rely on his fighting skills with a new interest in self-preservation. At this point he learned that he had a daughter and got married to Shiklah, Queen of the Undead.

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He got his own Secret Wars series and Captain America asked him to join the Avengers Unity Squad. Posing as an ally, Madcap, infected Deadpool with a deadly virus that also infected his family. He made a deal with Stryfe to get a cure.

The Hydra version of Steve Rogers asked Deadpool to kill Agent Preston and Phil Coulson, and not knowing that it was an evil version of Cap, Deadpool did the deed. That action resulted in Hydra taking over the government and when the dust settled Deadpool lost friends, his relationship with his daughter was hurt, and people lost faith in him.

Deadpool’s fanbase skyrocketed off the page in 2016 when Ryan Reynolds starred in Deadpool. He had played the character for X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but it was in his own movie that Deadpool was left off the leash to cause mayhem and incite laughter. Deadpool has also appeared in several Marvel animated shows and as a playable character in their slate of video games.

Not bad for 30 years.

Keep an eye on PREVIEWSworld.com's TwitterFacebookYouTube, or Instagram for more from the Merc with A Mouth! And, just in case you're in a celebratory mood for DP's 30th, you should check out the following... 

MARVEL COMICS
DEADPOOL & CABLE ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP BOOK 01
(W) Fabian Nicieza (A) Patrick Zircher, Shane Law, Chris Stevens (A/CA) Mark Brooks
Written by FABIAN NICIEZA
Penciled by PATRICK ZIRCHER, MARK BROOKS, SHANE LAW & CHRIS STEVENS
Cover by MARK BROOKS
Wade Wilson and Nathan Summers - Marvel's mightiest mutant mercs - are back, and this time they're stuck with each other! Can two grown men armed to the teeth with deadly genetic weaponry live together without driving each other crazy?! Action, adventure, black humor, black-ops, face-changing viruses, gratuitous France-bashing and lots of gunfire mark the return of two of Marvel's fan-favorite anti-heroes! Plus: this edition comes complete with all letters pages, never before reprinted! Collecting CABLE & DEADPOOL #1-18.
440 PGS./Rated T+ ...$39.99
In Shops: Feb 24, 2010
SRP: $39.99
MARVEL PREVIEWS Page #109
MARVEL COMICS
COLOR YOUR OWN DEADPOOL AGAIN TP
(A) Various (CA) Rob Liefeld
  You've finished the first COLOR YOUR OWN DEADPOOL? You've still got red pens, pencils or crayons left? Well, why not do it all over again? We've got more black-and-white pages of Wade Wilson artwork by some of the best to ever tackle the Merc with a Mouth! It's up to you to throw some shades at the Sassin' Assassin and his uncanny cast of friends and foes - including his succubus bride Shiklah, the rainbow Deadpool squad known as the Mercs for Money, the maniacal Madcap and Wade's best bro Spider-Man! And there's a good chance we'll also bring out the big guns - and we mean really big guns - like Cable! So dig deep in your pouches to find your implements of choice, and give maximum effort to coloring your own Deadpool - again!
Parental Advisory
In Shops: May 02, 2018
SRP: $9.99
MARVEL PREVIEWS Page #90
TITAN COMICS
PHILOSOPHY OF DEADPOOL HC (MR)
Uncover the wiles and insights of the Merc with a Mouth in this lavishly presented collection of Deadpool's best (and worst)! In this guide to everyone's favorite mercenary, discover what makes the katana-wielding, gun-toting, insult-firing anti-hero tick, or maybe more accurately in his case, tock. Includes the greatest comic book covers and scenes we love to remember (or wish we could forget), accompanied by the musings of our morally confused comrade!
In Shops: Nov 27, 2019
SRP: $14.99
PREVIEWS Page #383
MARVEL COMICS
DEADPOOL BEGINNINGS OMNIBUS HC
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Pete Woods
The Merc with a Mouth meets the Marvel Universe in this hardcover collecting every one of his appearances before his industry-changing ongoing series - and then some! Deadpool debuts as a thorn in Cable's side, but soon starts rubbing shoulders with heroes everywhere - from Wolverine to Nomad! Hanging with the Heroes for Hire, secreting himself in the Defenders and battling the Avengers' Black Knight, he's a social animal! But there's still time for solo shenanigans in Deadpool's first two classic miniseries! Collecting NEW MUTANTS (1983) #98; X-FORCE (1991) #2, #11, #15, #47 and #56; NOMAD (1992) #4; DEADPOOL: THE CIRCLE CHASE #1-4; SECRET DEFENDERS #15-17; DEADPOOL (1994) #1-4; WOLVERINE (1988) #88 and #154-155; HEROES FOR HIRE (1997) #10-11; DEADPOOL TEAM-UP (1998) #1; and material from AVENGERS (1963) #366, SILVER SABLE & THE WILD PACK #23, and WOLVERINE ANNUAL '95 and '99.
Rated T
In Shops: Jan 25, 2017
SRP: $100.00
MARVEL PREVIEWS Page #89
MARVEL COMICS
DEADPOOL BY DANIEL WAY OMNIBUS HC VOL 01
(W) Daniel Way, Duane Swierczynski, Andy Diggle (A) Steve Dillon, Paco Medina, Carlo Barberi, Shawn Crystal, Tan Eng Huat, Philip Bond, Bong Dazo, Dakbor Talajic (CA) Jason Pearson
Deadpool is Way cool! By which we mean, Daniel Way cool! One of Wade Wilson's wildest writers begins his riotous run in this volume packed with Merc madness. And he dives straight in at the deep end with a brutal throwdown against Wolverine! Then, the Skrulls have invaded Earth - but nobody warned them about Deadpool! So why does that mean Wade's going to war with Norman Osborn and his new team of bloodthirsty, black-ops Thunderbolts? Next, Deadpool wants to be an X-Man - and he's not going to let anyone stand in his way. Not even the X-Men. And while he's being sociable, why not a good old-fashioned team-up with Spider-Man? All this plus Hit-Monkey - the hitman who is a monkey! Collecting WOLVERINE: ORIGINS #21-25, DEADPOOL (2008) #1-26, THUNDERBOLTS (1997) #130-131, HIT-MONKEY (2010A) #1, HIT-MONKEY (2010B) #1-3 and DEADPOOL SAGA.
Parental Advisory
In Shops: Feb 07, 2018
SRP: $100.00
MARVEL PREVIEWS Page #86
MARVEL COMICS
DEADPOOL BY POSEHN & DUGGAN TP VOL 01 COMPLETE COLLECTION
(W) Brian Posehn, Gerry Duggan (A) Tony Moore, Scott Koblish, Mike Hawthorne (CA) Geof Darrow
Comedy writing partners Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan bring the funny, Deadpool-style, in one of the most celebrated eras of the Merc with a Mouth! Wade Wilson must take down an army of dead presidents - and things only get wilder from there! Deadpool is hired by a demon to reclaim damned souls; gets in touch with his feminine side; targets a man with aquatic powers; and teams up with the Superior Spider-Man! Plus: The debut of the flashback "inventory issue" tales Posehn and Duggan made famous, featuring Deadpool's adventures in yesteryear! Deadpool drowns his sorrows with Iron Man, gets funky with Power Man and Iron Fist, wreaks Kirby-fied havoc on a cosmic level and fights Hitler alongside Cable and Nick Fury! Deadpool has never been more hilarious! Collecting DEADPOOL (2012) #1-14, #20 and #26.
Parental Advisory
In Shops: Jan 10, 2018
SRP: $34.99
MARVEL PREVIEWS Page #116
MARVEL COMICS
DEADPOOL CLASSIC TP VOL 01
(W) Joe Kelly, Rob Liefeld, Fabian Nicieza, Mark Waid (A) Ian Churchill, Ken Lashley, Joe Madureira, Ed McGuinness, Lee Weeks (A/CA) Rob Liefeld
Written by FABIAN NICIEZA,
ROB LIEFELD, MARK WAID &
JOE KELLY
Penciled by ROB LIEFELD,
JOE MADUREIRA, IAN CHURCHILL,
LEE WEEKS, KEN LASHLEY &
ED MCGUINNESS
Cover by ROB LIEFELD
He's the Merc with a Mouth, the Assassin with Elan, the Wryest Wisecracker of the Weapon X Program, now in a collection of his earliest sagas! Deadpool, with sidekick Weasel in tow, sets out on a quest for romance, money and mayhem - not necessarily in that order - only to learn he's being hunted by an enemy he killed years before! As if that isn't enough, the Juggernaut crashes into the action, and it's the unstoppable vs. the un-shut-up-able! But all may not be lost if the sultry Siryn can inject a little sanity into the proceedings! Will Deadpool be steered toward a better life by his new heartthrob, or stay the chaotic course he's set for himself? The answer is Yes! Guest-starring the New Mutants, Banshee, Sasquatch and more! Collecting NEW MUTANTS #98, DEADPOOL: THE CIRCLE CHASE #1-4, DEADPOOL (1994) #1-4 and DEADPOOL (1997) #1.
256 PGS./Rated A ...$29.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-3124-3
PRODUCT UPDATE (022708): The Deadpool Classic TP Volume 1 will have 264 pages, not the originally solicited 256 pages.
In Shops: Apr 23, 2008
SRP: $29.99
MARVEL PREVIEWS Page #107
MARVEL COMICS
DEADPOOL HC HEY ITS DEADPOOL MARVEL SELECT
(W) Rob Liefeld, More (A) Rob Liefeld, More (CA) Ed McGuinness
Continuing the series of graphic novels handpicked by Marvel Editorial to showcase pivotal storylines written and drawn by some of Marvel's most acclaimed creators! Wade Wilson steps into the spotlight! He's the Merc with a Mouth, the Regeneratin' Degenerate, the Sassin' Assassin - now get to know the irrepressible Deadpool all over again in this collection of his earliest solo sagas! From his first appearance as a wisecracking thorn in the side of Cable and the New Mutants, Deadpool sets out on a quest for romance, money and mayhem - not necessarily in that order! Can he solve the riddle of Tolliver's will? Will he find love with X-Force's Siryn? And can he survive not one but two run-ins with the Juggernaut? Plus: Meet Weasel (the weapons guy) and Blind Al (Wade's roommate...and prisoner?!) as Deadpool considers becoming - a hero! Collecting NEW MUTANTS (1983) #98, DEADPOOL: THE CIRCLE CHASE #1-4, DEADPOOL (1994) #1-4 and DEADPOOL (1997) #1.

Rated T+
In Shops: Jan 06, 2021
SRP: $24.99
MARVEL PREVIEWS Page #102
DIAMOND SELECT TOYS LLC
MARVEL ANIMATED X-MEN DEADPOOL BUST
A Diamond Select Toys release! The hit bust series continues! Based on the original X-Men animation from the 1990s, this approximately 6-inch bust of Deadpool is inspired by his multiple appearances in the series. Featuring a cartoon-accurate paint scheme and detailed sculpting, this bust is limited to only 3.000 pieces and comes packaged with a certificate of authenticity in a full-color box. Designed by Barry Bradfield, sculpted by Paul Harding.
In Shops: Nov 04, 2020
SRP: $59.99
PREVIEWS Page #1023

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