So you guys know by now I have my heroes I follow religiously. Even when the story lines get shitty, the video games are awful, and the movies are even worse. There's some characters I always wait for it to be fantastic. I give you Marvel NOW's other "reset" I read every single month: Deadpool.
Who is Deadpool? What's his back story? That depends which author you ask, as Deadpool himself will tell you. Here's the thing about 'Pool..he's not right in the head. As a young man (Wade Wilson), he was diagnosed with cancer. The doctors of the Weapon X program (same people that made Wolverine and every Wolverine-like character) said they would save him by injecting Wolvie's healing factor. However something went a bit wrong. His entire body is scarred, eating itself alive, but then healing immediately. This is theory behind why Deadpool's a little loopy as this same process is happening internally in his brain too. His backstory, personality, and even voices in his head periodically change. But I want you to read the stuff so I won't tell you everything. Bare bones: He's a smartass, badass, mercenary who toes the line between hero and villain.
Despite Deadpool's popularity, he's gone through a ton of writers. After his initial creation by Rob Liefeld (I know, I feel dirty for loving something he made too) he got his own series in the mid 90s. He began with an author named Joe Kelly. The character had been killing for money for so long, while cracking jokes (earning him the nickname the Merc with the Mouth) he wondered if he could ever be a hero. Deadpool is shown as sadistic and sometimes quite evil (like when he finds out his "prisoner"/friend and arms dealer/friend have been meeting behind his back), but sometimes shows real heart and at the end of it all chooses to do what he thinks is right (even though many would argue with the big choice he makes). This is one of the best Deadpool runs, and the original series stays pretty quality despite changing authors. The entire thing was a parody of super-serious cosmic comics and everything else wrong with 90s extreme comics (appropriate given he started as a parody of Deathstroke). Despite being a parody, it was tongue in cheek. When things would get too heavy, Deadpool would joke "its just a comic" etc. to break the fourth wall.
After the original series ends, Deadpool is paired up through a DNA mixup with Cable. Tied together for 50 issues, the Mutant Messiah and the Merc with the Mouth are perfect counter balances to each other. They call each other out on my bullshit. While I don't think it's the best written series, its one of my favorites. Its one of few where the "team up" brought out new facets of each character. It still had the balance of serious and humor to make it all coherent and keep Wade a well-written character.
Then we get to the period I'd like to forget. Daniel Way's run. The worst part is? It's the longest any one author has gotten to write the character. He turned Deadpool into an incompetent idiot that the other heroes flat out despised. That was the never modus operandi. Sure he might annoy the other heroes (calling himself an x-man) or they might choose to not be involved with him, but they always knew when push came to shove, he would do the right thing, often making the tough choice no one else wanted to make because he's not as worried about the hero label (see Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender. Best the character has been since the early days). Way dicked around for 63 issues and I almost gave up. The humor wasn't funny anymore. The badass quality, the method to the madness had disappeared as Way turned one of the most formidable foes in the Marvel Universe into a bumbling schizophrenic.
I was ecstatic to hear when Way announced he was leaving that they would be resetting Deadpool with new writers. But which direction would they go? Are they going to go with someone worse than Way? Are they going to continue the overall shittiness of my 2nd favorite Marvel character? In shocking news Marvel made a decision to give the book to fans: stand up comic Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan (i have no backstory on him sorry). I cheered as this could really work. I could've reviewed it a few months ago but I wanted to give them time to get on their feet. Being 10 issues in I figured I could share my experience now.
In a clever nod to the prevalence of zombies in pop culture, thats where the new crew started with Deadpool #1. Now they could have gone the overly dark route of Marvel Zombies, but they didn't. Its not just zombies. Its zombie presidents. And they want to take over the world. So basically, the government needs to re-kill every dead president. Thats not exactly a heroic act that Tony or Steve can do so who do they call? Your friend and mine...DEADPOOL. While this whole premise is ridiculous, I don't mind the series being ridiculous, I mind the character being stupid. Hiss cunning is back even if it is slightly camouflaged by the surreality. And I have to say? I laughed out loud. Several times. This is just issue 1. It was hysterical. This storyline stayed awesome and literally every issue since I've laughed really hard at least once. It may be at terrible puns, but that's why it's funny. He's a smartass, still capable of holding his own in a fight with anyone or anything, no matter how ridiculous. Posehn and Duggan have caught the essence of Deadpool. I'm such a cynic I'm shocked they're doing so well.
While I wouldn't say these are the best Deadpools ever, its still early. This could be the start of something great. Give it a look if you gave up on the character during Way's run, you'll feel better.
-Oz
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