The Merc with a Mouth has been through a lot of changes since first appearing in NEW MUTANTS #98. From the '90s to Daniel Way, each version of Wade has been quite different. We've seen him as an evil gun for hire, a man struggling to do the right thing, Cable's bestie, a total cash cow, and most recently, a deadly goofball.
It's still Deadpool in each title at the end of the day, but we all have our preferences. Personally, I enjoyed the character the most in CABLE & DEADPOOL. Writer Fabian Nicieza found a fantastic tone for Mr. Wilson. We pretty much ran the gauntlet of Deadpool's depth; seeing him develop from a fairly selfish mercenary to a man finally happy to be called "hero." The bar segment was a brilliant look at Wade's inner conflict. It's just a shame we never got to see Wade's banter at one of Ben Grimm's poker games.
Regardless of what your favorite Deadpool run is, I think it's safe to say we're all quite pumped for his brand new series by Brian Posehn, Gerry Duggan, and Tony Moore. That said, I think there's three elements (aside from mandatory top-notch humor) that are absolutely critical for a Deadpool book.
Part time clown, full time badass
We all love a good laugh, but we can't forget Deadpool's roots. He's one heck of a talented combatant and we should always be treated to a nice reminder. Sure, his healing factor means you can put him through the meat grinder every now and then, but he's shown excellent displays of skill by having quite a few extensive back and forths with Wolverine, is sporting enhanced speed and agility which renders him very tough to tag, and of course, is very dangerously skilled with his assortment of weapons.
Seeing him run or panic during a fight is funny every now and then, but it pains me when he's treated like a complete clown that needs to rely on an abstract plan. Deadpool's a dangerous dude and hopefully we'll be seeing plenty of that in the new title.
== TEASER ==You're a friend and a confidant
Deadpool's abstract personality and mindset lets writers have a field day with the character, yet too much of Wade can backfire. In my opinion, it's critical for Wade to have a strong supporting cast to compliment his offbeat banter. That's partially why CABLE & DEADPOOL worked so well.
The two are practically polar opposites in many regards and some of their conversations were pure gold because of the stark differences between the two. Don't get me wrong -- I'm not saying toss Spider-Man and Wolverine cameos in the book as much as possible -- I just think it's important to fill Wade's universe with a solid supporting cast. Deadpool's made a lot of "friends" over the years and it would be superb to see some of them return to the spotlight as regulars.
You haven't seen the last of me! *shakes fist*
Ajax, Kane, Hit-Monkey, Slayback, T-Ray... Deadpool isn't exactly blessed with the best rogues gallery and to make matters even worse, many are "dead." Duking it out with zombified Presidents is sure to be hilarious, but once that's all said and done, Deadpool is going to need a new challenge.
I'm not calling for a slew of new villains to throw at the assassin (although granting him an equivalent of the Sinister Six would be pretty cool), but giving him a new (and far more intriguing) arch-nemesis would be greatly appreciated. T-Ray has been that man, but it's safe to say he's gone (for now) after the events of DEADPOOL #63. Plus, let's be honest here... he wasn't exactly all that grand. A stellar reoccurring foe to torment Wade would be a very nice change of pace for the character.
It's rare to get everything we want in a title, though I think it's fair to demand these three features in Deadpool's new book. Keep him skilled, give him solid friends, and give him worthy enemies. I don't think that's asking too much. But that's just me -- what do you really want in Deadpool series?
Gregg Katzman is a freelance writer for Comic Vine and IGN Entertainment. He hopes to one day have Rhino as a key chain.
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