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In February 1991, readers of The New Mutants were introduced to Wade W. Wilson, the wise-cracking, fourth-wall-breaking Merc With a Mouth, Deadpool. Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza’s sword-swinging immortal went on to become one of Marvel’s most popular anti-heroes thanks to his metatextual humour, violent nature, and massively successful live-action films. It’s perhaps no surprise that Sideshow rechristened April 1^st as “Deadpool Day” to give fans of the chimichanga-chomping mercenary an excuse to celebrate all things Deadpool.

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The Background:
By the 1980s, the X-Men had been established as one of Marvel Comics’ most successful publications and then-chief editor Jim Shooter was encouraged enough by their success to commission a few spin-off titles, birthing Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod’s New Mutants. These Mutant youngsters soon fell under the tutelage of the time travelling Mutant Nathan Summers/Cable, formed X-Force, and famously clashed with Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld’s Deadpool in The New Mutants #98 (ibid, 1991). Heavily inspired by James Howlett/Logan/Wolverine, Peter Parker/Spider-Man, and (most infamously) to DC Comics’ Slade Wilson/Deathstroke the Terminator, the self-styled “Merc With a Mouth” proved popular enough to receive this own four-issue miniseries in 1993. The series was a relative success, prompting Marvel to sign off on a second miniseries the following year, though writer Mark Waid later distanced himself from the character’s more violent nature. This was all a prelude to Deadpool graduating to an ongoing solo title and his greater popularity as a self-aware anti-hero, and his eventual appearances in Marvel/X-Men-related videogames, a cameo appearance in the beloved X-Men animated series (1992 to 1997), and the incredible success of his live-action feature films decades later.

The Review:
Deadpool’s second miniseries begins in a secret, heavily guarded facility where two thousand imprisoned inmates are forced to endure the agonised screaming of Thomas Cassidy/Black Tom as he sustains horrendous torture at the hands of Doctor Emrys Killebrew. Dr. Killebrew’s there to cure Black Tom of the “viral wooden growth” currently infecting his cellular structure, a procedure quickly interrupted by the explosive arrival of Cain Marko/The Juggernaut, Black Tom’s loyal (if thick-headed), brutish best friend. Though weak and in pain, Black Tom ensures the Juggernaut also grabs Dr. Killebrew and his files on cellular regeneration cases, namely one belonging to Wade Wilson. Weeks later, everyone’s favourite Merc with a Mouth is regaling patrons in a bar with stories of his recent tangle with Wolverine, removing his bandages and scarring off a girl with his tumour-riddled, scarified visage. As he downs beers, Wade shares a truncated version of his origin with the bartender, too busy dwelling on his situation and running his mouth to notice when a group of heavily armoured and well-armed mercenaries enter the bar. Though blasted by a bazooka, Wade easily recovers thanks to his advanced healing factor and opens fire, antagonising the mercs with his inane banter, though briefly slowed by a particularly gruesome close range shot to the gut. Too stubborn to go down, Deadpool continues to fight back; even being literally frozen doesn’t keep him down thanks to the unexpected arrival of Sean Cassidy/Banshee and his daughter, Theresa/Siryn, who catches Deadpool’s eye as much as their mention of Black Tom catches his attention. Since Black Tom is Banshee’s cousin, he has a vested interest in tracking him down and has been on his trail since his escape, though neither of the Irish Mutants know why their cousin targeted Deadpool. For Wade, it’s as simple as revenge since he’s tangled with Black Tom before, though all three are confused as to why Black Tom would order for Deadpool to be captured alive rather than simply ordering his assassination. On Siryn’s suggestion, Banshee reluctantly leaves to get some answers from Interpol and she chooses to stick close to Deadpool, sure that Black Tom’s goons will strike again, and immediately shuts down his lewd attempts to woo her.

Still, as capable as Siryn is, it’s only thanks to Deadpool’s timely intervention and quick reflexes that she’s spared a sword in the back. Although Deadpool proves a master swordsman and eventually runs Black Tom’s merc through with his katana, it costs him a hand and he’s surprised to find the limb failing to instantly regenerate and himself blacking out from the pain. Siryn drags his unconscious ass to a safe spot and, when he comes to, Deadpool finally regenerates the hand but only after concentrating with all his might and enduring incredible pain. Deadpool’s concern about his slow healing factor is swept aside for further uncomfortable advances towards Siryn, who bluntly tells him that they’re partnership is simply one of convenience, and temporary. While waiting to meet with his old partner, Daniel “Danny” Peyer, Banshee recalls his time working for Interpol when Deadpool saved his ass at the cost of his career. Banshee asks Danny to help track down Black Tom and unwittingly gives Peyer the information he needs to settle his own score with Deadpool. Meanwhile, the severely suffering Black Tom is angered to see Theresa wrapped up in his business and orders his men not to engage without safely removing her from the line of fire first, causing himself incredible pain from getting so worked up. Black Tom’s affliction spreads further the more his adrenaline spikes, but Dr. Killebrew is sure that he can cure him if they capture Deadpool, a task the Juggernaut gladly takes up even though he hates to leave his sick friend undefended. Though Deadpool and Siryn take out another group of Black Tom’s men, Wade ends up being riddled with bullets when shielding Siryn and taking a nasty fall from a window. When the Juggernaut shows up, Siryn insists they make a stand in a knife factory and, though hesitant to tangle with Cain even if his healing factor was working, Deadpool showers the Juggernaut with blades in an unsuccessful attempt to stop him.

Naturally, these simply bounce off the Juggernaut’s impenetrable hide and Deadpool ends up skewered by several blades before being saved by Siryn’s high-pitched sonic blast. Unfortunately, even molten metal doesn’t slow the Juggernaut and Deadpool’s issues are only compounded when he runs into Peyer and his men. Thinking fast, Deadpool lures the flaming-hot Juggernaut to the Interpol agents and causes them to flee, solving one problem but leaving Wade powerless to stop Cain. Though Deadpool shows no fear and keeps fighting and throwing barbs at his foe, he’s helpless against the Juggernaut’s strength. Thankfully, after a brief hesitation, Siryn saves Deadpool by bombarding the Juggernaut with her scream. Although they flee to safety, Deadpool chastises Siryn for hesitating and she reluctantly reveals that part of her still cares for Black Tom despite all the bad he’s done and that she considered letting the Juggernaut take Wade so Black Tom could be cured. This leads to a tender moment between the two where Siryn asks his real name and tries to see under his mask, only for Deadpool to scold her and Peyer to interrupt with a hail of gunfire. Although Wade gets Peyer bang to rights, he’s stopped from killing him by a convenient lack of ammo, getting himself shot a bunch of times as Peyer extracts a measure of revenge. Too stubborn to go down, Deadpool simply tanks each shot and sends Peyer plummeting off a rooftop with a punch, only for Banshee to swoop in and make the save. After chastising his former partner for acting so recklessly, Banshee offers Deadpool the chance to join him and Siryn in heading to Black Tom’s location (which he learned from Peyer’s files). Although Wade initially refuses to join them, he begrudgingly changes his mind seemingly to impress Siryn. Though enraged at the slow progress of his men, Black Tom is ecstatic when one of them returns with Deadpool’s severed hand, which Black Toom maniacally attaches to his own wrist after lopping off his hand!

Deadpool, Banshee, and Siryn head to Bannerman Castle on the Hudson River and blast their way inside. Against Siryn’s advice, the three split up. While Banshee advises her to not get too attached to a ruthless mercenary like Deadpool, Wade stumbles upon Dr. Killebrew, the same man who turned Deadpool into an unkillable monster. Realising that Dr. Killebrew can fix his dodgy healing powers, Deadpool ignores the sounds of his friends battling Black Tom and the doctor’s snivelling begging and threatens Dr. Killebrew, only to be drawn back into the fight when Siryn crashes through the wall. Deadpool leaps into action and finds Banshee unconscious and Black Tom’s powers raging out of control. Incensed to see his hand grafted to the villain’s wrist, Deadpool desperately dodges Black Tom’s flaming energy blasts and the villain is driven mad from the pain caused from Deadpool’s cells regenerating his own. While taking cover, Deadpool is again accosted by Peyer but fools the vindictive agent into taking a blast to the face by tricking him into earning a promotion by apprehending Black Tom. Deadpool’s elation is cut short when he’s blindsided by the Juggernaut, whose massive fists accidentally tear off Wade’s mask, driving Deadpool into an insane frenzy as he desperately tries to recover his “face”. Siryn blasts the Juggernaut from the castle and retrieves the mask, finally getting a good look at Wade’s gruesome visage, though he’s stunned when she shows him kindness rather than fear. With Black Tom’s life equally threatened by the hand’s infestation, Deadpool renews his attack, breaking Tom’s arm and ready to end his foe… only to relent at the last minute and spare Black Tom for Siryn’s benefit. Deadpool then finally subdues the Juggernaut by holding Dr. Killebrew hostage and the doctor stabilises Black Tom’s condition, though Cain vows to break his friend out of whatever cell he ends up in. Wade parts ways with Siryn, with her inviting him to team up again some time, and then flees into the night with the terrified Dr. Killebrew, unaware that Peyer is still lurking in the background with a thirst for vengeance.

The Summary:
Eh… this was a bit of a slog. Let’s talk positives first, though. I enjoyed the artwork. Ian Churchill and Ken Lashley seem to be of the same school as the likes of Mark Bagley, Rob Liefeld, Todd McFarlane, emphasizing big, bold, ridiculously proportioned characters who are twisted into various physics-defying poses. It’s all very dramatic and bombastic, making for some very kinetic action sequences and memorable “hero shots” of Deadpool leaping, slashing his swords, or whipping out his pistols. Siryn is, of course, heavily sexualized; her costume is suggestively torn by the end to expose her bra and breasts and she’s no doubt suffering a great deal of back ache from her unnatural poses. Luckily, she’s written really well and isn’t some airhead or an emotional wreck. I never knew Banshee even had a daughter until reading this, though, and the two are depicted very strangely. They come across more like siblings or even lovers than father and daughter, something not helped by the fact that they look around the same age. They could’ve avoided this by making Banshee appear older, with more lines on his face or greys in his hair, or depicted Siryn as more of a teenager, smaller and slender rather than fully developed woman. This would’ve had the knock-on effect of sparing her (and the reader) from Deadpool’s lewd advances. He’s not too full on, to be fair, but it’s enough to make her uncomfortable and shut his shit down. Though she’s supposedly a fairly stoic character, Siryn does grow to respect Wade. He risks his life (literally, considering his janky healing factor) to protect her and she admires both his fighting spirit and is sympathetic towards his gruesome appearance. By the end, she’s more than happy to team up with him again and a potential romance is even hinted at, showing that Deadpool should rely more on his actions than his words to impress those around him.

This ties into a recurring theme in this miniseries concerning Deadpool’s self confidence and his monstrous lifestyle. When we first see him, he scares off patrons with his scarified visage and he reacts with hostility whenever Siryn tries to remove his mask, before descending into Walter Kovacs/Rorschach levels of madness when it’s finally removed. He expects Siryn to react with fear and disgust, but is amazed when she shows him pity. In recounting his origin, Deadpool talks bitterly about how his terminal cancer was cured at the cost of his humanity, and he turns that bitterness and anger towards the world (or, at least, his enemies), masking his pain with a mile-a-minute banter that regularly antagonizes friend and foe alike. I’m not sure why, but Deadpool’s healing factor is on the fritz in this miniseries. It leads to some dramatic tension as Deadpool’s strategy is to throw himself head-first into a fight, shrugging off mortal wounds and coming out on top, something that costs him his hand and leaves him struggling to heal from wounds. As far as I can tell, it’s not said why this is happening to him and it is a bit inconsistent: Deadpool’s momentarily stunned from a gunshot wound but shrugs off a plummet from a window. His reflexes and skills are also unaffected by this handicap, though it does place him in a more vulnerable position and allow him to open up to Siryn and, perhaps, rediscover aspects of his humanity. Deadpool’s reputation precedes him, to the point where Banshee is reluctant to team up with him and warns Siryn against getting too attached to him since Wade is known as a cold-blooded mercenary who’s just as likely to stab them in the back as help them. However, Deadpool is clearly taken by Siryn, either legitimately or from simple lust, and not only accompanies them to Bannerman Castle despite being wounded but even temporarily forgets his own selfish desire to be cured to help Siryn when she’s manhandled by Black Tom. Deadpool’s really off his rocker here, ranting about nonsense during pitched battles and mocking his foes to throw them off-balance, overwhelming even groups of armed soldiers with his katana and guns. Though he’s no match for the Juggernaut, that doesn’t stop him trying and standing up to the brute, though this miniseries emphasises quite explicitly that much of his inane banter is to mask the pain and anger he feels at being turned into a ghastly, inhuman freak.

I think what lets this miniseries down is the main villain. I’m vaguely aware of Black Tom but he’s a bit of a nobody, with weak-ass powers that can’t compare to Deadpool’s skills. Luckily for him, he’s got the Juggernaut in his pocket but, even then, Cain is just a rampaging brute and fights against him aren’t that interesting. Nothing Deadpool and Siryn throw at the Juggernaut can stop him and they’d been ridiculously outmatched even if Deadpool’s healing factor was working. Without it, we’re denied even the simple pleasure of seeing the Juggernaut tear Deadpool limb from limb and instead rely on a cat-and-mouse game. This is fun enough and shows Wade’s adaptability and certainly paints Siryn as formidable since she holds her own against the Juggernaut, but I feel more could’ve been done with these bouts. Instead, the story spends more time focusing on Danny Peyer and his childish vendetta against Deadpool for costing him his career some years ago. Peyer is just a regular guy with a gun and some soldiers; he’s way out of his league and just grinds the story to a halt. I would’ve rather seen Banshee simply pulling Interpol’s file on Black Tom and then devoted the panels wasted on Peyer to showcasing more of the Deadpool/Juggernaut fight and exploring Wade’s condition, especially as a mirror of Black Tom’s. Like Deadpool, Black Tom suffers from an affliction that’s slowly and painfully killing him (or transforming him into a tree-man? I’m not sure). His agony and desperation see him lash out and devolve into near madness after grafting Wade’s severed hand to his own, increasing his powers and finally making him a true threat but, in the end, he’s subdued with ridiculous ease because, as I said, Black Tom is a nobody. In the end, this was an okay miniseries for the Merc with a Mouth; it showcased a few more layers to his character and developed him further into the near parody of a character we know today, but it’s really just nonsensical fights. Every conversation is interrupted by some goon or another, it’s not always clear what’s happening or why, and the threat is just so low level that it feels like Deadpool could’ve ended things in one or two issues if his healing factor wasn’t mysteriously broken.

My Rating:

Pretty Good

Have you ever read Deadpool’s second solo foray? Did you enjoy the exaggerated artwork and the violent action? What did you think to Deadpool’s characterisation, the vulnerability he displayed and his busted healing factor? Were you a fan of Black Tom or do you agree that he’s a weak villain? What are some of your favourite Deadpool stories and moments and how are you celebrating Deadpool Day today? Whatever your thoughts on Deadpool, feel free to share them below and go check out my other Deadpool content.

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In February 1991, readers of The New Mutants were introduced to Wade W. Wilson, AKA the wise-cracking, fourth-wall-breaking Merc With a Mouth himself, Deadpool. Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza’s sword-swinging immortal went on to become one of Marvel’s most popular anti-heroes thanks to his metatextual humour, violent nature, and massively successful live-action films. It’s perhaps no surprise that Sideshow rechristened April 1^st as “Deadpool Day” to give fans of the chimichanga-chomping mercenary an excuse to celebrate all things Deadpool.

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Story Title: “A Kiss, A Curse, A Cure”
Published: 13 May 1998 (cover-dated July 1998)
Writer: Joe Kelly
Artist: Steve Harris

The Background:
By the 1980s, the X-Men were established as a successful cornerstone of Marvel Comics; they were so popular that then-chief editor Jim Shooter ordered a number of X-Men spin-off books, one of which was Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod’s The New Mutants. These Mutant youngsters were eventually tutored by the time travelling Mutant Nathan Summers/Cable and rechristened as X-Force, and famously went up against Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld’s Deadpool in The New Mutants #98 (ibid, 1991). Heavily inspired by James Howlett/Logan/Wolverine and Peter Parker/Spider-Man (and with numerous similarities to DC Comics’ Slade Wilson/Deathstroke the Terminator), the self-styled “Merc With a Mouth” was initially introduced as an antagonist for the Mutant team. However, Deadpool proved popular and soon made guest appearances in other Marvel Comics before receiving his own four-issue miniseries, a precursor to his ongoing solo title and his own influx of popularity once he began breaking the fourth wall. One of the character’s other defining traits is his relationship with Lady (or Mistress) Death, a cosmic, reaper-like entity whom Wade is desperately in love with. Created by Mike Friedrich and Jim Starlin, Death is most prominently known for also being the object of Thanos’s affections; his motivation for gathering the Infinity Gems and eradicating half the life in the universe was to win her love. Thanos and Deadpool clashed over their love for death more than once; in fact, it was the Mad Titan who cursed Deadpool with immortality when Lady Death chose Wade over him.

The Review:
This bumper annual opens with the super chatty Deadpool unexpectedly teleporting right into the path of a closed fist; the punch sends him careening over a cliff edge where, despite this best efforts, he plummets to the ground with a sickening impact. Just moments before, Deadpool had been working to make amends for his past deeds in San Francisco, and now he finds himself literally dead of a broken neck thanks to his mysterious assailant. Deadpool’s spirit initially balks at the idea of the fall killing him, or the sudden attack being real, but is forced to confront the truth when Lady Death greets him with a passionate kiss. Despite Deadpool asking to skip the flashbacks and cosy up to Death, she silently insists on forcing him to relive his traumatic origins and the story regularly shifts between the present and the past, where mercenary for hire Wade Wilson is given a tour of the Weapon X facility, a special weapons development branch of Department K, the superhuman arm of the Canadian government. At this point, Wade is a strapping young man with a head full of blonde hair and the potential to be a valuable asset to his government, but also riddled with terminal cancer. Since Weapon X has already made a veritable Captain Canada out of James Hudson/Vindicator, the general is confident that even trash like Wade can be moulded into a superhero with their program. Wade readily agrees, awestruck by the Vindicator and with little to lose from his prognosis. However, he fails to pass the grade and, with his conditioning worsening, he’s locked up in a hospice where his fellow outcasts have such a low life expectancy that they regularly take bets on how long they will survive from their horrific and invasive experiments.

This “deadpool” carries high stakes and is championed by the semi-cybernetic Worm Cunningham; however, when Worm tries to pull that shit on Wade, the heavily scarred and slowly dying mercenary pulls a gun on him and demands to be left alone before turning the gun on himself. Before he can pull the trigger, though, the gun (and Wade’s wrist) is crushed by the sadistic, super strong Francis Fanny/A-Man, who mocks Wade and the knocks him out to deliver him to the resident doctor, Emrys Killebrew, for further experimentation. Dr. Killebrew and the A-Man are amused by Wade’s torture, especially when he begs for death, and both delight in subjecting him to unspeakable torment to make the most of his raw materials. The experience is so traumatic for Wade that his mind breaks and he grows cynical, scorns his misfortunes, and finds his body further ravaged by cancerous tumours. His mind becomes so warped that he perceives Lady Death, who lingers in his cell, intrigued by his unique imagination, and is stunned to find that he can see her. After invasively confirming that he’s not suffering from some kind of aneurysm, Death postulates that Wade is a unique being who longs to die but is being artificially kept alive against his will. Frankly, she finds the entire thing quite the turn on, as does he since Death assumes an alluring form given the amount of times he’s begged for it; thus, she promises they can be together if he finds a way to die but, despite his best efforts, he’s thwarted at every turn. He’s constantly stopped from killing himself and subjected to nightmarish experiments that bring him to the brink of death and cause him agony, yet he remains alive thanks to Dr. Killebrew’s machinations. He’s become so unkillable that his odds in the Deadpool have risen to three thousand to one, and such a risk to himself that he’s confined to a high-tech wheelchair. However, he remains determined to reunite with Death and to get the A-Man out of his way; Worm, however, doesn’t fancy his odds since the A-Man boasts enhanced strength, instincts, speed, and durability.

Worm lets slip that the A-Man hates his real name and is psychotically triggered by the merest mention of it, which is all Wade needs to rile up the brutal guard. Wade’s taunting works, sending Francis into a violent frenzy and condemning him to endure electroshock therapy. The experience is so intense and extreme that it briefly allows Wade to speak with Death once more. While he’s not truly dead, he crosses over long enough to share a dance with her, and Wade’s mockery of the A-Man not only improves his standing in the Deadpool but also offers a glimmer of hope to the other inmates. There’s a defiant fire there that wasn’t there before, but Wade angrily denies that he’s a hero; he sees the world as cruel and unfair and hope as a waste of energy, much to Worm’s disappointment. Even Death wonders if he was a little hard on the semi-cyborg but Wade insists that the only thing he cares about is being with her; others can play the role of hero, after all. Still, Wade’s attitude and the rising insubordination sees the A-Man voice his grievances to Dr. Killebrew; despite the A-Man protesting that he’s less effective if the patients don’t fear him, Dr. Killebrew is unwilling to simply dispose of Wade since his body contains information vital to his research. To get around this, and teach Wade some respect, the A-Man threatens to subject Worm to violent torture unless Wade falls in line. While Wade is torn between saving his friend and standing up to the A-Man, he ultimately chooses the latter, berating the A-Man with a tirade of insults after Worm begs him to stay defiant. This results in Worm being viciously lobotomised, giving Wade no choice to end his suffering and consequently forcing Dr. Killebrew to order Wade’s execution for killing one of his test subjects.

As the A-Man gleefully takes the controls of Dr. Killebrew’s elaborate murder machine, Wade vows to make them pay for what they’ve done to him, the other patients, and to Worm even as the A-Man rips his heart from his chest. Death comes to him, eager to consummate their love and begging him to let go and be with him; however, while he wishes to finally be with her, his stubborn nature and desperate need for vengeance kick-start his Mutant healing factor and force his body to repair the damage. The experience further damages his psyche but also shuts Death off from him as he drives himself forward to get revenge on his tormentors. Wade relieves some guards of their weapons and goes on a killing spree, much to the A-Man’s surprise and anger. The A-Man crushes Wade’s spine (his entire abdomen, in fact) in a rage and is left stunned when Wade painfully and sickeningly heals from the damage right before his eyes. Wade then christens himself “Deadpool” and unloads two assault rifles into his abuser but, even as he lies dying on the floor amidst the chaos of a full-blown riot, the A-Man can’t help but mock Deadpool’s heavily scarred visage, which somehow remains despite his advanced healing factor. With the A-Man dead, Deadpool calls to Death to take him but she doesn’t answer, leaving him distraught and heartbroken, which in the present he assumes is her way of causing him pain for choosing revenge over her. A silent point from Death reveals that Deadpool’s killer was none other than the A-Man, now calling himself “Ajax”, resurrected and sent to hunt down all the escapees from the hospice, The ghosts of his victims implore Deadpool to finish the job so they can move on to the afterlife and, with one last regretful kiss to Death, Deadpool spontaneously returns to life and heads out to make Ajax pay once and for all.

The Summary:
This was quite the surreal story. I believe this was the first real extended dive into Deadpool’s origins, and I recognise a lot of the elements from his first live-action movie, so that was kind of cool. While we don’t learn much about Wade’s life before Weapon X, and nothing about his time with the program since he dropped out of “hero school”, he has a reputation as being a mercenary and has a bit of sympathy to him because of his terminal disease. The main thrust of the story is to showcase just how horrific and traumatic Wade’s time at the hospice was. Wade’s unique speech patterns and manic thought boxes can be traced back to his time there, where the experiments and abuse fractured his mind and drove him to the point where he exists in this kind of limbo between life and death. That alone is alluring to Lady Death, but Wade’s crazed perspective on life also draws her attention, as does her desire to tease him with her affections. Naturally, since he longs for death, Wade finds her impossibly alluring and is desperate to be with her but he’s forever denied that thanks to a throwaway line from Dr. Killebrew about transplanting a healing factor into his ravaged body. When he finally is on the brink of death, Wade’s normally cold-hearted resolve has been replaced by a burning desire for revenge, spurning Death and close that door to him seemingly forever.

I do find this concept a little convoluted, similar to the idea that Wolverine has to literally fight off death every time he suffers a mortal injury. I think it clouds things a little and it’s simpler to just say he has a super-superhuman healing factor, but it only muddies the water if you think about it too much. While the concept of Death as a cosmic entity is proven to be real in Marvel Comics, it’s just as likely that Wade’s fracted mind is imagining her as this alluring skeleton woman and that he’s too stubborn, too powerful, and too stupid to die, despite wanting to deep down. Still, the story does a great job of humanising Deadpool and peeling back the layers behind his demented bravado; his experiences left him hating the world, cursing fate and the Gods alike, and wanting nothing more than to die, but the kindness of others and the brutality of his captors shifted him towards a different path. Dr. Killebrew and the A-Man are understandably one-dimensional characters; one’s a cackling mad scientist with no regard for his patients’ welfare and the other’s a superhuman sadist who delights in throwing his weight around and the suffering of others. I liked how Wade riled the A-Man up with insults and repeatedly calling him Francis, and that Wade became this revolutionary figure amongst the populace as a result, so the conflict was more about physical embodiments of oppression and freedom rather than an actual fist fight, which is fitting considering this extends to the physical and metaphysical aspect of Death. Ultimately, this was a decent and surprisingly tragic story designed to explain how awful Deadpool’s life has been and why he is the way he is. In that respect it worked well, and the art was serviceable enough most of the time, so it’s a good choice for anyone who’s just getting into Deadpool and wants to learn a bit more about his background and character.

My Rating:

Pretty Good

Have you ever read Deadpool and Death Annual ’98? If so, what did you think about Deadpool’s trip down memory lane? Do you like the idea of him falling for Lady Death or do you find that aspect a bit convoluted? What did you think to the agonising torture Deadpool had to suffer and the characterisation of Dr. Killeshaw and the A-Man? Do you enjoy Deadpool’s manic sense of humour or do you find it a bit grating? What are some of your favourite Deadpool stories and moments and how are you celebrating Deadpool Day today? Whatever your thoughts on Deadpool, feel free to share them below or drop a comment on my social media.

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In February 1991, readers of The New Mutants were introduced to Wade W. Wilson, AKA the wise-cracking, fourth-wall-breaking Merc With a Mouth himself, Deadpool. Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza’s sword-swinging immortal went on to become one of Marvel’s most popular anti-heroes thanks to his metatextual humour, violent nature, and massively successful live-action films. It’s perhaps no surprise that Sideshow rechristened April 1^st as “Deadpool Day” to give fans of the chimichanga-chomping mercenary an excuse to celebrate all things Deadpool.

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The Background:
By the 1980s, the X-Men had established themselves as one of Marvel Comics’ most successful features, prompting then-chief editor Jim Shooter to commission a series of X-Men spin-off titles, resulting in Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod’s New Mutants. The Mutant youngsters eventually fell under the command of the time travelling Mutant Nathan Summers/Cable, who reformed them into X-Force, and famously came up against Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld’s Deadpool in The New Mutants #98 (ibid, 1991). The self-styled “Merc With a Mouth” was heavily inspired by the likes of James Howlett/Logan/Wolverine and Peter Parker/Spider-Man with more than a few similarities to DC Comics’ Slade Wilson/Deathstroke the Terminator and was initially introduced in an antagonistic role with ties to time-travelling villain Mister Tolliver. Deadpool proved popular enough to make guest appearances in other Marvel Comics before receiving this four-issue miniseries that was a precursor to his ongoing solo title and the greater popularity he achieved once he became self-aware and began breaking the fourth wall. Naturally, this eventually evolved into appearances in Marvel/X-Men-related videogames, a cameo appearance in the beloved X-Men animated series (1992 to 1997), and his live-action debut in the much-maligned X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Hood, 2009), though it was his self-titled spin-off films that truly catapulted him to mainstream success.

The Review:
Deadpool’s first solo series begins in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia two years into an ongoing conflict that has made it a breeding ground for international black marketeers and mercenaries, including a heavily-armed group who have been given the unenviable task of searching out and eliminating Deadpool. Unfortunately for them, the Merc With a Mouth catches them completely off-guard, easily dispatching them while mocking them for being less effectual than G. I. Joe’s or Ken dolls. Despairing of the quality of mercs he’s encountered ever since Tolliver died, Deadpool is offended when his friend and contact, Jack Hammer/Weasel, pulls a gun on him. still, Deadpool is so scatter-brained that he quickly moves on from the misunderstanding to first complain that his suit’s teleportation function is “on the fritz” and the fact that he (and anyone who ever worked for Tolliver) now has a target on their back. Weasel tries to suggest that they (or, at least, Deadpool) should try and get their hands on Tolliver’s estate and weapons, but Deadpool’s more focused on getting intel on Vanessa Carlysle/Copycat, a shape-shifting Mutant and former flame of his who he’s looking to kill off, when they’re suddenly interrupted by one of the most nineties-looking characters I’ve ever seen (which is saying something considering Deadpool’s attire), Garrison Kane/Weapon X, a cybernetic mercenary who was both part of the same Weapon X program as Deadpool and a member of Cable’s Six Pack when he was working for Tolliver.

Kane also wants to know where Vanessa is and attacks, easily shielding himself from Deadpool’s blade and bullets with his versatile cybernetic enhancements. Shrugging off Wade’s jokes and insults, Kane mocks him for betraying his mercenary code and allowing so any of his former enemies and allies to live, but it’s only when Weasel points out that neither of the two beefed-up idiots knows where Vanessa is and they’ve simply being fighting over nothing and as a result of their stupidity and machismo. Admitting to acting without thinking, Kane tries to leave, determined to make an offer to Vanessa before she’s killed (since she’s one of the prime targets in the whole will fiasco), and drops the bombshell that another of Wade’s former adversaries, Gregory Terraerton/Slayback, is not only still alive but is actively gunning for Deadpool, the man who left him for dead way back when. As if on cue, the cybernetic killer breaks into the headquarters of Department X (the government agency behind the Weapon X program) to steal Wade and Kane’s files in order to settle the score and, as if that wasn’t bad enough, the story also jumps over to New Delhi, India, where Wolverine knock-off Nyko Halfghanaghan guns down mercenaries looking for Tolliver’s will (his dead brother, Pico, was Tolliver’s right-hand man so they assume he must know something about it) before delivering a work order to Jacob Gavin Jr./Courier calling for Deadpool’s execution for his part in Pico’s death. Finally, there’s a third plot thread at work here as Cain Marko/The Juggernaut bursts into a genetic research facility outside of Angoulême, France in search of his friend, Thomas Cassidy/Black Tom Cassidy (a common occurrence during this time as the two had formed a strong friendship). Louis Banque, the director of the facility, manages to calm Juggernaut down enough to take him to Black Tom, who’s been enhanced through further mutations that allow him to form weapons, reshape his body into an organic wood substance, and focus and intensify his bioblasts through that same “wood gunk”. This storyline converges with Deadpool’s when issue two drops Wade into Cairo, Egypt where he executes another group of mercs to acquire a briefcase containing a disc that holds information on Tolliver’s will (if that sounds like some kind of mental scavenger hunt, it actually is as per Tolliver’s design, with the ultimate prize being “the most powerful weapon on the face of the planet!”) Anyway, just as Deadpool gets the case, Juggernaut and Black Tom show up, wreck the building he’s standing on, and then blast Deadpool in the back of the head to steal the case from him.

Meanwhile, another former member of Weapon X, Bernard Hoyster/Sluggo, drops in on Vanessa’s mother in search for her and ends up garrotted around the neck by the blue-toned shape-shifter, who’s looking to avenge the death of her friend, Tina Valentino, at Sluggo’s hands. Vanessa settles for stealing Sluggo’s car and leaving him to be arrested after learning that she’s become a target in the search for the will and vows to head to Sarajevo to acquire it, and Tolliver’s fortune, for herself. However, when Courier procures the services of Garabed Bashur/Commcast and the Executive Elite, he offers not money, but Tolliver’s disc and thus a head start in the scavenger hunt. Unaware of this, Deadpool heads to Cairo International Airport using Weasel’s intel and a fight ensures between him and Juggernaut and Black Tom (in civilian guises) that sees Marko hand over the briefcase to save Tom from being sucked out of the plane, only for Wade to trick him and send both plummeting to the ground below while he returns to Sarajevo for issue three. There, he gets into it with Amie Zamborano/Makeshift and Anastasia Summit/Rive of the Executive Elite; disgusted by Deadpool’s sexist jeers, the two pin him to a wall and fry him into unconsciousness with a massive burst of electricity. This makes him easy pickings for Commcast to haul back to the Edsel and subject him to the torture of his “synaptic neural scanner”, a fancy high-tech headband that allows Commcast to scan the thoughts and memories of his victims. Though Deadpool attempts to resist, this sheds some light on his past with Vanessa, depicting them as lovers back before he was mutilated by the Weapon X program, and shows how Kane tried to emphasise the benefits of cybernetic prosthetics when Wade was diagnosed with terminal cancer. After revealing that there are actually two discs that act as a guide towards Tolliver’s will, Commcast rips off Deadpool’s mask, revealing his gruesome visage to everyone but the reader, distracting them enough for Weasel to make a dramatic entrance and break Deadpool free. Incensed at Commcast poking around in his head (which he unironically sees as a “violation” despite his mercenary ways), Deadpool goes on a rampage, destroying his facility and killing Makeshift and Rive (but it’s Weasel who delivers the fatal headshot to Commcast). Weasel then examines the two discs and learns of a monastery in Nepal, which he theorises is the location of Tolliver’s will, and of an “ambient-energy dampening” genetic monstrosity known as “Unit: Zero” that he assumes is guarding it.

Thanks to her shape-changing and mild mind control abilities, Vanessa is also able to learn of this monastery through alternative means but, when she makes the climb to the building, she’s surprised by Slayback and effectively taken hostage. Although Deadpool insists on heading in alone, Weasel makes the four-storey rope climb to offer his assistance in the arc’s final issue, and Kane also manages to make his way there so that all the loose ends can be nicely tied up. Thanks to Weasel, Deadpool discovers a locked vault packed full of weapons, gadgets, and other gizmos set aside by Tolliver, which leads to another scuffle with Kane when he comes looking to claim Tolliver’s secret, all-powerful weapon for himself. Although Deadpool is all mouth when it comes to Kane, he’s thrown into a panic when Slyback makes it a three-way dance since he didn’t just see Slayback die, he saw him reduced to little more than a bloody goop! Thanks to his cybernetic enhancements and burning desire to avenge himself, Slayback easily overwhelms Deadpool but, as he moves to deliver a fatal blow (despite this being impossible against Wade thanks to his superhuman healing factor…), Vanessa sacrifices herself to save her former love. During all of this kerfuffle, weasel realises that a seemingly innocuous mannequin is actually the Zero unit (or “Adam Unit-Zero”, to be precise) and Tolliver’s ultimate weapon, an energy-absorbing synthezoid built to eliminate all weapons of war. Consequently, it identifies Slayback as such and reduces him to cinders, atomising him in a blinding flash of light. While it settles for similarly destroying Weasel’s armaments and evaluates that Kane has a “strong inclination towards socially beneficial behaviour” [sic] despite his capability for lethal force, it classifies Deadpool as a weapon of war and moves to nullify him accordingly. However, in keeping with his reputation as the “Merc With a Mouth”, Deadpool is able to stall the machine by rationalising that he’s not just capable of killing but healing too. He then demonstrates this by having Vanessa touch his horrifically scarred body to absorb his healing factor and thus heal her mortal wounds, confusing Adam and causing it to teleport away to conduce further analysis. Although she’s grateful, and touched that he still loves her, Vanessa turns him down since she loves another and tearfully begs him to move past his cancer, his past, Tolliver, and even himself so he can find something worth fighting for again. Though heartbroken, Wade consoles himself with the knowledge (as amusingly expositing by Weasel) that he showed he can be more than just a brutal killing machine, and by swiping some of Tolliver’s gold for himself so the mission wasn’t a complete loss.

The Summary: 
In many ways, The Circle Chase suffers from a lot of the problems I often have with X-Men stories, particularly those from the team’s heyday in the nineties; stories were often crammed full of characters, lore, and interweaving plot threads that made single issues and even ongoing story arcs difficult for me to pick up and read since it was hard to keep track of everything going on. We’ve got Deadpool, Vanessa, the Juggernaut and Black Tom, Weasel, Garrison Kane, Slayback, Commcast, the Executive Elite, the complex search for Tolliver’s will and numerous references to him and his minions…it’s quite a bit to take in all at once. Thankfully, the art is pretty good; while much of the action takes place at night or in darkened interiors, all of the characters are very colourful and stand out thanks to that nineties excess of bulging muscles, ridiculously excessive guns and technology, and hyper sexualisation of female characters and bodies that was so rampant during this time.

The writing is also really good, particularly in terms of dialogue and in characterisation Deadpool. Wade more than lives up to his loquacious reputation here and is constantly spouting nonsense, pop culture references, and getting distracted with tangents in the heat of battle. He taunts his opponents to the point of frustration, which is always amusing, and offers relentless amusing commentary throughout the miniseries. Deadpool’s skills are at their peak here and he’s easily able to take out the many run of the mill mercenaries he comes up against; the more prominent mercs from the Executive Elite manage to subdue him (mainly to advance the story, put some spotlight on Commcast, and subject Deadpool to his mind reading device so we can learn a little more about him) but even this is just a temporary setback and he immediately enacts a bloody revenge upon being freed by Weasel. Interestingly, the final issue delves a little into Wade’s complex mindset; while he hides behind his near-psychotic persona and smart mouth, he’s actually a very tortured individual, one suffering from hideous scars as a result of his healing factor constantly staving off the cancer that threatened his life. Wade is also rattled into an uncharacteristic panic by Slayback’s survival and appearance and a prominent plot point being Wade’s rejection of the notion that he actually enjoys killing and is a mindless sadist like Slayback. This is ultimately proven to be true in the finale, where he uses his healing factor to restore Vanessa and reject the notion that he’s nothing more than a weapon of wear, which allows him to neuter Adam-Zero’s threat which along with his heartbreak over having lost Vanessa’s love, goes a long way to injecting some humanity into this otherwise volatile and unstable mercenary. While The Circle Chase may be bulging with colourful characters, Mutants, and cybernetic antagonists, the core villains are actually surprisingly interesting. It seems as though everyone in the story has a connection to Deadpool, mostly through either Weapon X or the Six Pack (or both), and almost everyone has an axe to grind against him (even Weasel, the closest thing he has to an ally, is constantly exasperated by Wade’s instability and childish nature).

Having said that, the Executive Elite are basically a throwaway distraction that exist mostly to pad the story out with a bit more action, intrigue, and exposition, but Commcast almost makes an impression as a kind of dark mirror of Professor Charles Xavier by using his technology to violate Deadpool’s memories and he even has an “X-Men” team of his own in Makeshift and Rive. Garrison Kane is even more of a wild card than Deadpool himself; he’s something of a reluctant ally but doesn’t hesitate to throw down against his former teammate simply because he acts “like an idiot” when it comes to Wade due to their history together. With his glowing eye and bionic arms and armaments, he’s kind of like a poor man’s Cable, which is fitting given their history together, and ends the story on slightly better terms with Wade than they began due to their shared concern for Vanessa. Vanessa is also a significant factor in the miniseries, primarily as one of the main targets for Tolliver’s will and as Deadpool’s lost love, though she doesn’t get a huge amount of agency; she is able to string up Sluggo and find her way to the monastery without the discs but, once there, she’s held hostage by Slayback and then nonsensically throws herself in front of Deadpool despite him being able to heal from any wound. As for Slayback…I’ve never heard of this guy, but I actually really enjoyed him! His zombie-like appearance and malleable cybernetics (which give him an extensive reach and even a drill appendage) make him a fearsome foe and he’s written with this biting, British wit that adds a lot of character to him. the parallels between him and Deadpool kind of come out of nowhere in the last chapter but I liked that his appearance rattled wade so much that it put him on the back foot, and it was interesting seeing wade think (well, “talk”, really) his way out of being atomised by Adam-Zero like Slayback was. Overall, I really enjoyed this miniseries; it was a little bloated at times but bat-shit-crazy in all the ways I enjoy about a character like Deadpool. While Wade isn’t being as self-referential or meta as he is now known for, all the foundation for the characterisation is here and the miniseries went a long way to justifying his later mainstream success.

My Rating:

Fantastic

Have you ever read The Circle Chase? If so, what did you think of the story and the Deadpool’s first solo foray? Did you enjoy the bloated cast of colourful characters and their ties to Deadpool’s past or was it all a bit too crowded for you? What did you think to Deadpool’s characterisation here, the glimpses into his past and motivations, and his snarky with? Were you a fan of Slayback, Vanessa, and the likes of Garrison Kane or is there another of Deadpool’s villains you prefer? What are some of your favourite Deadpool stories and moments and how are you celebrating Deadpool Day today? Whatever your thoughts on Deadpool, feel free to sign up and share them below or drop a comment on my social media.

Story Title: “The Beginning of the End”
Published: February 1991
Writers: Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza
Artist: Rob Liefeld

The Background:
By the 1980s, the X-Men had become one of Marvel Comics’ most successful publications, prompting then-chief editor Jim Shooter to call for a series of X-Men-related spin-off titles. The New Mutants, a team of teenage students from Professor Charles Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, came out of this need for fresh new X-Men titles; created by Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod, the first team of New Mutants debuted in September 1982 before graduating to an ongoing title that was first published between 1983 and 1991. The original team, comprised of far younger characters than those in the ongoing X-Men comics and representing a number of diverse ethnicities, eventually fell under the command of the time travelling Mutant known as Nathan Summers/Cable and was transformed into more of a mercenary team and, ultimately, reformed into X-Force. In 1991, however, Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld introduced a new antagonist for this team of hot-headed youths, the mercenary known as Deadpool, and inadvertently created one of Marvel Comics’ most popular anti-heroes in the process.

The Review:
The New Mutants #98 introduces us to Gideon in the midst of a training program at Shaw Industries. Gideon is quite the enigma; possessing powers of “super human enhancement manipulation” and a very…unique sense of style, to put it mildly, he easily overcomes Sebastian Shaw’s combat modules in what appears to be a bastardised version of the X-Men’s famous Danger Room. Having wowed his underlings with his incredible performance (which mostly consists of a bit of dramatic jumping about and throwing his assailants into walls; nothing I would particularly describe as “impressive”), he runs through his itinerary for the day, paying particular emphasis on his vague plans for one Emmanuel da Costa.

Gideon’s plot will have to wait, however, as an impressively Liefeld-esque splash page introduces us to the actual Danger Room, where Cable is engaging in a training exercise alongside Samuel Guthrie/Cannonball. Despite Cable’s rugged insistence that he doesn’t require any help, Cannonball pulls him from the grip of some giant, ugly green machine and justifies his actions by explaining that he’s supposed to be practicing at perfecting his Mutant abilities. Eager to put these to the test, Cable initiates a more aggressive counter-attack sequence and even takes pot shots at Cannonball himself with his incredibly versatile cybernetic arm. Despite failing to balance his focus on multiple threats at once, Cable commends Cannonball’s abilities and wishes for him to expand his kinetic abilities to shield the rest of the team in battle.

Cannonball then points out that the “team” is shy a few members and Cable conveniently runs down the reasons as to why; it seems Warlock died in the line of duty recently and Rahne Sinclair/Wolfsbane’s loyalties are in question but, in any case, Cannonball takes umbrage to him and his team mates being thought of as mere soldiers rather than family but Cable, rugged and war-ravaged as always, is steadfast that the reality of their situation is that all Mutants are soldiers in the world they live in. At the Da Costa International residence, a suspicious redhead hands the aforementioned Emmanuel da Costa a fresh cup of hot coffee that proves to be his last! Just one sip Emmanuel collapses to the floor in fatal convulsions while his assassin watches with glee. Back at the New Mutants’ bunker beneath the X-Mansion, Julio Richter/Rictor and the stupidly-named Tabitha Smith/Boom-Boom are arguing about having been forced to leave Rahne back in Genosha some weeks ago. While Rictor is all for leading a full-on assault against Genosha to rescue her, Boom-Boom is against it not least because such action would undoubtedly be suicide but also because Rahne chose to stay on the island. Undeterred, and temperamental, Rictor rushes out to help his team mate with or without Boom-Boom’s assistance or Cable’s permission.

Speaking of Cable, everyone’s favourite time travelling poster boy of nineties excess is suddenly attacked while browsing the library. His attacker? None other than a mercenary known as Deadpool; sporting unique speech bubbles and a quick wit, Deadpool immediately reveals that he was hired by the mysterious “Mister Tolliver” to find, and kill, Cable (though he insists that the job is nothing personal). I’m not really sure what the beef is between Cable and Tolliver but it’s enough for the man to have hired an assassin despite Cable claiming that he wasn’t to blame for “what went down”. Without any real effort, Deadpool is in a position to end Cable right then and there with a clear headshot but the time traveller is saved just in the nick of time by Cannonball. Impressed with Cannonball’s abilities, but no less unprepared for them, Deadpool quickly disables Cannonball and returns to the task at hand; a swift blow from Cable breaks Deadpool’s jaw as the Mutant states: “You talk too much” and he’s not wrong. Deadpool has been jabbering a mile a minute since his explosive entrance and, while he doesn’t directly address the reader or break the fourth wall and is a far cry from his rude, crude, wise-cracking self we know now, he’s still full of the quips, words, and even gets side-tracked talking to himself.

Despite claiming that Cable has broken his jaw, Deadpool continues to assault his target with both words and attacks and is again in position to finish off his foe when Rictor, Roberto da Costa/Sunspot, and Boom-Boom join the fray. This, however, is of little worry to Deadpool, who easily subdues Rictor and is primed to finish the others off when he is suddenly felled from behind by Neena Thurman/Domino. Cable’s demeanour is noticeable changed by Domino’s presence (the New Mutants believe he is smitten with her) and they easily restrain Deadpool, deciding that the best course of action is to send him back to Tolliver to face the consequences of his failure. With that, Deadpool is gone from the story as Cable gives Domino the rundown on what is left of his team; while Rictor makes good on his promise to go and try to save Rahne and Cable states that he has a plan to bolster his ranks, the issue ends with Gideon delivering the news of Emmanuel’s death to his son, Sunspot, ending the issue on a bit of a cliffhanger.

The Summary:
“The Beginning of the End” is a perfect of example of why I tend to shy away from X-Men comic books; the lore is so dense and impenetrable, with so many characters and stories and things to remember and keep track of, that it can be very difficult to pick up an issue, even a first issue, and know exactly what is going on. As much as I love the group and its wide variety of characters, this does sour me on trying to read more X-Men adventures as things are constantly shifting and changing all the time. Having said that, though, this is obviously issue ninety-eight so it’s geared more towards a dedicated readership than a first-time reader, so those who have been following The New Mutants since their introduction are likely to get a lot more out of this.

Even with that, though, there is some truly ugly artwork on display here; I love the excess and elaborate art of the nineties (which was all impossibly-defined characters, pouches, guns-upon-guns, and an abundance of unnecessarily dark grittiness) but even I struggle a bit with Leifeld’s signature style. Cable looks like a man-mountain in most panels, then dramatically shrinks or grows as the page dictates, and is a hodge-podge of every fanboy’s fantasy: he’s gritty and stoic, he’s got a metal arm that shoots lasers, and a bionic eye! Thankfully, he’s largely (uncharacteristically) under-equipped in this issue and is bereft of his trademark guns and pouches. He’s even caught on the back foot by Deadpool and seemingly unable to defend himself without the assistance of others, which kind of goes against the few things I know of Cable’s reputation as a “Gary Stu”. The team’s newest villain, Gideon, is equally hideous; garbed in a tight waistcoat and wearing weird gold/bronze armlets, he sports a frankly ridiculous little white ponytail on an otherwise bald head and exhibits what I am supposed to believe are exceptional physical talents in his little training simulation. As a puppet master, Gideon is clearly positioned as a kind of anti-Charles Xavier, favouring manipulative subterfuge over the more direct methods of the X-Men’s usual foes. Whatever his grand plans are, though, I find myself apathetic thanks to his uninspired presentation and little to know explanation of the scope of his powers of influence.

As a result, it’s pretty damn easy for Deadpool to steal the show. Looking like a twisted version of Peter Parker/Spider-Man, he (literally) explodes onto the scene and immediately looks like a formidable threat by how easily he takes Cable off-guard and overwhelms not only him but his team as well. Deadpool comes well-prepared, able to counter all of the New Mutants’ powers and abilities, and seemed poised for victory before the untimely intervention of Domino. Though he’s clearly a far cry from the self-aware, hyper-violent anti-hero we know these days, it’s clear that Deadpool has far more charisma and appeal than the likes of Gideon. We know nothing about him or his abilities and yet, through his undeniable skills and his unique style of speech, he instantly makes an impression, even more so when compared with the issue’s primary big bad. Clearly the writers thought they had something there with Deadpool as well as he is spared from execution and his storyline is left up in the air, leaving him ripe for a comeback and a brighter spotlight in subsequent issues. All-in-all, there isn’t really much to this issue of The New Mutants. Obviously Deadpool made an impression on readers at the time but I can only view the issue in retrospect and, for me, he was clearly the stand-out part of this issue and the only real reason to read this story unless you like seeing Mutants prancing around in training simulations and prattling on about their current situation. Remove Deadpool from this issue and it’s pretty much a nothing story but, thanks to his inclusion, there is at least one bright spark amidst the angst and it’s just a shame that we didn’t get to see more of him throughout the issue rather than wasting time on uninspiring nobodies like Gideon.

My Rating:

Could Be Better

Did you ever read “The Beginning of the End” or The New Mutants back in the day? If so, what did you think of the team and the comic’s direction? What were your first impressions of Deadpool back when he debuted? Did you ever think he’d become as popular as he is today or were you, perhaps, unimpressed with his debut? If you were to assemble a team of New Mutants today, who would you pick and why? How are you celebrating Deadpool’s debut this month? Whatever your thoughts on the New Mutants, Deadpool, or X-Men in general, feel free to leave a comment below.