The X-Men are a serious bunch and often to a fault. Whilst the epic superhero soap opera of the oppressed mutant underclass and their crazy abilities only really works if you take it on totally po-faced (as all of the best writers of the comic, from Chris Claremont to Joss Whedon, have done), it doesn't all have to be doom and gloom. And yet, for the majority of their life, that has been the case. Which is why Deadpool was introduced. Well, Deadpool was introduced because Rob Liefeld infamous in the comics industry for having a very long career despite not being very good at drawing came up with him, and New Mutants (later X-Force) writer Fabian Nicieza needed a new foil for his younger superhero team. And Wade Wilson seemed to fit the bill. They eventually developed the Merc With A Mouth into the character he is today: the nigh-invulnerable, certifiably insane assassin who gained his powers with the same Weapon X programme that gave Wolverine his metal skeleton, only it also drove him mad and made him realise he was in a comic book, frequently speaking to the readers directly. All of that and even more fourth wall-breaking are due to appear in the character's (proper) big screen debut, as Ryan Reynolds plays him in a forthcoming X-Men spin-off movie, due out next year. Which means he's about to experience another blow-up in popularity...and maybe some skeletons will be dug up. Here are ten things Marvel wants you to forget about Deadpool.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
