20 Comic Characters That Are Total Rip-Offs‏

12. Deadpool

One of Marvel's best-loved - or at least ubiquitous, same difference - characters, Deadpool began life as an enemy to teen X-Men New Mutants before becoming the self-referential walking parody we know today.

Part of the same Weapon X program that gave Wolverine his adamantium skeleton, Deadpool is technically immortal, with a high-level healing factor and super strength that help him in his supposed occupation as a gun-for-hire (he spends more time fighting dead presidents these days).

Totally a rip-off of: Deathstroke

The merc with a mouth didn't fall far from the tree. In fact, creators Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza noticed that the character's get up was pretty much identical to fellow comic book anti-hero Deathstroke that they named him Wade Wilson, a sly nod to DC's Slade Wilson. Whilst the pair share an occupation, their characterisations have diverged wildly over the years.

Where Deadpool was introduced as a serious-minded assassin in the same mold as Deathstroke, he evolved into a joke character who frequently broke the fourth wall and opined on the nature of comics whilst being in a comic.

Deathstroke, meanwhile, continued to be way grouchier than someone wearing pirate boots should be.