Deadpool doesn't so much break the fourth wall as drive a bulldozer through it, drunk. But let's not kid ourselves that he's revolutionizing the superhero genre here. A costumed crimefighter already exists for that, and he's been around for decades. He even looks similar to Reynolds' irreverent ass kicker - you know his name... Spider Man. Whether grabbing hold of the pages of the comic book itself (Spectacular Spider Man Vol 1), or saying hi to the readership in his debut issue, the wisecracking webslinger changed the game, inserting sharp-edged humour that jumped out of the frame along with the acrobatics and explosions. Wade Wilson may think he's a funny guy, but Peter Parker was Marvel Comic's first official comedian and that carried through to his films. The cinematic future of Deadpool is in the hands and wallets of the public, but one fact is a dead cert: the movie will be an overegged, whistles and bells-adorned pudding compared to the sleek, well-oiled machine of the Spidey franchise. Comic book fans of the world I have smeared myself in honey. Unscrew your jars of flesh-eating ants. Did we get it right? Are there any major self-aware characters we've left off the list? Let us know in the comments section.
I am a journalist and comedian who enjoys American movies of the 70s, Amicus horror compendiums, Doctor Who, Twin Peaks, Naomi Watts and sitting down. My short fiction has been published as part of the Iris Wildthyme range from Obverse Books.
