10 Comics You Must Read Before You See the Deadpool Movie

The Deadpool movie is just around the corner, and with positive reviews hitting the stands it seems like everyone has come down with a case of Wade Wilson fever, which would probably be diagnosed by the man himself dressed in a wacky nurses costume or something.

Anyway, if you only know Deadpool from the compilation videos of cosplayers strutting around in bodysuits at conventions, or if you’ve just seen the movie and you want to get more into Deadpool, then here are some comics you might want to check out. He’s been around a while, and his regular monthly series is ongoing, but these will give you a nice sample of everyone’s favourite-but-least-favourite mercenary. He’s actually a more complex character than you might think.

Deadpool Team-Up

If you’re already familiar with some of the other Marvel heroes then Deadpool Team-Up is a good jumping in point to get a flavour of D-Piddy. The Merc with a Mouth occasionally goes on little adventures (I like to think of them as side quests) with other bods on the Marvel roster, although the term ‘butts heads with’ may be more accurate in some cases. There are three volumes of the collected Deadpool Team-Up run, although my favourites are probably those guest starring Thor, Satana, and Wolverine (Deadpool/Wolverine: Decoy is not technically a Team-Up but the first issue is included in the collected Vol. 3).

Many of the issues are available on Marvel Unlimited, and volume one is available in the Deadpool themed sale on Comixology for £2.49 (volumes two and three are £5.99).

Hawkeye vs. Deadpool

Leading on from Team-Up, check out Hawkeye vs. Deadpool, a five part mini-series that would probably have been included in Team-Up if it hadn’t been published late 2014/early 2015. Clint Barton (and Kate Barton, the other Hawkeye) end up working with Deadpool on a case of espionage and intrigue and explosions and car chases and – anyway, it’s really good, especially the bit where Deadpool turns up having made a surprise costume change. It also shows some of Wade’s more considerate side, as he spends the whole wacky escapade with his mask half off so the deaf Barton can lip read him properly. Hawkeye, by the way, is probably my favourite Avenger, and the most underrated; I would happily write an entire article on why you should read Hawkeye. We’re talking about Deadpool right now, though.

Hawkeye vs. Deadpool is available on Marvel Unlimited. The collected volume is £11.99 on Comixology but the individual issues are currently 69p while the sale lasts. Beware that the run starts with #0 rather than #1.

Deadpool’s Art of War

Another mini-series that serves as a good introduction is Deadpool’s Art of War, a four parter with gorgeous cover art. In it Deadpool attempts to sell a new take on Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, but when the publisher rejects his proposal he decides the easiest way to make it a relevant idea is to… start a global war.This involves roping in Loki along the way, and a significant amount of the fourth wall breaking that Deadpool is known for. If you don’t get on with Deadpool’s Art of War then you probably won’t get on with Deadpool. This is all on Marvel Unlimited, and the volume is £8.99 on Comixology.

Deadpool: Wade Wilson’s War

Deadpool has kind of a weird origin story, and Wade Wilson’s War let’s him tell it in his own style (i.e. with many tangents and several internal voices). Like all adaptations the film is going to be different, but hopefully there will be some common threads for you to grasp onto here that’ll make the story feel familiar as you read it, and it’ll give you a good insight into Deadpool, the man, the myth, the legend. It’s up on Marvel Unlimited and the collection is £4.99 on Comixology.

Deadpool Vol. 1: Secret Invasion

Secret Invasion is the first Deadpool run I ever read and is kind of a weird place to start, being, as it is, in the middle of a Marvel story event, but luckily if you like Deadpool as a character he works well with only the barest hint of context. It’s actually a great comic, with plenty of colourful ultra-violence and wonderful set piece fights against angry aliens, and the context of an invasion of shape shifting enemies plays well with Deadpool’s often ambiguous motives. He is, after all, a mercenary, so you’re never quite sure which side he’s on.

Secret Invasion is available on Marvel Unlimited, and is currently £2.49 on Comixology (normally £5.99). It’s worth checking out other comics in the Secret Invasion story even too. Lots of plots and betrayal and spies and secret identities and so on.

Prelude to Deadpool Corps and Deadpool Corps

Deadpool Corps (and the Prelude) is a nice mix of the writers using the classic ‘Marvel has loads of alternate universes’ trope and the ‘we can do extra stupid s*** with Deadpool because he’s Deadpool’ trope. In it Deadpool – our Deadpool, the main one – puts together a crack team of… Deadpools. He collects them from alternate timelines and realities, including Lady Deadpool, Kidpool, Dogpool, and Headpool (who is a disembodied zombie head, and is fond of directly having a go at the Marvel team for writing him that way).

This motley crew then go about saving the world, and have inspired many a cosplay since,. It’s a lot of fun. Stupid fun. That’s basically what Deadpool usually is (apart from all the emotional stuff with his daughter and relationships and so on, but that’s something for you to discover on your own). Deadpool Corps have a couple of other spin off mini-runs, and Dogpool is really cute in his little outfit, so this one gets the stamp of approval. Deadpool Corps and the Prelude to Deadpool Corps are both on Unlimited. The Prelude is £5.99 on Comixology, and the collected volumes of Deadpool Corps are usually £7.49, but the first is currently £2.49.

Night of the Living Deadpool

My gut tells me that this is an example of something where the name was finalised before any of the actual content, but it’s still good. It’s Deadpool surviving a zombie apocalypse, what more do you want? Plus it’s nicely drawn, and there are good references to zombie films of history that you know and love. If you enjoy it you can also check out the sequel that it spawned: Return of the Living Deadpool. The collected volume is on Marvel Unlimited and is £4.99 on Comixology.

The Deadpool Killogy

The Killogy is the collective term for a three story arc: Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe; Deadpool Killustrated; Deadpool Kills Deadpool. It’s probably the comic that takes his trademark meta-ness, and all that fourth wall breaking, to the darkest place it could go, as Deadpool methodically slaughters all your favourite Marvel superheroes in creative ways, but with an attitude that at times is strangely grim. He then skips out of the Marvel Universe and begins murdering famous literary characters from history in an effort to stop Marvel Comics ever being created, before finally entering a showdown with himself. Deadpool Kills Deadpool in particular features a lot of Deadpools.

These are on Unlimited, despite the aforementioned merciless slaughter, and you can get them on Comixology. The collections are £4.99 but the individual issues are 69p each in the sale.

Deadpool: Dead Head Redemption

This is a collected volume, which includes Deadpool #900 and #1000, bumper editions of favourite Deadpool stories, featuring – but not limited to – tangles with Aliens (who are shown wearily going through the admin of abductions), cannibals, and a weird serial killer. #1000 had a cover featuring Deadpool dressed like Humphrey Bogart, titled ‘The Maltese Falcon’, if that piques your interest at all. It’s a good intro to some great flavours of Deadpool, without getting heavily into Marvel lore. The individual issues are on Marvel Unlimited, and the collection is £2.49 on Comixology.

Harley Quinn

Alright, this is a bit of a cheat because it’s not Deadpool, but I needed to round this off to 10 entries and this suggestion does actually make sense. Ms. Quinzel has been rocking a great series since 2013, and the first volume (Hot in the City) is £8.99 on Comixology, with two more available if you enjoy the first one. You can also buy individual editions on Comixology, and the books are also up on the DC site for digital sale.

Harley has a tenuous grip on her sanity and is quite cheerful about it (much like the man in red and black), although she sometimes needs help and support from the likes of Poison Ivy, her best gal pal and girlfriend-in-an-open-relationship (the writers confirmed it from the official DC Twitter account and everything). Harley even spends the entirety of the first issue breaking the fourth wall and trying out different art styles until she finds the one she likes the best. Her adventures are madcap, violent, but also touching, and she’s growing as a person after getting out of an abusive relationship.

Also she has a taxidermy beaver that talks to her, if you’re not one for serious issues. Overall it’s a pretty smooth transition from Deadpool to HQ.