HERO OF THE WEEK: DEADPOOL (Marvel)
Real Name: Wade Wilson
First Appearance: New Mutants #98 (February, 1991)
Fight Club Ranking: #17

Featured Fights:
- vs JUGGERNAUT: Deadpool: Sins of the Past #2 (Sep 1994)
- vs TASKMASTER: Deadpool #2 (Feb 1997)
- vs HULK: Deadpool #4 (Apr 1997)
- vs AJAX: Deadpool #19 (Aug 1998)
- vs BATROC THE LEAPER: Deadpool #20 (Sep 1998)
- vs DAREDEVIL: Contest of Champions II #4 (Nov 1999)
- vs TASKMASTER: Cable & Deadpool #36 (Mar 2007)
- vs PUNISHER: Deadpool: Suicide Kings #2 (Jul 2009)

Well, it finally happened! After a decade and a half of 'will they? won't they?' - they finally did it! They made a Deadpool movie! Not only that, but they serviced the material well enough to give the public the breath of fresh air long time fans always knew it could be! When it comes to Hollywood, that's no mean feat! When it comes to X-franchise rights holders FOX: it's a rewarding step away from the stubborn stain of their early successes with Bryan Singer and black pleather.

A theme of Hero of the Week in 2016 has been design and the first bite of the eye, which arguably defines comic book superheroes. The punch of the Deadpool visual was one of the movie's strongest tools -- a striking icon to hang their hat on in promotion, and a mea culpa for the truly bizarre take on the character seen in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Actor Ryan Reynolds has long been committed to realizing the look of the character on screen. Sure, he gets plenty of requisite face time with the camera, but ultimately gives himself to the costume with rare abandon for a name actor. If there's a confidence behind that choice, it's undoubtedly his ability to project himself beyond the mask. Something he does in harmony with the character from the page. The three biggest heroes of this movie may be Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds and director Tim Miller.

By most accounts, Deadpool isn't a perfect film, but it didn't necessarily need to be. Having lopped off great sections of script to come in under FOX's requisite budget - Deadpool has earned the right to a second try. It's a working proof of concept. An R rated slapstick superhero with a profit margin, reckless abandon, and the lasting cultural impact that Marvel Studios' Ant-Man lacked. Just as X-Men was the lesser trial run for X-Men 2 -- Deadpool, by rights, should be the launching pad for a bigger and better sequel, or franchise. The exercise now is -- as many voices are saying -- taking the right lessons when movie forward. Something Hollywood rarely does.

There's been a lot of talk about the precedent Deadpool's R rated box office records will set. It's worth noting that, although an exception to the Disney controlled Marvel Studios films, this is hardly the first time a comics adaptation went to theatres with an R. In 1981, Heavy Metal became an early entry in adult cinema's comic cult. Judge Dredd went there twice - in 1995 and 2012. Even Marvel heroes have gone R before: The Punisher and Blade accumulating six R rated movies between them.

Most voices agree: Few properties require, or would benefit from, the exclusions of an R rating. I would argue Deadpool didn't even need it -- perfectly capable of finding bawdy laughs and superhero levity with a faithful PG-13 rating. They went R and it worked, but if a third Wolverine film thinks an 18+ escalation is going to solve any of their problems, they're still painfully missing the point.

Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn responded to certain reactions with a surprisingly frank statement. He praised the deviant vision of the character and film: "Deadpool was its own thing. THAT's what people are reaction to. It's original, it's damn good, it was made with love by the filmmakers, and it wasn't afraid to take risks." It's a spirit sorely lacking in today's big budget movies.

Of course, Deadpool's originality is ultimately sourced from the comics themselves. The character on the screen owes a lot to the comic version, but it's worth noting much of what surrounds him is not a slavishly faithful adaptation. Ajax is a notably pale shadow of his comic book self, as an example.

Bigger than the question of MPAA ratings and content advisory will be what comes next for the character in a confirmed sequel. Taskmaster was reportedly excised from the original script -- an obvious target for a referential sequel, provided the Avengers villain is accessible to FOX.

Venturing deeper into the Marvel superhero universe for the purposes of parody and the contrast has a lot of appeal, but FOX's bench may prove too shallow. Just as Taskmaster may not fall under the catchall of X-Men licensing; familiar crossover characters like Hulk and Daredevil may be a bridge too far. That's where Wolverine and Cable probably offer attractive options for a clash of the self-serious and the completely ridiculous.

The idea of coaxing Hugh Jackman into extending his tenure for a proper Wolverine/Deadpool screen meeting has a lot of appeal. It does, however, run the risk of cutting the fresh franchise off at the knees in the same way Days of Future Past diminished the strides made by First Class by going back to the 2000s well. It may be best doubling down on further establishing Deadpool's world in a sequel, saving expansion for the talked about X-Force film.

If Jackman follows through on his retirement threats, it may be that Ryan Reynolds and the red & black become the franchise anchor they can come to rely on. Sure beats recasting!

That wraps a big month of Deadpool lovin' here on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths. It's been a lot of fun reconnecting with some very fun comics, and one of my favourite characters of the late 90s. If you missed any of the fun, be sure to check out the Featured Fight links at the top of this post. You can always find even more in the Issue Index, previous Hero of the Week entries, and other updates! Share your favourites with friends so we can revisit the good stuff in the future!

<< Hero of the Week 02/29: Iron Fist        [Home]       Hero of the Week 02/15: Ryu >> 

DAREDEVIL versus DEADPOOL

Final Cut (Marvel)
Where: Contest of Champions II #4 When: November 1999 Why: Chris Claremont How: Michael Ryan

The Story So Far...
On a day like any other, the super-heroes of Earth find themselves suddenly plucked from their normal routines -- abducted by aliens! Fortunately, The Coterie are a benevolent race of game-masters hoping only to trade their vast intergalactic knowledge in exchange for basking in the legendary fighting excellence of humanity's greatest champions!

A nice story, but if The Coterie are as benevolent as they claim - why is the air crawling with nanites infesting every hero they've abducted?! Could it be that The Brood are plotting to manipulate the heroes into a plot to steal their powers and turn them against the rest of humanity?

Manipulated by the microscopic nanites infesting their very being, the heroes comply with the contest - turning their powers against one another!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Draw 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Daredevil 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Deadpool 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Draw 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Daredevil 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Deadpool 4 (Arsenal)

Politeness: Deadpool 6 (Canadian)

If you've been reading The Comic Book Fight Club this month - you know the score: Wade Wilson was just the high school science nerd, secretly crushing on sweet, sassy Gwen Stacy when he was bitten by a radioactive kiddy pool. Imbued with the proportionate powers of a pool, he makes all the baddies wet as Deadpool, learning in the process that with great power must come great resistance to transmittable disease. Or... something like that.

We've seen him apply his mercenary trade, deadly weapons, healing factor, and dazzling personality in battles against many expert fighters: martial mimic Taskmaster [Deadpool #2, Cable & Deadpool #36], savate meister Batroc the Leaper [Deadpool #20] and cyborg sadist Ajax [Deadpool #19].

Daredevil is epic, self-loathing Catholic Matt Murdock: lawyer by day, Deadpool Lite by night. Blinded by an illegal radioactive spill as a boy [for real, this time], young Matt awakened to vastly enhanced senses that gave him a pinpoint accurate, sonar-like perception of the world. Combined with decades of intense martial arts training, Daredevil is the scourge of bad guys in Hell's Kitchen.

According to our patent pending power scale, these two are incredibly well matched! Daredevil edges ahead with his refined fighting skills, while Deadpool makes up for it with unpredictability, and an arsenal of weapons and the will to use them. Not that Daredevil hasn't made a career out of dealing with that!

Arch-nemesis -- and mercenary pal of Deadpool -- Bullseye has had three projectile filled run-ins with DD in previous features: Daredevil #132, Daredevil (Vol.2) #49 and Daredevil #79. Daredevil's also matched supreme fighter and temporary replacement Iron Fist blow for blow in Daredevil #87, and fought off another opponent with a mutant healing factor in Wolverine #24. (Guess who!)

In a side-by-side comparison: Deadpool got the edge over Hulk, beating him in Deadpool #4, while DD couldn't cut it in Daredevil #163. Alternatively, Daredevil effortlessly took down The Punisher in Daredevil #65, while DP got his head blown off in Deadpool: Suicide Kings #2. Once again: it's tough to separate the two!

There is an x-factor involved in the outcome of this particular fourth round, Contest of Champions II fight: it was determined by fan vote on Marvel.com.

By mid '99, Daredevil was in limbo after the conclusion of Kevin Smith's hugely popular relaunch with Joe Quesada, awaiting David Mack. On the other hand, Deadpool was still trucking with Joe Kelly, and fighting for survival off the back of the strong cult following that has brought him to movie stardom today. Critical acclaim and restored fandom, versus sustained cult following.

Yeah... I still can't separate them. Let's just see who won...

The Tape: Draw Ranking: Daredevil (#9)

What Went Down...

The arena: New York City -- or at least something very closely approximating it!

The opponents: "The Man Without Fear" Daredevil versus "The Merc' With a Mouth" Deadpool!

The fight is already under way! Deadpool has thrust one of his katana swords into the surrounding brickwork - narrowly missing Daredevil, who vaults over it with a kick!

Deadpool's quick hands block the kick in a perfect stalemate, while his quick mouth starts the verbal and mental assault.

The motormouthed mercenary attacks Daredevil for his choice of footwear -- flat soled in an age of "mega-lug boots, presented by old world craftsmen in more loving detail than they devote to the depiction of the glorious choreography of life itself". Not a fan of the art trends of the time, it would seem. Too bad, because he's about to get a face full of flat sole!

One foot blocked, Daredevil seamlessly swings his left leg around to bring the free foot into Deadpool's head! Talking isn't going to shake the discipline of DD, who questions Deadpools focus. DP's found himself too close to the roof edge and about to fall. Hoping to avert the fatality, Daredevil tosses Deadpool a lifeline. A merciful mistake!

Deadpool thanks DD for the offer, but uses it to right himself enough to unload a hail of bullets from his handy dandy machine gun! Brakka brakka brakka!

Daredevil weaves through the hurtling ammunition and dives after his opponent, using a nearby flagpole to pendulum his momentum to the lower roof. Hitting a conveniently located rooftop swimming pool - Deadpool makes a splash with a much harsher landing, but emerges relatively unharmed.

Detecting Deadpool's vital signs with his heightened senses, he recognizes a timbre similar to the self-healing body mechanics of Wolverine. He may have picked his opponent's healing factor, but he's also noticing the barrage of quips and chatter are creating enough white noise to throw him off ever so slightly.

Daredevil digs deep into his early days -- countering with a competition diving gag, a little copyright law, and a roundhouse kick that sends Deadpool flying!

Tumbling into a nearby cabana, Deadpool emerges with -- a baby!

Detecting the baby's heartbeat beneath the cries: Daredevil can only put aside his doubts and do everything he can to save an innocent life. For Murdoink, it's a threat that cuts deep - recalling his recent ordeal defending an infant, which ended in the death of Karen Page.

Daredevil tosses his billy club at the fleeing mercenary. Deadpool thinks it missed, but the ricocheting club extends an internal cable - setting up a tripwire that sends him into a face plant! The fall causes the baby to spill out of his hands and over the edge of the rooftop leisure area!

Daredevil dives blind over the edge of the roof to make the save!

His sonar senses guide him to a conveniently placed window cleaner's platform, which he acrobatically springs off to direct his momentum toward an open dumpster below!

His manoeuvres take the edge off the fall, but it's still a hard landing as DD puts his back to the bin. When he gets out and pulls back the swaddle to check the child he finds a doll and an "ACME authentic fake baby noise maker, guaranteed to fool superheroes every time." A set up - gotcha.

With a gun to Daredevil's head - Deadpool wins.

The Hammer...

A controversial finish, but a victory for Deadpool never the less!

Did it end the way you thought? I have to admit: even as a Deadpool fan of the time - I would not have expected Daredevil to lose a fan vote. Another example of the cult following Deadpool had long before he kicked down the doors as the star of one of Hollywood's most profitable R-Rated films!

I wonder if the Daredevil/Deadpool '97 annual could've influenced the vote at all, as well. Those who guessed which hero was in Deadpool's firing line this week probably expected that issue to play a bigger role. I just couldn't resist dipping a toe into the widely overlooked Contest of Champions sequel.

Of all the tournament style comics to plague superheroes over the years, I think Contest of Champions II probably ranks among the best. The story in these things is always shakey, but I think Chris Claremont's experience pays off with a simple plot that utilizes one of his classic X-Men villains -- The Brood -- and his knowledge and contribution to Marvel's characters.

Rogue plays a central role in the story thanks to her ability to absorb and channel powers. There's a lot of X-Men, as you might expect, but everyone gets a pretty good go. Iron Man pulls focus early on, and to illustrate the details that elevate the issue, there's a nice call back to Rogue's villainous first appearance in Avengers Annual #10 [see also; What if...? #66]. Little details like that really elevate an otherwise throwaway, action oriented mini-series.

Last week we looked at Mark Waid's work with Deadpool [Sins of the Past #2], where I may not have given him enough credit for his Looney Tunes approach to the character. With the Joe Kelly years well entrenched, Claremont picks up those Bugs Bunny/Daffy Duck threads - writing a pretty decent Deadpool in Contest II. That ending will no doubt drive Daredevil fans nuts, but on Deadpool's terms it's a fun poke in the eye of the grimly serious superhero.

Remembering that Daredevil had just come out of Kevin Smith's landmark Miller influenced Guardian Devil reboot, it was a good idea to lean on levity. It was probably one of the last times that path was taken, as Daredevil disappeared into the self-serious isolation of a decade of stories under Brian Bendis, Ed Brubaker and others. Appropriately enough, it was Mark Waid who really guided DD back to the Marvel Universe in recent times. Stories we'll have to get to some time, as much as I do love the Bendis years.

On the subject -- this battle brings an end to our Deadpool blitz for February.

The clever among you will recognize a transition when you see one! Today's featured fight will take us on a detour through Hell's Kitchen in time for Netflix' second Daredevil series, before we dive into more hero-on-hero media-inspired conflict involving a certain movie Man of Steel!

Contest of Champions II isn't easy to come by these days, but if you're going hunting, be sure to use the Amazon link provided [right]. Doing so could help fund future features on The Comic Book Fight Club! It'll also give you the full experience of today's battle, and the many more I'm sure we'll look at in the future!

Hit up the Issue Index for lots more Deadpool, Daredevil and other fights. Be here Monday for a Hero of the Week DP recap!

Winner: Deadpool

(+8) #17 Deadpool
(--) #9 Daredevil

OLD COMICS WEDNESDAY: THE LIVES & DEATHS OF THE DCU

DC Comics is teasing a Rebirth and in their latest update, they're claiming it isn't a reboot - and it never was! The cryptic messages were delivered on the now familiar Rebirth blue drape by DC bigwigs: Jim Lee and Geoff Johns. So, what does it all mean?...

2010 line-wide reboot "The New 52" came built-in with an apparent Get Out Of Jail Free option in the form of mystery character Pandora. For the stubborn among us, every event since reads like a possible unravelling of the controversial relaunch. The New 52 selectively wiped the post-Crisis DC Universe from existence, replacing it with a movie era "new reader friendly" one. The line arguably jack knifed under apparent poor planning and less than iconic characters, lending to a serious rethink. .

Fact is: DC has been in the business of soft reboots, hard reboots, and general jumpstarts for the last two decades. The quality of the New 52 reinvention can be questioned, but undoubtedly the overall weight of so many lives and deaths of the DC Universes have contributed to diminishing returns.

This Old Comics Wednesday you're invited to look back upon some of DC's many deaths and rebirths. By clicking the covers below, you'll be transported back to the pivotal battles that gave birth to new visions of the DC Universe, destroyed old ones, introduced new eras of characters, rebooted classic ones, and in come cases literally involved the Rebirth brand. Could one or more point the way to what's next for DC Comics? The more things change, the more they stay the same.

HERO OF THE WEEK: RYU (Capcom)
Real Name: Ryu
First Appearance: Street Fighter (August, 1987)
Fight Club Ranking: #19

Featured Fights:
- vs BALROG: Street Fighter II #1 (Jul 1994)
- vs VEGA: Street Fighter (Dec 1994)
- vs SAGAT & VEGA: Street Fighter (Dec 1994)
- vs GUILE: Street Fighter II V Ep. 2 (Apr 1995)
- vs SAGAT: Street Fighter II V Ep. 9 (Jun 1995)
- vs KEN: Street Fighter II V Ep. 12 (Jul 1995)
- vs KEN: Street Fighter Alpha (Dec 1999)
- vs ZANGIEF: Street Fighter Alpha (Dec 1999)
- vs SADLER'S CYBORG: Street Fighter Alpha (Dec 1999)
- vs KEN: Street Fighter #1 (Sep 2003)
- vs SAGAT: Street Fighter #1 (Sep 2003)
- vs SAGAT: Street Fighter II #2 (Dec 2005)
- vs DHALSIM: Street Fighter II #3 (Feb 2006)
- vs ROSE: Street Fighter Alpha Vol. 1 (2007)

Since returning to Secret Wars on Infinite Earths for the site's 10th Anniversary, I've wanted to double down on some of the cool comics and characters we never got around to. With over 800 characters in the system, it's hard to believe we've already added a dozen or so new additions in 2016!

That's all good and well, but inevitably we come to a point where old passions die hard.  That brings us to today's Hero of the Week - the wandering world warrior known only as Ryu!

You probably know Ryu best as the karateman mascot of the Street Fighter video game series. He's been the franchise lead since the beginning - fighting through the forgotten original 1987 Street Fighter arcade game, through to tomorrow's PlayStation 4 new release: Street Fighter V! He was one of only two playable characters in that first game, and he's back on the cover for the newest one.

Street Fighter V boasts a new-to-the-series, post-release story mode that will take players through the latest chapter of Ryu's saga. It's the kind of addition I've been waiting the entire series for. When in gaming circles, I often find myself defending Street Fighter's overlooked story component. If I'm at all self-conscious about interrupting the site's renewed comics focus with a video game HOTW -- I need only look to the canon of Masahiko Nakahira to remember comics (manga) have carried much of the burden of Street Fighter's world for quite some time.

I'm not entirely sure I'm going to love Street Fighter V's story. Most of the established beat 'em up franchises have been gradually drifting away from their martial arts origins, moving into the world of comic book militaria, and super-heroics. It's not necessarily a bad thing. Those elements have always been there. It's just that I've always appreciated the foundational elements of martial arts fiction and philosophy that were unique to series like Street Fighter, and its rivals.

The nuanced combination of fighting, fables, philosophy and sport has often been uncomplicated in the hands of Street Fighter's creators. Motivations can often be boiled down to archetypes of rivalry, jealousy, revenge, greed, competitiveness, vanity, or megalomania.

As of Street Fighter II, a tremendous amount of heavy lifting was supplied by the character design. Painted in broad strokes, each character communicated a lot about their world view through strong visual context. Designed around nationality, fighting style, and simple cartooning -- the most enduring icons are not only instantly recognizable, but revealed in their appearance and fighting. The very animation of the games fighting reflects the characters behind each move - their body language and facial expressions communicating exactly as human beings should. To fight them is often to know them. This sense of character makes everything that comes after it all the sweeter.

Many characters simply wish to be the best fighter in a match, their style, or the world. With such vivid characters - this simple pursuit of self is enough to create a compelling world through the chemical reactions of each match. Some fighters will like each other, some will hate. Many will remain unchanged as their drive towards a goal refines them. I've always viewed the strong identity of Street Fighter characters as one of their greatest strengths, but when progress occurs, it is exciting.

Ryu's journey has taken him through various missions and rivalries, allowing him to transfer meaning to other characters. Defeating final boss Sagat in the first game flipped the script and created one of my favourite characters. "The Emperor of Muay Thai" [Sagat] arrived in the sequel with a massive chest scar - a visual reminder of the first game, and his now famous loss to Ryu [Street Fighter #1].

Sagat allowed himself to become even more corrupt in the pursuit of revenge in Street Fighter II, a subordinate sub-boss to Bison and his sinister organization: Shadaloo. He refined his own counterpart moves to Ryu's specials and was dedicated to revenge. His journey would ultimately become one of self discovery, leading to redemption and peace. He turned his back on Shadaloo and restored his honor by making peace with losing to Ryu. In UDON's comics, this helped Sagat defeat Ryu [Street Fighter II #2]. By Street Fighter III, he was no longer among the fighting ranks.

Sagat's story is almost a double helix to Ryu's. Much of Street Fighter Alpha has been dedicated to Ryu negotiating the threat of the Dark Hadou -- dangerous corrupting ki energy manifesting from the lethal intent of his Ansatsuken fighting style. It's a flowery metaphor in the classic vein of Star Wars' good and dark sides of The Force. Naturally, Ryu resolved his struggle with the dark hadou and rejected its power, but did not attain ultimate mastery in the process. In fact, friendly rival Ken beats him to total mastery first in Street Fighter III. Not quite the journey of the vanilla hero by numbers.

Scuttlebutt has it that Street Fighter V, like the revival before it, will be set before Street Fighter III. An unsurprising decision, given the then unpopular shake-up of Street Fighter's characters and fiction in the third instalment. SFV is clearly headed toward that direction, though. Many of its characters appear to be changing and aging. It will be interesting to see how far they go in bridging to the finality of some of Street Fighter III's stories. It's inconceivable to imagine Street Fighter without its icons, yet the format they're taking lends itself to putting some of the toys to bed, and graduating some of the other legends to the fore.

Whether Street Fighter V veers from its martial arts stories, or not, I'm sure we'll revisit their themes sometime in the future. If you'd like to see some of the Street Fighter stories and fights already covered, be sure to check out the featured links at the top of this article, or scroll down to the Miscellaneous section of the Issue Index Archive!

<< Hero of the Week 02/22: Deadpool       [Home]       Hero of the Week 02/08: Colossus >> 

JUGGERNAUT versus DEADPOOL & SIRYN

Luck of the Irish (Marvel)
Where: Deadpool: Sins of the Past #2 When: September 1994 Why: Mark Waid How: Ian Churchill

The Story So Far...
Black Tom Cassidy is a bad seed with a bad problem. A viral wooden growth is claiming his humanity while he serves a life sentence in maximum security prison.

Former Weapon X geneticist Dr. Emrys Killebrew is Black Tom's only hope. Brought in at the request of Interpol Agent Sean Cassidy, the good doctor is running out of time and methods to cure the aggressive infection. Lucky for Tom, his brother isn't the only one looking out for his health. Eager to upgrade Black Tom out of the prison healthcare system, Juggernaut goes on the warpath!

Absconded with Dr. Killebrew, Black Tom's condition is hanging in the balance and the key to saving him may just be former Weapon X subject: Deadpool! The mercenary's sinful past with Black Tom is about to bite him in the ass and the unstoppable Juggernaut is first in line to do the biting!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Juggernaut 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Deadpool 3 (Special Ed)
Speed: Deadpool 3 (Atlhete)
Stamina: Juggernaut 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Deadpool 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Deadpool 4 (Trained)
Energy: Siryn 4 (Arsenal)
Vocal Range: Siryn 7 (Blarney Hell)

It's the unstoppable force meeting the unmuteable mercenary! Watcha gonna do brother when Juggernaut runs wild on you? That's the penniless question we aim to answer today! How will we achieve this daring feat of combat analysis? With our trusty numeric power scale and scholarly references, of course!

When it comes to superhuman strength, endurance and stamina - Juggernaut's in the top tier. His powers are derived from the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak: a magical ruby that's pretty tough to come by ever since Cain Marko got his mitts on it. We've seen him use his magic might to go toe-to-toe with heavyweights like: Colossus [Uncanny X-Men #183], Nimrod [Uncanny X-Men #194] and even Superman [DC versus Marvel #1]!

That sounds like bad news for mild mannered mercenary Deadpool, whose skills amount to: DIY home renovation, a skin condition, overactive imagination, access to 24/7 tech support, protection in the afterlife from Bea Arthur, swords, guns, and a healing factor. Fortunately -- it is not so bad!

A few years after today's feature fight, Deadpool scored a victory against an opponent every bit Juggernaut's equal - the Incredible Hulk [Deadpool #4]! He was also able to negate the super-strength of cyborg nemesis Ajax in Deadpool #19, and use unconventional tactics to topple the Taskmaster twice - in Deadpool #2 and Cable & Deadpool #36!

Of course, for all the raging hard muscle of the Hulk - he is still flesh and bone and can be penetrated (by swords). Juggernaut's magic strength tends to make him pretty resistant to being shanked. A whole construction site of pointy things didn't do Spidey any favors [Amazing Spider-man #230]! Then again, he's never been one to take the spider gimmick to its logical, skin piercing conclusion... You know what? He's the Juggernaut, bitch! Deadpool's in big trouble! If he had any clue he'd just run away! Call the whole thing off!

Is she pretty Irish, or Irish and pretty? Isn't "Irish redhead" a bit redundant? Oh, I guess there are Scottish redheads... Wait, is that racist?...

Oops. That's not an option, though. Pretty Irish redhead Siryn is in tow and DP's on the path to being smitten! Juggernaut does have orders not to hurt her [from Uncle Black Tom], but Juggernaut's never been known for being gentle, and Deadpool & Siryn don't know she's supposedly safe. Like her father Banshee, she's got a mean set of pipes on her, though. That rusty dome on his head doesn't seem like it stops sonic screams getting through, either. Yeah, just go with that.

Oh, by the way, Siryn has chosen the knife factory stage.

The Tape: Deadpool Ranking: Deadpool (#26)

What Went Down...

Having made a daring escape from a pack of mercenaries - Deadpool and Siryn have but a moments pause before the true threat presents itself: Juggernaut!

Taking refuge in a nearby "blade manufacturing" factory, the heroes hope to control the fight with walls at their back. If the door was any indication - the walls won't be much help. Juggernaut kicks it down and calls for last words...

Deadpool tips a box of blades over the hulking behemoth, showering him in sharpened steel! Against any ordinary mortal the tactic would surely have been sharp and to the point - but it was a blunt failure thanks to Juggernaut's magical invulnerability!

Deadpool Facts:
Don't throw anything at Juggernaut that you aren't prepared to have thrown back.

Juggernaut gives Deadpool points for originality: few have tried to slow him down with meat cleavers! How many points did he give? About as many as he can scoop up in his giant Cytorrak Gem enhanced fists!

Deadpool shoves Siryn aside as a wave of knives slices through the air - and through Deadpool as well!

The merc' with a mouth is officially silenced as his healing factor kicks in to deal with the many lacerations. Still reeling from his earlier battles, bruises, bullets and regrowing an entire hand - Deadpool's living up to his name. He's totally defenceless when Juggernaut decides to get in on the puns. More knives, too!

Deadpool Facts:
Actually, if you look closely - Deadpool is stopping the knives with his Magnum look.

This time Siryn leaps into the path of danger -- much to Juggernaut's horror! She unleashes a sonic scream at a high enough frequency to shatter the blades before they reach her, or the mercenary she's hoping to save!

Little does Siryn realize, her banshee cry also damaged the factory floor. As Juggernaut takes chase of the pair, the ground gives way under their feet -- sending all players to the lower level!

Deadpool Facts:
You smelted it, you dealt it.

Down low in the factory, Juggernaut lands on his keister and cries Deadpool's name! The mercenary has pulled a disappearing act in the fall, so Juggernaut asks Siryn for directions. As it turns out, the nearest man in red & black tights is lurking just overhead -- somewhere near the factory's molten vat!

Doing his best Tarzan, Deadpool swings down on a chain to snatch Siryn off the factory floor as the vat of molten metal spills out onto Juggernaut!

Two years after Alien 3, weaponizing molten metal probably seemed like a pretty good idea. Alas; the unstoppable Juggernaut isn't real concerned about thermostat - and there's nothing to cool him off quick enough to put the ol' metallic freeze on him. All that means is...

... flaming hot Juggernaut covered in molten in the hizzoooouuusssse!!

With only one page remaining, Deadpool & Siryn make a mad dash to meet vengeful Interpol agent Daniel Peyer on the final page cliff hanger.

The Hammer...
Whoops! As per Secret Wars on Infinite Earths rules: we ring the bell when the issue comes to an end. I'm afraid that means this battle finishes in an inconclusive draw.

The fight does resume for a second round in the subsequent issue, which I'm sure we'll take a look at some time in the future. For now, we etch another Juggernaut draw into the records, and press on toward our final Deadpool feature fight for February.

We have, of course, been looking at Deadpool this month in celebration of his long awaited arrival in theatres. The only thing more amazing than Deadpool finding movie stardom after a decade and a half in development hell is Ryan Reynolds hitting on a superhero winner! Somewhere out there a horribly out-of-character Hannibal King salutes you!

By now you've probably seen the trailers, heard the praise, and become aware of sequel and crossover plans. Hopefully you're enjoying digging into the real Deadpool through these comic fight updates. For me, the fun has definitely been reconnecting with what was, at one time, possibly my favourite character.

Deadpool Facts:
Alien 3 is very underrated, Blade: Trinity has some moments, but the less said about Green Lantern the better.

If you caught last week's feature [Deadpool #19], or dug into the Deadpool back catalogue, you can probably already tell the '97 series was a sweet spot for my fandom.

The Liefeld years had blown me by, but by the time the first mini-series was coming ["Sins of the Past" is the second], the mystique of the character had caught up with me. Some time in '93 I got my hands on a X-brand promotional pamphlet that sold the series pretty well. By 1997, a convergence of cult character, comedy, and visuals made for an instantly enjoyable mix.

 

There was a bit of drama recently over [Rob] Liefeld's comments regarding who created the character. He shares credit with X-scribe Fabian Nicieza, but I don't think the movie ever even happens if you remove "Uncles" Joey and Ed from the equation. Without their well rounded work in 1997, I don't think you have the sustained popularity, or the definitive voice of the character. Good formative influences from Deadpool's cool uncles, before the other kids in school ruined him, and he started hanging out with the burnout of the family. [He's doing much better now].

That said, much of what you know of Deadpool is there from the earliest days -- as evidenced by today's hijinks. In 1994, Mark Waid wasn't quite as aggressively madcap in his comedy, but it's serviceable as an against-type mercenary. Very much the shadow Spider-man he's sometimes seen to be.

 

With that, we make a hasty exit. There'll be more of what you know of Deadpool next week when we transition from the merc' with a mouth to another Marvel hero. Can you guess who?

 

As always, if you'd like the full story that goes with our featured fight you can use the Amazon link provided [right] to pick yourself up a collected edition. You can also find more Deadpool battles by hitting the Issue Index or Old Comics Wednesday!

 

Winner: Draw

(+1) #25 Deadpool
(+4) #322 Juggernaut
(new) #378 Siryn

HERO OF THE WEEK: COLOSSUS (Marvel)
Real Name: Piotr Rasputin
First Appearance: Giant-Size X-Men #1 (May, 1975)
Fight Club Ranking: #325

Featured Fights:
- vs DRACULA: X-Men Annual #6 (1982)
- vs JUGGERNAUT: Uncanny X-Men #183 (Jul 1984)
- vs NIMROD: Uncanny X-Men #194 (Jun 1985)
- vs PUNISHER: What If...? #24 (Apr 1991)
- vs APOCALYPSE: Uncanny X-Men #295 (Dec 1992)
- vs MAGNETO: X-Men #25 (Oct 1993)
- vs ORD: Astonishing X-Men #5 (Nov 2004)

There's no ignoring it: Deadpool is presently assaulting theatres and inspiring some pretty excited reactions with its unique blend of character antics, and mercenary superheroics.

By all rights, this is a property that should be more than capable of sustaining itself: That's been proven extensively in comics, where the character enjoyed a steady cult following that spawned multiple series in the 90s, pushed back against early cancellation in his first on-going, and exploded into viability in the 2000's thanks largely to meagre internet memes, and word of mouth.

The future is bright, but Deadpool still needs to be introduced to a mass 18+ audience, and these days you really can't get a parking space in Hollywood unless you're working toward a self-perpetuating movie universe. Enter well-known-but-not-quite-important-enough-to-sequester X-Man: Colossus!

To a lesser extent than Deadpool, Colossus has been waiting for his moment to shine. Yes, organic steel skin makes shining a lot easier, but the X-Men films never quite went all-in on the traditional fan-favourite. Deadpool is playing its hand right down the middle, keeping to the familiar black uniform of the original film trilogy, while restoring the hero's Russian accent from the comics, with a splash of trademark red on his vest for extra measure. Improvements, by any other name. That the straight man also gets to show more of the character's heart than the X-Men films - a stunner!

FOX were early to the movie superhero craze with their 2000 break-out [X-Men], but glacial when it came to progressing beyond the initial Bryan Singer compromise. Out of obscurity, 2011's X-Men: First Class managed to be one of the best adaptations of its type, seemingly benefitting from the staff and energy supplied by British director Matthew Vaughn. It should have been the new standard, but with Vaughn's subsequent departure, Singer's return marked a return to weak visuals and grand designs that fail to tap into the core with style, or genre understanding.

Nailing the look and tone of Deadpool himself has been key to this films initial appeal. A welcoming first-bite with the eye that wipes away the mistakes of X-Men Origins: Wolverine with an assuring promise of familiarity. Sticklers will note the literal translation pretty much begins and ends with the title character himself. Movie bad guy Ajax deviates in the classic Hollywood style, baring on residual familiarity. Colossus at least feels like the important bits are being taken care of. The biggest tragedy is that there's no follow-up on the immediate slate -- jam-packed as it is.

Even as Marvel Comics gives up the ghost on the once lucrative comics brand; X-Men are coming back in a big way in 2016! With Deadpool leading an obscure charge, we have X-Men: Apocalypse coming shortly after in May, with Channing Tatum supposedly coming to the big screen in October as Gambit. Hugh Jackman should come into view soon - his alleged final turn as Wolverine comes next March. Good odds he's in a secret post-credits scene in Deadpool, and here's hoping Wolverine 3 isn't really the end. FOX are also aggressively developing X-Men spin-offs for television.

A lot on the horizon, but still no truly definitive film version of the once dominant comics property.

Deadpool officially upsets Colossus with wanton violence in theatres February 12th. There's more Merc' With a Mouth coming to Secret Wars on Infinite Earths this Friday. You might like to dive into the back issues before then by checking out more Deadpool & Colossus battles highlighted in the first Old Comics Wednesday of 2016!

<< Hero of the Week: 02/15: Ryu        [Home]       Hero of the Week 02/01: Superman >>