Love him or hate him, there’s no question that Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld has left an indelible mark on comic book history. Co-created with writer Fabian Nicieza, Deadpool has grown into one of Marvel’s most popular characters, but there are relatively few comics starring the Merc with the Mouth drawn by Liefeld himself.
Rob Liefeld was one of Marvel’s biggest artists before he left with six others to form Image Comics in 1992. As such, Liefeld drew Deadpool only a handful of times before breaking off on his own. Recent years have seen the artist produce more comics starring Wade Wilson, but now that Liefeld has announced he’ll be leaving Marvel once more following the wrap-up of the current Deadpool Team-Up miniseries, it seems like the perfect time to look back on the artist’s best work for his signature character.
10 New Mutants #98
By Fabian Nicieza & Rob Liefeld
This is where it all started, as Deadpool debuted here as an assassin in the employ of the mysterious Tolliver to take out the New Mutants and their militant new leader, Cable. It’s interesting to look back at the character’s first appearance to see how much has changed in the thirty years since. Although Deadpool would become more zany and unhinged in future appearances, the basics are here: the smart-ass attitude, his agile weapons-based combat and that incredible red and black costume.
The issue itself is one of the highlights of Liefeld’s tenure on New Mutants, a run that proved so popular the artist was catapulted into superstardom in the early 1990’s. Liefeld’s work here is raw, but dynamic and energetic, with the characters almost leaping off the page at the reader, and New Mutants #98 remains some of his very best work.
9 X-Force #2
By Fabian Nicieza & Rob Liefeld
This is the only other comic with Deadpool in it that Liefeld drew before he left Marvel, as the masked assassin crosses swords with Garrison Kane/Weapon X in the fight scene that opens the issue. It’s a brief appearance, but it once more sees Deadpool acting on the orders of Tolliver before he’s thwarted by Kane, which sets up a feud that would carry over into Deadpool’s first miniseries, The Circle Chase.
Liefeld apparently had big plans for Wade Wilson, but the artist ultimately left Marvel with six others to found Image Comics in 1992, leaving other writers and artists to further develop Deadpool’s character. It’s fascinating to look back on these early appearances and see how Deadpool was initially portrayed as a henchman working for other super-villains, but Liefeld’s design was just too cool to ignore, so DP would keep coming back until he reached the A-List.
8 Deadpool #900 – “Pinky Swear”
By Joe Kelly & Rob Liefeld
This story appearing in the Deadpool #900 anniversary issue is rather special given the creative team. Writer Joe Kelly had truly defined Deadpool into the character fans know and love today during his run on Wade’s first ongoing series, so pairing him up with Deadpool’s original co-creator was a clever way to celebrate the anniversary issue.
The story sees Deadpool holding a classmate from his days in Catholic school accountable to a “pinky swear” the two made when they were boys, all in the middle of attempting to thwart a terrorist attack. It’s a minor story in the grand scheme of things, but it does highlight a unique piece of Wade Wilson’s psyche, as he is desperate to uphold the terms of a pinky swear made when he was a child. All in all, it’s a nice team-up between two of Deadpool’s most important comic creators.
7 Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #7
By Victor Gischler & Rob Liefeld
Liefeld draws the second chapter of this oversized issue, which is quite the collector’s item now considering it contains the first appearance of Lady Deadpool. The Merc with a Mouth series saw Wade Wilson sent through the multiverse to encounter other DP variants, and the universe Lady Deadpool hails from is a dystopian version of America. Wade gets to see it all firsthand, as he first witnesses and then helps Lady Deadpool in her fight against General America, a fascist version of Steve Rogers.
Interestingly enough, Liefeld designed Lady Deadpool after actress Blake Lively, as he and his wife were big fans of Gossip Girl at the time. Everything came full-circle when Lively portrayed the character in her big-screen debut in Deadpool & Wolverine, a meta-twist that Wade Wilson himself would have to appreciate.
6 Deadpool Corps #1-5
By Victor Gischler & Rob Liefeld
Liefeld returned to provide the art for this ongoing spin-off series, which saw DP variants such as Lady Deadpool, Kidpool, Headpool, Dogpool joining together on a mission to save the universe from a cosmic entity called the Awareness. The zaniness is non-stop in this series, and it’s easy to see how it would go on to influence the various Deadpool variants appearing in Deadpool & Wolverine.
Seeing Rob Liefeld produce the art for the first five issues of this series was a big deal back in 2010, as it was the artist’s longest run on any Deadpool series at that time. It’s hard to imagine any Liefeld fan being disappointed in the work, as the artist gets to draw all of the Deadpool variants in one crazed set-piece after another.
5 Major X #1-6
By Rob Liefeld. Brent Peeples & Whilce Portacio
Rob Liefeld creates another hero for the Marvel Universe with this six-issue miniseries, as Major X joins the likes of Deadpool, Cable and Domino as another Liefeld classic. ‘Pool himself plays a significant role in Major X’s debut miniseries, helping the time-traveler Major X prevent the dystopian future he hails from and save mutantkind.
The series feels like something of a victory lap for Liefeld, with no end of fun and outrageous set-ups for the artist’s signature characters to fight through. Running through it all is Deadpool himself, helping Major X fight off a villainous version of himself known as Dreadpool. It’s ridiculous nonsense in the great Liefeld tradition, as the guest stars keep piling on and the action never lets up.
4 Deadpool: Bad Blood
By Rob Liefeld, Chris Sims & Chad Bowers
Deadpool’s first original graphic novel brings the Merc with a Mouth into conflict with a mysterious figure from his past: a former Department H experiment going by the name of Thumper. Thumper attacks Deadpool to settle some old scores, which leads the assassin to hire on some old “friends” to help stop the seemingly unstoppable new foe.
It’s another wild ride through Liefeld’s corner of the Marvel Universe, as Cable, Domino, Shatterstar and others get in on the action before all is said and done. Liefeld is at his best when given action-packed stories that don’t slow down, and Bad Blood is one of the artist’s best Deadpool offerings.
3 Deadpool: Badder Blood #1-5
By Rob Liefeld & Chad Bowers
The sequel to Deadpool: Bad Blood continues what worked in the original, as Deadpool is taken on a wild ride through the Marvel Universe in search of previous fan/friend/enemy Thumper. Wolverine and Cable get in on the action, in a story that sees everyone from the Shi’ar Imperial Guard to the Ka-Zar’s feline companion Zabu getting involved.
The name of the game here is guest stars (like Spider-Man) and new takes on old favorites (like Venompool, who is every bit as awesome as he sounds), but there are some pretty cool ideas throughout. Deadpool and co. find themselves transported to a realm known as “Killville,” where they are forced to combat each other at the behest of Arcade’s sister, Arcata. What’s not to love?
2 Deadpool: Seven Slaughters – “Lady Anime”
By Rob Liefeld & Chad Bowers
Rob Liefeld and Chad Bowers’ contribution to the Seven Slaughters one-shot introduces new character Lady Anime, a mutant with the power to create constructs out of hard light. The new villain is looking for revenge against Shatterstar, revealing that her father died trying to protect X-Force’s resident interdimensional swordsman.
The story shows that Liefeld is still creating new characters for the House of Ideas all these years later, and with a fun name and unique power-set, Lady Anime certainly leaves quite an impression. Working with his Bad Blood/Badder Blood co-writer Chad Bowers, “Lady Anime” is another solid entry in Liefeld’s Deadpool canon.
1 Deadpool Team-Up #1-Current
By Rob Liefeld
Liefeld both writes and draws his swansong to Wade Wilson and the entire Marvel Universe, and so far the series has been nothing but good, old-fashioned comic book fun. Deadpool Team-Up is true to its name, pairing up Wade with a wide variety of characters from all over the Marvel Universe. Major characters like Hulk and Wolverine appear, but Liefeld is casting his net far and wide for some of the guest stars here, including the near-forgotten Crystar from the 1980’s.
If Deadpool Team-Up is truly Liefeld’s last work for Marvel Comics, the writer/artist has certainly pulled out all the stops to mark the occasion. Hopefully more surprises are in store for fans as the series reach the end of its five-issue run, marking the last time Liefeld will draw Deadpool in an official capacity. Even though he started out only drawing a handful of appearances for the character, it’s nice to see Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld contribute a hefty body of work to his signature character these last few years.
Deadpool
The merc with the mouth first appeared in an issue of New Mutants in 1990, and since then has gone on to get his own series and a massive cult following. With his incredible powers of healing and regeneration, Deadpool was initially depicted as an X-Men villain but went on to become an anti-hero. After getting his own movie series starting in 2016, the third Deadpool movie finally brings the wisecracking, fourth-wall-breaking character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
