Before you go and watch the Deadpool film in Feburary, here's a quick guide to Deadpool, the merc with the mouth.

If you have never picked up a comic book or flicked though a graphic novel you may need a blagger’s guide when watching Deadpool next Feburary. As one of the most self-referential heroes of the Marvel Universe it’s almost a given that the Deadpool film will be geared towards fans and filled with subtle hints at the characters background. So, what do you need to about Deadpool? Everything.

Origins

As with any comic book hero, Wade Wilson’s backstory has been changed several times but he is best known as a volunteer for the Weapon X project that created Wolverine. Wade was given a healing factor in an attempt to fight to cancer. Unfortunately, the process drove Wade mad, to the point where he realised that he was in a comic book, allowing him to break the fourth wall. A skilled assassin and accomplished marksman, Deadpool is an extremely talented fighter, able to execute moves in an unpredictable manner that leave his opponents disoriented and normally dismembered.

Friends and Allies

Wilson has close ties to several Marvel characters, especially Wolverine and Cable, having briefly joined one of the lesser know X-Men teams, X-Force. Wade has few close friends as his psychological condition makes it almost impossible but he does have Blind Al, an elderly woman is kept prisoner in his early years, Weasel, Deadpool’s best friend who went to the same high school as Peter Parker, and Bob, a member of Hydra who became Deadpool’s lackey for several story arcs. It’s worth mentioning that Wade has aspirations to join both the Avengers and the X-Men but both teams have branded him as too unpredictable and a killer, however in the new line of Marvel comics releasing this October it appears Deadpool is about to hit the big-time and join the Avengers.

Top 3 Deadpool Graphic Novels

If your looking for a little more from the ‘Merc with a Mouth’ check out these fantastic titles:

Deadpool: Head Trip

A huge Deadpool saga, Deadpool: Head Trip follows Wade on a whistle-stop tour of the Marvel Multi-Verse as he fights dinosaurs, zombies and cowboys. This was one of the first series to really kick-start the Deadpool fan base.

Deadpool: We Don’t Need Another Hero

When Deadpool first hit comics in The New Mutants #98 he was a pretty bland assassin and had very little going for him. It was only as he began to get his own series that he evolved into the fourth wall breaking meta-assassin we know and love. Deadpool: We Don’t Need Another Hero journeys back to one of the anti-heroes first insane adventures.

Deadpool: Dead Presidents

Recently, Deadpool dealt with a zombie invasion lead by every dead president of the United States turned evil. It was an insane romp packed with the Wade’s personality and well worth your time. As one of the most recent fan-favourite arcs, there is no doubt in my mind that the creators of the Deadpool film will have some reference to the events of this series and possibly this arc.

Other Appearances

If your looking for Deadpool in other mediums you may be a little disappointed with what you find. As a popular character, he has appeared in a few cartoon series but he is normally altered to be less irreverent and more child friendly. The best depiction probably comes from the Hulk Vs. Wolverine which I can highly recommend as it was created for a slightly more mature audience. That about covers everything, except that other appearance Deadpool made, his first movie appearance, in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but we don’t talk about that, it was a dark time for Wade Wilson as well as fans everywhere. Let’s hope Fox can change things this Feburary and bring us Deadpool as he is meant to be, twisted, murderous and hilarious.