This weekend, Deadpool heads to theaters to right the atrocities committed against the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. You can see what our movie critic Drew McWeeny thought of the film over here. But before you make Valentine”s Day plans to watch the Merc with the Mouth re-pop the superhero genre”s Rated R cherry, get to know the characters a little bit better.
HitFix Harpy caught up with Gerry Duggan – the current writer for the DEADPOOL comics – to ask how much he knows about the film, if Deadpool is a feminist, and just who Negasonic Teenage Warhead is. By happy serendipity, I was also given a look at some pages from the upcoming DEADPOOL #8.
HITFIX HARPY: How long have you been writing Deadpool?
GERRY DUGGAN: Longer than it feels like. I still feel fresh, but I began with co-writing with Brian Posehn in 2012. I remember worrying that we were going to hurt his popularity. I was right.
When did you first find out about the film? Have you gotten to see it yet?
DUGGAN: The same way everyone did – via a tweet from Ryan Reynolds. I was invited to a screening, but I can't see it until after the WGA Awards this Saturday, but I'm very encouraged by the marketing campaign. Reynold is owning it.
What is your elevator pitch for DEADPOOL for those not familiar with him?
DUGGAN: He has Wolverine's healing ability, the Punisher's arsenal, and he was bitten by a radioactive sad clown.
What is his power set? Why can he break the 4th wall?
DUGGAN: I think fools can possess secret knowledge. They can comment on their betters, like King Lear's unnamed Fool. Google it, kids. As for the “Why?” of it all, we showed a flashback when Deadpool slipped on the reality-bending Infinity Gauntlet. He used the power to Roast The Marvel Universe, and he seemed to first see us watching him when those dimensional walls tumbled down.
How is Colossus related to Deadpool, story-wise?
DUGGAN: Not sure how the film will tee that up to be honest.
Explain Negasonic Teenage Warhead…
DUGGAN: She's a precognitive telepath that's managed to be killed and resurrected a couple of times in the comics. She seems to have some other abilities on screen. She's named for a song. I think it's one of Billy Joel's.
Would you consider Deadpool feminist? There”s a lot of varied female characters in these trailers.
DUGGAN: I'd like to think the Deadpool I write for the comics is. History will decide, and I shall not get to vote. Someone tweeted at me that Shiklah and Agent Preston passed the Bechdel test in the 'Wedding Of Deadpool,' so I'd like to think it's true. Is this mansplaining?
Anything you can tease about Deadpool”s upcoming arcs in the comic books?
DUGGAN: YES! Deadpool VS Sabertooth will be on stands while the film is in theaters. It's a grudge match that has very personal context for both characters. Deadpool is out for revenge, and he's willing to risk almost anything. I'm very happy with this arc. I'm reunited with Matteo Lolli, one of the artists on Hawkeye VS Deadpool, which you can read now in its entirety on Tumblr. Go get 'em, Tiger.
If people love the film, what”s a good starting place in the DEADPOOL comics?
DUGGAN: There are so many great Deadpool collections. I'd like to think the collected Posehn/Duggan run was a decent place to pick up new readers. We're only 7 issues into the new volume, and that's an interesting place to find Deadpool. Lots of different pieces of his life are about to crash down. Marvel also just put out very inexpensive reprints of some of our single issues. Deadpool 7 is our big 25th Anniversary issue, and it's also a fun point to jump on the bandwagon.
Tacos or chimichangas?
DUGGAN: Depends how many cervezas before ordering. I should pick the tacos, but I usually go with the chimichangas. Fun fact: I've yet to write Deadpool yelling that word in a balloon.
Image Credit: Marvel Entertainment
Deadpool arrives in theaters on February 12, 2016. DEADPOOL #8 hits comic book store shelves on March 02, 2016.