So, you want to read some Deadpool comics? The Merc with a Mouth made his first appearance in 1990 and was an instant success! As such, he’s established himself as one of the most famous Marvel Characters, a reputation he cemented with his Hollywood career, in which he is played by Ryan Reynolds.
This wise-cracking, insufferable, lethal mercenary can’t shut up and has gone on to enjoy a rich and complicated career in the pages of Marvel Comics. He started out as a villain and parody of Deathstroke before earning his own story, personality, and becoming the anti-hero we know today, making jokes and breaking the fourth wall.
While Deadpool’s comic history is not as long as, say, Spider-Man or Wolverine, he has headlined, co-starred in, and guest-starred in many, many, many comics since his debut! From his solo adventures to classic team-ups, there are all sort of ways to discover Deadpool’s charming personality.
So, where should you start? Here’s a curated beginner’s guide with several suggestions to help you find the perfect place to start reading about the Merc with a Mouth and Spider-Man’s best friend, the infamous Deadpool!
Previously on where to start with (Marvel Edition):
1. Where it All Started
Deadpool was created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld, and made his debut on New Mutants #98 (December 1990) as a supervillain, a killer with super agility. His similarities with Deathstroke, the villain from the Teen Titans at DC Comics, inspired Nicieza to give Deadpool the real name of Wade Wilson — an inside joke, making his name similar to Slade Wilson, Deathstroke’s real name.
Liefield was also inspired by Spider-Man and G.I. Joe while creating Deadpool, a character that instantly became popular but really came into his own a few years later, under Joe Kelly’s writing. To discover Deadpool’s first steps and influential story, you can:
- Start at the beginning! The Sassin’ Assassin has started as a thorn in Cable and X-Force’s sides, before facing other heroes, and you can discover his first exploits as a supervillain in Deadpool Epic Collection: The Circle Chase or in the Omnibus format with Deadpool: Beginnings Omnibus
- Jump into his industry-changing ongoing series! In 1997, Deadpool headlined his first ongoing series, with writer Joe Kelly and artist Ed McGuinness for the first 33 issues. Their run will transform the character from a classic mercenary to the wise-cracking anti-hero we know today. Taking a stab at the antihero comics of the time with a mix of action and comedy, serious moments and funny pop culture jokes, it will steadily establishes the character in a moral grey area and expand his universe with a solid supporting cast, including prisoner, friend, housekeeper and mother figure Al Blind, arm dealer and friend Weasel, and villains T-Ray and Ajax. This cult classic has been reprinted several times, including in 3 Epic Collections (Mission Improbable, Drowning Man, and Dead Reckoning) as well as in Deadpool by Joe Kelly Omnibus (if you can find it). After Joe Kelly’s departure from the title, the comic continued under several writers before coming to an end with issue #69.
2. The Modern Deadpool
While unique and memorable, Joe Kelly’s work is still a product of the nineties and may not be the most attractive starting point for some readers! Since then, however, Deadpool has been a very active Marvel character with several solo titles and limited series. The following are great, more recent entry points:
- Deadpool: Suicide Kings (2009) – by Mike Benson, Carlo Barberi, and Sandu Florea. A short, self-contained story is a great way to get to know a character, and Suicide King is a good starting point for new readers, delivering a classic Deadpool story with guest appearances from other Marvel characters who either help or condemn our anti-hero. Following his last job, the Merc with a Mouth finds himself framed for a murder he didn’t commit, and the person responsible may be the man who hired him in the first place. Now, Wade needs to clear his name and get his revenge, but to do so, he must avoid capture or death. Along the way, he comes up against Daredevil, the Punisher and Spider-Man.
- Deadpool by Brian Posehn & Gerry Duggan (2012-2015) – Joe Kelly laid the foundations for the character, which Posehn and Gerry Duggan then built upon to create one of Marvel’s most celebrated stories about the famous mercenary. From zombie presidents to Deadpool’s marriage to the succubus Queen Shiklah, the series delivers a blend of humour, action, and heart. Although it initially falls into the classic pitfall of portraying Deadpool as a one-dimensional cartoon character, Posehn and Duggan’s work evolved to explore Deadpool’s internal struggles and his complex past and introduce new elements to his story. Gerry Duggan would continue to write (without Posehn) Deadpool until July 2018, and would make the Merc With a Mouth a member of his Uncanny Avengers team in 2015.
3. The Team-Up Route: Deadpool and Cable… Or Spider-Man… Or Wolverine
You can count on Deadpool to give you the most improbable, violent, unhinged bromance in the Marvel Universe! From his classic team-up with Cable to his crazy friendship with Spider-Man and several attempted murders on Wolverine, here’s a selection of team-ups that show you the good, the bad, and the weird of Deadpool!
- Cable & Deadpool by Fabian Nicieza (2004-2008) – While Deadpool teamed up with Wolvie on the big screen, his most iconic team-up on the pages of Marvel Comics is with no other than his old pal Cable! Coming from Fabian Nicieza is Cable & Deadpool, a comic series that confronts Cable’s serious, mission-driven attitude to Deadpool’s chaotic humor, making this team-up a fan favorite.
- Spider-Man / Deadpool (2016-2019) – by Joe Kelly, Ed McGuinness, Robbie Thompson, and more. Twenty years later, Kelly and McGuinness made their comeback in Deadpool, and this time, ‘Spider-Man came with the dinner’. It’s the epic bromance you didn’t know you needed! At least when Deadpool doesn’t have to kill Peter Parker! It’s crazy, messy and all over the place, but it’s a fun, light-hearted and emotional ride!
- Wolverine vs. Deadpool – Not a particular title but a collection of comics highlighting the dynamics between Deadpool and Wolverine throughout the ages. From friends to enemies and back again, these stories show how the characters evolve and the different takes of the various creative teams. Deadpool and Logan also worked together in Rick Remender’s Uncanny X-Force. While this title is often recommended and Deadpool’s portrayal in it is widely praised, it contains many references to the past, so it may not be the most accessible for new readers.
4. The Current Era Route: Wade Wilson: Deadpool!
Sometimes, the best way to discover a character is to jump straight into the action and follow their current adventures. The timing couldn’t be better for Deadpool! As 2026 starts with the launch of a new X-Men era (Shadows of Tomorrow), Deadpool is also headlining a new ongoing series as part of this initiative, written by Benjamin Percy and pencilled by Geoff Shaw:
- Wade Wilson: Deadpool #1-present (2026-) – Deadpool is a man on the brink, and that means the jobs are deadlier, the stakes are higher, and the humor is darker than ever before. But WADE WILSON isn’t laughing. A dark memory haunts Deadpool, as a mysterious client leads him down a troubling path. This way lies redemption? No, something far worse.
Want to read more Deadpool comics?
Check out our Complete Deadpool Reading Order!