The film Deadpool & Wolverine opened last weekend to summer blockbuster box office results. At least in the (R) rated film category, thus far. No worries, this is not a movie review. We’ll leave that frugal fun to Adam Long, the Focus’s regally respected reviewer in residence.
Have I seen the film? No. Will I see the film? Eventually. Honestly- I don’t care. Those delusional days of thinking it made a rat’s arse of differential significance to see a movie on its opening weekend are in the rear view. But in the case of a film such as this- there was a time…
Now-a-days the character Deadpool has become synonymous with actor Ryan Reynolds. Who breaks the 4th wall on the regular to stay true to Marvel’s merc with a mouth in the role he was seemingly born to play. However, the character’s origins go a bit further back and have a bizarrely obscure tie to the current film’s other titular title character.
The character Deadpool, created by Rob Liefeld, first appeared in the Marvel Comic- New Mutants #98 in February 1991. Initially portrayed as a supervillain to the comic titles’ protagonist, he rapidly evolved into a non-too-serious anti-hero that took the Marvel universe by storm one gag at a time.
Digressing on the characters comic history, let’s focus on the name- Deadpool. A “dead pool” is a betting game of prediction which involves guessing when someone will die (yes, it’s a real thing). Which comes into play in the first Deadpool movie (2016) via a “dead pool” being played in the mercenary bar Deadpool frequents and is eventually taken as his name in the film.
A “dead pool” also plays a major factor and also acts as the title in a much earlier film. That being the final installment of Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry quintology titled- The Dead Pool (1988). Whether you’re an Eastwood fan or not, the film does make for an interesting watch. Primarily because it features Liam Neeson in his first action role as the prime antagonist and Jim Carrey in his first dramatic role as a rock star/ heroin addict/ victim.
Now writer/artist Liefeld openly admits that he got the concept for the character’s name, as well as his assassinating occupation, from the Eastwood film. Incidentally some of Rob’s other character creations are named Die Hard, Vogue, Riptide and Bedrock- 80’s flashback anyone?
It is this association to the 5th Dirty Harry film that structures an early bond and connection between Deadpool and the Wolverine.
Wolverine first appeared in the final “teaser” panel of –The Incredible Hulk #180 (cover-dated October 1974) before having a larger role in #181 (cover-dated November 1974). A year later he came into the MCU proper as a member of the X-men in 1975’s- Giant-Size X-Men #1.
From this point forward he would rise to become (as stated in the D&W film) “the X-man.” Along the way, his early character development would be greatly inspired by the main character of the “Man with No Name” trilogy (1964-1966) that being Clint Eastwood. This Eastwood connection becomes further evident in Wolverine’s- “Old Man Logan” storyline which was inspired by and heavily references Clint’s last western outing- Unforgiven (1992).
Ergo Deadpool and Wolverine could never have contemplated saving the MCU without Clint Eastwood.
Personally, I’ve always been an Eastwood western fan. Which may explain why, when exposed to Wolverine comics, they were taken to like a duck takes to water. It was in a high-school social studies class where my friend Eric Miller, sensing my Civil War Era boredom, slipped me a copy of Uncanny X-men #251. Things would never be the same.
That comic was reread hundreds of times. Like a drug I needed more. Comics, posters, t-shirts, action-figures, statues, wood and metal claws. Reading, watching, acting, worshiping. How close we came to- “Have Claws Will Travel” I will never admit.
I wanted to become this realities WOLVERINE. Till one day I realized I couldn’t because I wasn’t and never would be. My best efforts were just… pretend. Stuck being just me. Incapable of the escape of being anybody else other than myself.
No, I couldn’t be but could be inspired. Use the better aspects of those I aspired to, to better myself. Becoming the best me I can be. I’ll get there eventually.
I welcome almost all questions, comments via Focus, or E-mail me at [email protected]. Hope to hear from ya, until then try and stay focused! See ya.
