The merc with a mouth, aka Deadpool, or Wade Wilson, is one of Marvel’s most unique and entertaining characters. While it isn’t uncommon for Marvel comics to have crossovers, Deadpool’s unique personality and general instability has ensured that he’s clashed with most of the Marvel universe.
The announcement that Hugh Jackman will be reprising his role as Wolverine in the third installment of the Deadpool film series had many fans jumping with joy. The pair have some of the most interesting dialogue in the entire Marvel Comics universe, with Deadpool usually revealed to have some sort of crush on his friend.
Wolverine is just one of many characters that have crossed over with the sarcastic assassin in the comic books, and while listing every single character Deadpool has met or crossed over with would be a large feat, here are ten notable pairings with Wade Wilson over the years.
Cable
Deadpool and Cable are such an iconic duo that the pair got their own run of comics together in 2004. Their clashing personalities made them fun to read and their opposing worldviews made every situation they found themselves in more exciting. Cable and Deadpool have also clashed on screen in the recently released live-action adaptation sequel, Deadpool 2. Though they start out as antagonists, they eventually team up, and fans get to see the beloved duo fighting side by side.
Captain America
Many people may not know that Wade Wilson has teamed up with Steve Rogers, but Deadpool actually considers Captain America to be a good friend. Their first meeting chronologically would be when Deadpool was accidentally teleported to World War II and teamed up with Cap to defeat Arnim Zola. Since then, Wade and Steve have fought side by side in Deadpool’s 2008 comic run, and, most memorably, in Deadpool: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
Squirrel Girl
Doreen Green is as talkative and quirky as Wade Wilson so it’s no surprise that the writers at Marvel Comics decided to create an encounter between the two lovable characters. What was a surprise was the fact that the first time they met, Squirrel Girl defeated Deadpool in battle, a victory that she definitely deserved. The pair teamed up again in Deadpool GLI — Summer Fun Spectacular and their chemistry as two of the funniest characters in Marvel makes them one of the most adored duos.
Spider-Man
When it comes to fan-favorite Deadpool crossovers, it’s difficult to think of one more popular than Spiderman and Deadpool. Peter Parker is one of the few characters in the Marvel universe that can keep up with Wade’s wit and silliness while fighting crime. In their 50-issue comic run, Spiderman/Deadpool, we witness the two bicker and banter as their relationship progresses from antagonists to a deep and entertaining friendship.
Bullseye
Bullseye and Deadpool have a long and complicated history that isn’t always explicitly explained in the comics. When they meet, we see that they have already been friends for a while and share a deep respect for each other. Bullseye is primarily an antagonist for Daredevil, but his complex characterization has made him a fan-favorite Marvel character. When he meets up with Deadpool, their chemistry is always off the charts. They share a somewhat unconventional relationship though, as most of their time is spent with one trying to kill the other, as the two enjoy relishing in their shared dark sense of humor.
The Hulk
Not many characters can say they survived an encounter with the Hulk, and this would be true for Deadpool if not for his accelerated healing factor. Bruce Banner and Wade Wilson have made appearances in each other’s comic series a few times with most encounters ending in fights. Wade has had every bone in his body broken by the Hulk and his head smashed in. While Deadpool has never actually defeated the Hulk, he has used their encounters to his advantage, like when he needed the Hulk’s blood to create a serum to save his life.
Taskmaster
Taskmaster may want to kill Deadpool, but isn’t that a recurring theme with most of Wade Wilson’s friends? When they first met, Taskmaster expected to use his ability to mimic his opponent’s moves in battles to defeat Deadpool, but Wade proved himself to be too erratic and unpredictable for even Taskmaster. He swore then that he would one day kill Deadpool, but that hasn’t stopped him from teaming up with Wade a few times over the comics.
The Punisher
Frank Castle and Wade Wilson are merciless antiheroes and two of the deadliest men on the planet, but that’s about where their similarities end. The two cross paths a few times in many comics but they come head to head in 2017’s Deadpool vs The Punisher comic series. Deadpool is known for his sardonic sense of humor and ability to annoy nearly everyone he meets, while The Punisher is a grim and stoic agent of justice. Their dynamic is a mash-up of the best of both comic series while exploring the extent of both of their personalities.
Thanos
Mainstream audiences know Thanos as the equality-seeking Titan who wanted to wipe out half of the universe for his righteous cause. In the comics however, his motivations are slightly different. He still wants to wipe out half the universe, but he wants to do it to win the favor of Mistress Death. When Thanos finds out that Death favors Wade Wilson and not him, he curses Deadpool with immortality to separate them. We get the best of interactions between these two characters in the Deadpool vs Thanos comic series where the two team up to free Death after she is captured and imprisoned.
The X-Men
Deadpool’s most popular team-ups are with the mutants that make up the formidable X-Men. He famously shares a special relationship with Wolverine as they were both created from the same Weapon X program. Deadpool is a mutant as his powers were not innate and were instead chemically created, and though he tried to join the X-Men, he was rejected. He eventually joined the X-Force team alongside characters like Cable, Archangel, and Domino. Fans generally refer to the assassin as a mutant, especially since he is usually affiliated with the X-Men and has fought both with and against them.