Did You Know Deadpool Was Meant to Be a Joke on a Grim DC Character?

When you look closely, the resemblance is hard to ignore: Deadpool (Wade Wilson) and Deathstroke (Slade Wilson) — two master assassins, similarly clad in tactical armour, wielding katanas, and possessing regenerating abilities that make them nearly unkillable. Coincidence? Hardly. As Reddit user Illier1 points out,

"Deadpool was originally a far more serious assassin akin to Deathstroke. He was originally designed to be a parody of Deathstroke and as time went on the joke became more and more obvious."

Created in 1991 by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza, Deadpool’s debut in New Mutants #98 was a clear wink to DC’s infamous mercenary.

"They have similar costumes (all Deadpool is really missing is the two-tone mask), are grim assassins and use katanas."As FX114 notes.

Some, like MrFalconGarcia, even speculate their backstories mirror each other — "Don't they have similar backstories too?" redditor muses. It’s a fair question. Both were once elite soldiers turned into antiheroes with tragic pasts and murky morals. And Deadpool’s endless wisecracks? Just the cherry on top of a parody that took on a life of its own.

But before you cry foul on originality, consider this: comic books have always riffed on each other. As KnowOneDotNinja reminds us, "Green Arrow/Hawkeye, Doctor Strange/Doctor Fate" — the cross-pollination between DC and Marvel is a feature, not a bug. Isn't it fascinating how parody can evolve into a phenomenon? Deadpool, born as a tongue-in-cheek imitation, has since eclipsed his source of inspiration in popularity — not bad for a living meme with a katana. And let’s be honest… who doesn’t love a good in-joke?

So next time Deadpool cracks a joke mid-fight or winks at the audience, remember — he began as a playful nod to a far more serious DC assassin. Funny how a parody can steal the spotlight, isn’t it? Sometimes the joke becomes the legend.