Warning: Spoilers for Deadpool #10!Deadpoolis one of Marvel’s most enduring figures - literally, as his regenerative abilities allow him to recover from virtually any injury, no matter how severe. But as it turns out, these healing powers can be problematic for a mercenary, and Deadpool’s failing business is proof that a lifetime of taking his healing for granted has done Deadpool more harm than good.
Wade Wilson is finally back inDeadpool#10 by Cody Ziglar and Rogê Antônio. Having been restored to life by his daughter, Ellie,Deadpoolis eager to return to business as a father-daughter team. But Deadpool’s skills are lacking, as pointed out by his teammate and fellow mercenary, Taskmaster, in a preview for the issue.
Taskmaster derides Deadpool as having fallen into the habit of"usin' [healing]as a crutch…yer gonna need to think when you fight,“calling attention to the fact thatDeadpool has grown so used to being virtually invincible that he’s become sloppy and predictable in combat.
Deadpool Is Too Used to Being a Damage Sponge to Be Useful
Deadpool#10 by Cody Ziglar, Rogê Antônio, Guru-eFX, and Joe Sabino
It’s true that, over the years,Deadpool has become famousfor sustaining a ludicrous amount of damage. Being a punching bag has become one of the character’s staple elements and is often the source from which much of Deadpool’s comedy is derived: for example, inWeapon X-Tractionby Ryan North and Javier Garrón, it swiftly becomes a running joke for Wolverine to use Deadpool as a cushion when the two keep falling from extreme heights, leaving Wade Wilson splattered on the ground. At this point, Deadpool’s trademark tactic is to charge into any situation, guns blazing, while complaining about his inevitable injuries.
Although Deadpool has since returned to life, the aftereffects of Death Grip’s attack mean that he can no longer use his infinitely regenerating body as a blunt-force solution.
But inDeadpool#4 by Ziglar and Antônio, Deadpool’s healing factor was drastically reduced by the villain Death Grip, who subsequently returnedto finish Deadpool offinDeadpool#6 by the same creative team. Although Deadpool has since returned to life, the aftereffects of Death Grip’s attack mean that he can no longer use his infinitely regenerating body as a blunt-force solution. While Deadpool can still make incredible recoveries from bullet wounds and the like, Taskmaster is quite blunt when he points out thatDeadpool’s"days of growin' back arms n' legs are over.”
Deadpool Needs to Re-Learn How to Fight - Or Die
Can Wade Wilson Survive Without a Regenerative Healing Factor?
When Deadpool doesn’t have his healing to fall back upon, it’s clear how sloppy his fights have become. Gone are the days when Deadpool could pick up his severed arm and use it to continue fighting; that’s now as critical and debilitating an injury for him as it would be for any other opponent. But that invincible mindset remains: when training with Taskmaster inDeadpool#10, Deadpool’s sole strategy is to charge blindly at his opponent, only to be shut down each time. Deadpool’s reliance on his overpowered healinghas become the character’s biggest tactical weakness.
Wade Wilson Is Alive Once More, And Deadpool’s Revival Will Mark a Big Shift in the Hero’s Lore
As expected, Wade Wilson is back from the dead, but someone else is still under the Deadpool mantle. How will the status quo change going forward?
The 2024Deadpoolrun has seen many changes to the Merc with a Mouth, but the reduction of his healing factor is a major shift in the status quo.Deadpoolhas been able to adapt to many situations, but only time will tell if turning his super-powered healing into his biggest vulnerability will be a step too far for Wade Wilson to overcome.
Deadpool#10is available January 29th, 2025 from Marvel Comics.
Deadpool
The merc with the mouth first appeared in an issue ofNew Mutantsin 1990, and since then has gone on to get his own series and a massive cult following. With his incredible powers of healing and regeneration, Deadpool was initially depicted as an X-Men villain but went on to become an anti-hero. After getting his own movie series starting in 2016, the third Deadpool movie finally brings the wisecracking, fourth-wall-breaking character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
