The Marvel icon Deadpool has so many variations because he’s simply such a popular character. Whether the Mutant has been reimagined by other artists and writers, brought together in alternative ways throughout the Multiverse, or switched identities completely, the core of the Merc with the Mouth is always the same.
Deadpool’s versions thus could alternate based on everything from narrative potential to the shifting of reality itself. They’re always bold, always violent, and ready to drop meta jokes at any point. The character continues to evolve in unique ways and there’s no telling where Marvel might take Wade Wilson next.
10 Deadpool Stories That Prove Wade Wilson's a Villain (When He's Not a Hero)
Deadpool perpetually shifts from one moral extreme to the other while always staying true to himself. Here are 10 ways he's pure chaotic neutral!
The mainstream Marvel Universe incarnation of Deadpool (the Earth-616 version) and many of the entries on this list came together in one of the most over-the-top Multiversal crossovers of all time, featured in the trilogy of miniseries known as the "Deadpool Killogy": Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe, Deadpool Killustrated, and Deadpool Kills Deadpool.
25 Classic Deadpool (The Mainstream Marvel Version)
First Appearance: New Mutants #98 (1983)
The Deadpool that has been established in the comics, and indeed the Ryan Reynolds iteration seen throughout his big screen appearances (soon to be part of the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse), have both firmly set the general tone and vibe of Deadpool that audiences now know. The character is quirky, unpredictable, incredibly intense, and boasts quite a warped moral com – though he has one, unlike several of the variants featured on this list.
Wade Wilson, the hero known as Deadpool, one of the funniest characters in Marvel Comics, and his interactions with other heroes – from his perennial ally Cable, to Wolverine, to Marvel's earliest heroes like Captain America – are always legendary. The mainstream continuity version of Deadpool sets the standard by which all other versions of the character are judged.
24 Babypool (The Baby Deadpool)
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Babypool is possibly the least threatening Deadpool of any in the multiverse, since he doesn't even have any weapons. Babypool was one of the many of the Deadpool Corps who made their debut on film, summoned by Cassandra Nova to prevent Deadpool and Wolverine from interrupting her plans for total multiveral annihilation.
While all the other Deadpool variants did their best to stop Deadpool and Wolverine, Babypool mostly hung out in the background and enjoyed the show. There really isn't much else that Babypool was capable of doing, but maybe some day they'll grow up into a true danger.
23 Headpool (The Floating Zombie Deadpool Head)
Earth-2149
Headpool may not look dangerous, considering he's just a head and nothing more. But Headpool might actually be one of the most dangerous Deadpool variants around. Headpool is infected with The Gospel of Hunger virus, meaning anyone he bites will be instantly transformed into a zombie, just like him.
This makes Headpool an incredibly dangerous bio-weapon, since all he needs is one little bite and he could start an outbreak that has destroyed entire universes in the past. Thankfully, without a body of his own, there's not much Headpool can do to infect other people. But the potential makes him absolutely terrifying.
22 Deadpool Pulp (The WWII Deadpool)
First Appearance: Deadpool Pulp #1 (2010)Earth-10310
Deadpool Pulp has a uniquely tragic backstory. He ed the military service during World War Two for the shallow reason of simply wanting to "kill the bad people." This version of Deadpool would fight his way across Singapore before eventually being captured by the Japanese army.
It's here he would be tortured for an entire year, and this brutal torture would eventually snap his mind. In of danger levels, Deadpool Pulp is on the lower end, as he's doesn't have Wade's typical regeneration powers, and he ended up being killed during the Deadpool Wars.
21 The Deadpool Kid (The Cowboy Deadpool)
Earth-1108
The Multiverse is a wild place, and that's no better setting than for a cowboy. That's where The Deadpool Kid comes in, and despite his name, he's not actually a kid. He's just a wild renegade who loves using guns and a lasso. The Deadpool Kid was nearly killed by 616-Deadpool when he was shot in the head after a disagreement.
The Deadpool Kid was able to regenerate, and went from a mild annoyance to a major threat when he ed up with Dreadpool. Ultimately, The Deadpool Kid was killed during the Deadpool War between the Deadpool Corps and Evil Deadpools.
20 "Best Bud" Deadpool (The Comic Take on 'Nicepool')
Unknown Earth
It's no secret that Wolverine and Deadpool don't exactly get along, but one god-like being sought to fix this. She manipulates events and forces Deadpool and Wolverine of Earth-616 to go on a major adventure together to save the multiverse. Unfortunately, they completely fail. This forces the God-like being to bring in some better versions of the two iconic heroes. This results in the reveal of Best Bud Deadpool, a Deadpool variant who is completely best friends with Wolverine, and considering just how powerful and dangerous these two are, seeing them team up like this makes Best Bud Deadpool surprisingly powerful.
19 Ellie Wilson (Deadpool's Daughter)
Earth-616
Deadpool has had a few children over the years, with most beingy daughters, but the most important has always been Ellie Camacho. Now that Deadpool is seemingly meeting his end in Deadpool #6, his daughter will finally be stepping into his boots and taking over as the new Deadpool in Deadpool #7. While Ellie isn't likely to be the combat expert that her father is, she has the exact same mutant powers as her father, and they're even a bit stronger. This means in the long run, Ellie could be even more dangerous than her infamous father.
18 Watari
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Watari came from an Earth that was perpetually set in Feudal Japan. He was a skilled Ronin and a master of the blade, just like his Earth-616 counterpart. His regenerative healing factor made him practically unbeatable thanks to his world's limited technology, but unfortunately, his healing factor wouldn't save him when he went up against enemies of equal strength. During the Deadpool Wars, Watari came to the aid of 616 Deadpool and Pandapool, saving their lives. But he would ultimately meet his end against Dreadpool's army of evil Deadpools.
17 Dogpool (The Man's Best Friend Version)
First Appearance: Prelude To Deadpool Corps #3 (2010)
No other Marvel character quite straddles the line between being badass action hero and functioning as goofball comedic relief the way Deadpool does. Some of the entries on this list emphasize the brutal killer side of him, while others are more representative of his unrepentant silliness. Dogpool is without a doubt the latter.
That isn't to say that Dogpool couldn't hold his own in a fight – just that a wild-eyed, slobbering canine version of Marvel's most unhinged hero hilariously embodied the unpredictable spirit that has elevated Deadpool into one of the most recognizable superheroes in mainstream culture. Like many iterations of Wade Wilson featured on this list, Dogpool has been underutilized as a character – which is to say, the memorable four-legged Merc With a Bark is overdue for a glorious comeback.
16 Ultimate Deadpool (The Scariest Version Ever)
First Appearance: Ultimate Spider-Man #91 (2006)
The Ultimate Marvel Universe featured an alternative version of the most notable characters in the Marvel Universe. Deadpool was known as Wadey Wilson in this timeline. The Ultimate Universe lived up to its concept with its take on Deadpool, giving him a vastly different look, as well as a significantly divergent origin, personality, and ideology from what fans were familiar with.
With a see-through plastic mask showcasing the damage he endured from the Wakandan Wars,this Deadpool was actually an anti-mutant hunter, a human supremacist with no problem dispatching his targets. When an Evil Deadpool Corps was formed, bringing together the most heinous versions of Deadpool from throughout the Marvel Multiverse, it was no surprise that Ultimate Deadpool was one of their first recruits, considering he proved to be one of the most incredibly intense and vile takes on the character.
