Image via Fox / WB
The latest Suicide Squad trailer has just dropped, with Will Smith as the deadly comic book assassin Deadshot. Also, out next month is Deadpool, starring Ryan Reynolds as a deadly comic book assassin. Wait, aren’t they the same guy?
People on the internet are confused
So for those of you who aren’t OG Marvel and DC nerds, we’ve put together this useful guide to telling apart 2016’s sickest-looking superhero movies.
Deadshot
Marvel or DC: DC
Soon to be seen in: Suicide Squad
Played by: Will Smith
First Appearance: Batman #59 (June/July 1950)
Real Name: Floyd Lawton
Superpowers: None, but he’s the best marksman in DC Comics
Deadshot started out as a Batman bad guy, as the DC Universe’s top assassin who claims to “never miss”. When he first appeared in Gotham City, his original intent was to replace the Dark Knight himself.
When he debuted in the 1950s, he looked like this:
But he really came into his own in the 1980s, by which time he’d gotten his iconic red, yellow and white suit. He was part of the classic series Suicide Squad, which brought together B-list DC villains and put them on a team working black-ops missions for the US government. He quickly became a fan favourite, and thus has been more of an anti-hero than a straight-up villain ever since.
The Suicide Squad movie is sticking to the basic same set up as the comic, with Will Smith taking the key role as Deadshot.
Deadpool
Marvel or DC: Marvel
Soon to be seen in: Deadpool
Played by: Ryan Reynolds
First Appearance: The New Mutants #98 (February 1991)
Real name: Wade Wilson
Superpowers: Mutant healing factor, extended longevity, weapons master
Deadpool debuted in the early 1990s, at a time when mainstream comics were full of ‘roided up madmen instead of coherent storytelling. He first appeared as a horribly-disfigured mercenary in X-Men spin-off X-Force, and quickly became mad popular as an antihero in his own series. His whole deal is that he’s completely insane, constantly chatting shit during fights. He even breaks the fourth wall, seemingly aware that he’s actually in a comic book. His origin is usually tied into the same Weapon X programme that created Wolverine, but since his adventures tend to be more comedic and even parodies of serious superhero stories, the fine details are rarely pinned down. It’s more about LOLs than continuity.
Ryan Reynolds played a version of Deadpool in the first Wolverine film, but since no-one really liked that film, the solo Deadpool movie is going to be a straight-up R-rated comedy, much closer in tone to the comics.
Fun fact: His real name, Wade Wilson, is a play on the similar DC Comics character Deathstroke.
Wait, who’s Deathstroke?!?
Marvel or DC: DC
Currently being seen in: Arrow
Played by: Manu Bennett
First Appearance: New Teen Titans #2 (December 1980)
Real name: Slade Wilson
Superpowers: Superhuman speed, strength and reflexes, healing factor, weapons master
So when writer Fabian Nicieza and artist Rob Liefeld created Deadpool, he was intended as a parody/homage to a similar DC character called Deathstroke The Terminator. Deathstroke’s alter ego is Slade Wilson, so they named him Wade Wilson as an in-joke. Only ‘Pool went on to be loads more successful than Deathstroke, which has just made everything really confusing.
Deathstroke was yet another weapon-master killer-for-hire, who started out as a Teen Titans bad guy, before, yes, you guessed it, becoming popular enough as a semi-good guy to get his own comic. He’s not got a film coming out, but he has been a recurring character in The CW’s Arrow.
Hopefully that clears things up a bit. There's also Marvel's Deathlok, who is... oh, screw it, life's too short.
