Deadpool and Wolverine are about to have an epic team-up in the MCU with the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, and while this may be all-new territory in the films (since fans can all agree that X-Men Origins: Wolverine doesn’t count), these two have been fighting side-by-side in Marvel Comics for decades. However, that hasn’t stopped the live-action versions of these characters from invading the ‘lives’ of their comic book counterparts, as Deadpool & Wolverine takes over in a new variant cover series.

In a release from Marvel, the publisher announced a new series of variant covers featuring the MCU versions of Deadpool and Wolverine with an initiative called ‘Movie Variant Covers’. Each image is pulled directly from the upcoming film’s promotional material, whether that be stills from the trailers, promo-posters, or character headshots (including one of ‘Dogpool’).

The comics that are being given the Deadpool & Wolverine ‘Movie Variant Covers’ treatment are ones that live up to the hype of the upcoming film. Deadpool #3-5, Deadpool & Wolverine: WWIII #3, Wolverine: Revenge #1, and Deadpool Team-Up #1 will all feature a unique variant cover, allowing fans to get a glimpse of what they’re about to see in theaters immediately before reading the latest exploits of the original Marvel Comics versions of Deadpool and Wolverine.

Deadpool & Wolverine Variant Covers Brings Wade’s Meta Existence to a Whole New Level

While the fact that Marvel is slapping stills pulled from Deadpool & Wolverine’s promo material on comic covers may seem like a standard cross-promotional move, this variant cover initiative could also be looked at in an entirely different way. It’s well-established in Marvel canon that Deadpool is able to break the fourth wall, and that he’s aware that he is a fictional character, even across multiple mediums. With these variant covers, Deadpool is effectively merging the two most popular versions of himself for the first time, bridging the gap between his live-action and comic book selves.

It’s as if the live-action Deadpool is reminding fans that he’s not just an adaptation of Marvel Comics’ Deadpool, he’s simply another form of a purely meta character. Any time fans see him, they’re just seeing a new way that Deadpool has grabbed their attention. Every comic, movie, piece of merch, or even cosplay that features Deadpool is Deadpool because he’s aware that he’s a work of fiction, and can thus exist through any medium simultaneously. The live-action and comic book versions of him are simply the most popular, and so by joining them, Marvel has given Deadpool his most meta crossover ever.

Marvel Just Made Deadpool & Wolverine’s Current Adventures Essential Reading

Fans excited to see Wolverine and Deadpool kick ass on the big screen will also be excited to get their hands on these variant covers, as they are a fun (and understatedly meta) way to tie the film in with the comics. And in order to get the full experience these variant covers offer, fans need to read the storylines of these comics themselves. Wolverine and Deadpool got their start in the comics, so being the most up to date on their Marvel Comics status before seeing them in theaters will make the overall movie-going experience that much better.

Despite the meta nature of the whole thing, and the fact that movie fans should absolutely read the latest adventures of Deadpool and Wolverine in the comics, these covers are a great way to mark this moment in history as the first time the most comic-accurate versions of Deadpool and Wolverine fight side-by-side on the big screen – and to have that reminder be in the form of a comic book itself. Plus, they’re simply a lot of fun, as Deadpool & Wolverine’s movie team-up takes over Marvel Comics in a variant cover series every fan should get their hands on.

Source: Marvel