Warning: spoilers for Wolverine #20 ahead!
The Merc With a Mouth Deadpool has been trying to get recognized as a mutant citizen of Krakoa since its founding, and a new preview for Wolverine #20 shows just how far the X-Men are going to try and keep Wade Wilson off the island. Deadpool has been attempting to get recognized as an honorary X-Man for decades, and it is clear he has not given up on this quest, no matter how many times Wolverine makes it clear he’s not welcome.
In terms of actual comic franchises, Deadpool has long been associated with the mutant population and the X-Men in particularly, having first debuted in New Mutants #98 (1990), and later teaming up regularly with both Cable and Wolverine. While Wade does not have an X-Gene, which is usually what denotes a mutant in the Marvel Universe, he was given his powers by the Weapon X program using Wolverine’s blood, meaning he does have mutant abilities. Technically this makes him a “human mutate,” meaning that he’s ineligible to become a Krakoan citizen, even before his tendency to cause chaos is taken into account.
Wolverine #20 – written by Benjamin Percy with art by Adam Kubert and color by Frank Martin – follows Wolverine’s return to “regular” missions following the intense X-Deaths/X-Lives of Wolverine event that recently concluded. In a preview for the upcoming issue, Wade complains about how unfair it is that the mutants all have access to Krakoa, a paradise island Deadpool describes as a “sick-ass tropical resort.” Wade claims he’s “mostly-basically-kinda-sorta-essentially a mutant,” while trying to infiltrate the island. Other previews for upcoming series have shown that Deadpool will be joining X-Force in some capacity, making it clear that even by blowing Wade to pieces, Logan can’t actually stop Wade getting what he wants. Enjoy the preview pages and issue synopsis below:
THE BRUTAL RETURN OF THE BEST THERE IS…WITH AN UNLIKELY PARTNER! DEADPOOL was the king of Staten Island—now he wants to be an honorary citizen of Krakoa. WOLVERINE just wants him to shut up. But when Deadpool uncovers a dangerous plot that could mean doom for the mutants’ safe haven, it’s going to take a titanic team-up of the Best There Is and the Merc with a Mouth to quell the threat. But that doesn’t mean Logan has to like it. Featuring Wolverine and Deadpool at their most savage, as well as the return of a fan-favorite X-character to the Krakoan era! (And no, we don’t mean Wade.)
This is not the first time Deadpool has attempted to force himself onto the island; he almost crashed the inaugural Hellfire Gala until X-Force stopped him. It is hilarious that Wolverine and Black Tom are using the highly advanced Krakoan technology developed by Black Tom and Forge to brutally blow up Wade, especially since they know he can’t kill him, so there is absolutely no need for them to hold back on using their heavy artillery. It is not unprecedented for Krakoa to allow honorary citizens to stay on the island, like Northstar’s human husband Kyle or the technorganic Warlock who is not a human mutant, so it makes sense that Wade still feels like he has a chance, even if the X-Men hate him so much they literally shoot rockets at him!
Marvel has already revealed that Wolverine and Deadpool will be teaming up to fight the Robot X-Men in an upcoming issue, as well as battle Kraven the Hunter during the Judgment Day event. It seems that team-up begins here, with Logan forced to work alongside the one hero he finds more annoying than any other. Fans can pick up Wolverine #20 to see how Deadpool gets past Krakoa’s defenses and eventually joins X-Force!
