RIP Deadpool: Marvel confirms that it is officially killing off Wade Wilson

Deadpool is one of the most popular comic book characters in the world today. The Merc With A Mouth, Wade Wilson has been entertaining readers with his fourth-wall-breaking tactics and outlandish behavior since his Marvel Comics debut in 1990. He's always been a fan-favorite, but he reached a much more mainstream audience when he starred in his very own solo movie in 2016, with Ryan Reynolds effortlessly bringing him to life.

The Deadpool franchise is one of the hottest in Hollywood, and with Marvel Studios officially overseeing the saga's third entry, Deadpool and Wolverine (which is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe), it will undoubtedly reach even more unearthly heights of popularity.

Yes, it's a good time to be Wade Wilson... or is it? Over on the comic book front, things might not be going his way as Marvel Comics have made a stunning announcement about his future.

Marvel Comics confirms Deadpool will die in new series

Marvel Comics has confirmed that Wade Wilson will die in the pages of Deadpool's summer adventures. As reported by ComicBook.com, Marvel has released a teaser art graphic for the upcoming Deadpool No. 6 which features his new adversary Death Grip quite literally punching a hole through Deadpool's heart.

That cover also features an "Editor's Note" confirming the unbelievable reality that Deadpool is not long for the world of Marvel Comics. It reads:

"This is the first issue of a new era and killing Deadpool NOW would be an INSANE thing to do. Which is exactly why we're doing it."

The new Deadpool series comes from writer Cody Ziglar and artist Rogê Antônio and it has featured the arrival of new villain Death Grip. A relentless individual obsessed with death itself, he's crossed paths with the man who can't die, making for quite the compelling feud. And that brings us to the most important of all questions: How can Deadpool die if he literally can't die?

Wade Wilson is renowned for his body's remarkable ability to regenerate no matter what damage has been done to it. Whether he's shot, stabbed, or completely obliterated, Deadpool always finds a way to bounce back. That's one of the reasons that he's developed such a rivalry with Wolverine over the years, because Logan also has a healing factor, which means that the two can quite literally do anything to each other in battle and they will always survive.

As for how he could end up losing the battle with Death Grip, the answer might lie in the new Deadpool volume itself. Death Grip has been able to remove Wade's healing factor from the equation, leaving him vulnerable; and that's not something you want to be when you're battling someone obsessed with death.

An interesting time for Deadpool

Comic books have a tendency for killing off beloved characters and then reviving them at a later point in time, so Deadpool's apparent Marvel Comics death isn't too eyebrow-raising (well, except for the whole Deadpool being invincible thing). The most eyebrow-raising aspect of this announcement, however, is the timing.

This summer will also see the release of Deadpool and Wolverine in movie theaters. It's a monumental movie that will officially introduce Ryan Reynolds' live-action version of Wade Wilson into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, while also bringing Hugh Jackman's Wolverine back to the silver screen (also within the multiverse of the MCU). Isn't killing the character off in the comics at the same time as his big cinematic return a bit, well, odd?

The answer to that question is "yes". It's a very odd thing to do, but that's the beauty of Deadpool. The character thrives because he doesn't do anything the normal way, and while he certainly won't thrive from being killed off in the source material, there is likely a longer plan in place here that will bring him back at some point. And even so, the shock surrounding this monumental issue will no doubt increase the buzz for its eventual release (and perhaps even Deadpool and Wolverine, too).

The important thing to remember here is that we shouldn't let our fears of the comic book storyline spill over into the MCU movie. While comics can often influence movies and TV show adaptations in the long-run, it's highly unlikely that that is the case here. Not only has it been a long time since Deadpool and Wolverine completed production, Marvel Studios would not waste the character so soon by killing him off in one movie.

Fans of the Deadpool franchise were extremely nervous about the character's fate when Disney bought 20th Century Fox and his movie rights were regained by Marvel, but the studio insisted on keeping everything as it was with the character, deciding to carry on his story with a third movie. There is no reason to think that he won't become an important aspect of the MCU going forward.