Sorry, Wolverine – Deadpool’s Best Bromance Is With Spider-Man

Deadpool may seem like the last person with many friends, but he’s not without his usual partners in grime. Cable is perhaps his most notable friend, with Domino and the other members of X-Force also fighting alongside him. Wolverine is usually an unwitting ally, which is soon to be showcased on the big screen in Deadpool & Wolverine. Regarding the comics, however, Deadpool’s best friend tends to always be friendly in the neighborhood.

Spider-Man and Deadpool have one of the most interesting relationships in comics, not just due to their superficial similarities. Sharing both a fashion sense and a sense of humor, the two characters are otherwise wildly different. This was explored in the series Spider-Man/Deadpool, which highlighted just as bad their bromance was. It also gave them a lot of development in an era where fans were desperate for growth in the beloved characters.

Spider-Man/Deadpool Was a Match Made In Marvel Heaven

Launching in 2016 and running for 50 issues, Spider-Man/Deadpool was a book that almost felt obvious in its existence. Spider-Man was always able to sell a book, with the Webslinger being Marvel Comics’ main hero in many ways. Likewise, Deadpool was at the height of his popularity, with the first live-action Deadpool solo movie coming out that same year. He had also already become a meme king due to the outrageous sense of humor in his comic books, and appearances in works such as the Marvel vs. Capcom series and his own solo video game furthered the love for the Merc with a Mouth.

There’s also the fact that both have similar senses of humor, making the team-up series even more perfect. With Spider-Man, he’s been known to crack wise ever since Amazing Fantasy #15, with these quips and jokes setting him apart from other heroes long before they became the norm in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Spider-Man persona was originally Peter Parker’s outlet to let loose, with the former social outcast having the time of his life as he joked and lampooned villains while fighting them.

Likewise, Deadpool always makes jokes in the heart of battle, namely those that break the fourth wall and reference pop culture, movies and obscure trivia. It’s the last thing that most would expect from a bloodthirsty mercenary, and his mile-a-minute antics earn him the nickname of “the Merc with a Mouth.” These elements make the characters quite similar, but their crossover series also highlighted their intrinsic differences to move Deadpool, in particular, forward.

Spider-Man/Deadpool Contrasted Marvel’s Biggest Characters

For all their similarities, Spider-Man and Deadpool are not the same character, which was something that Spider-Man/Deadpool focused on heavily. Spider-Man is, above all else, the epitome of a hero who has put his life on the line for people for years. Likewise, he also believes in the sanctity of life, no matter what. This inner morality even drove his clone, Ben Reilly, to become a hero. On the other hand, Deadpool is an antihero mercenary who sometimes kills without a second guess. Beyond their jokes and similar costumes, the two couldn’t be any more different.

Spider-Man/Deadpool used this contrast to make the character’s bond more unique and not simply a mere team-up. Spider-Man disliked Deadpool at the beginning of the series for his violent ways and actively tried to avoid him. On the other hand, Deadpool looked up to Spidey and enjoyed being around him. In a way, Spider-Man is also annoyed by Deadpool’s running of the mouth, with Wade Wilson constantly acting around everyone how Spidey acts to villains. It’s also worth noting that Deadpool was once hired to keep him distracted while Kraven the Hunter and his family tortured allies such as Madame Web. Thus, their relationship is entirely one-sided, with Deadpool’s seeming love for the Wall-Crawler not being mutual.

Despite this, Spider-Man looks past their differences and works alongside the Merc throughout the series. Deadpool also tries to become a better, more heroic person. Peter sees the inner good inside of Wade and constantly pushes him to do better. At one point in the series, he even introduces his daughter to Spidey, showing how much he trusts and has come to respect him as a friend. This trait has allowed him to ally with former villains like Black Cat and Venom. Likewise, Peter realizes that there’s more to Wade Wilson than just jokes and homicidal tendencies, fueling his respect towards him. The series cemented the heroism within Deadpool while also noting that Spider-Man was the gold standard for doing the right thing.

Why Spider-Man Works as Deadpool’s Best Foil

These moral debates and the fact that Spidey and Deadpool can eventually enjoy each other’s company despite them are exactly why they’re good friends. Spider-Man/Deadpool had the two hanging out and even taking a load off around each other. They were more than just superhuman taking on danger together – they were legitimately friends by the series’ end, even with their immense differences.

That’s more than can be said for Deadpool’s other major relationships, including the futuristic mutant supposed to be his closest ally. Cable is a friend of Deadpool, but they’re not exactly the type to let loose and hang out with each other. It’s rare for Cable to do this with anyone because of how tumultuous his life has been. Cable/Nathan Summers didn’t have a normal life with his own father, Cyclops/Scott Summers, and he was thrust into a war and the future itself as an infant.

Add in his commando ways, and he’s essentially a warrior in the same vein as Deadpool, albeit far more serious. The same is true with Wolverine, who doesn’t like dealing with Deadpool. Whereas Wade and Peter can somewhat bond over their similar sense of humor, Wolverine has no time for such jokes and is aggravated by Deadpool fairly quickly. If anything, Wolverine and Deadpool’s team-ups are usually begrudging.

Like Cable, he also shares a disregard for more “self-righteous” forms of heroism. Thus, he doesn’t quite exactly inspire Wade to a higher purpose as Spider-Man does. If anything, the two are always at each other’s throats, exactly what audiences want to see in Deadpool & Wolverine. While this might be a blast to watch, just as many fans can’t wait to see the Merc With a Mouth get bromantic with Spider-Man.