Still on the Shelf #20 - Giant Sized Deadpool/Agent X

5- Cat Magnet (Deadpool 49-53) : Jimmy Palmiotti and Buddy Scalera wrote this arc which finally brings Copycat back into the picture. The main thrusts of the stories revolve around the Mercy Sisters and Deadpool's "side-kick," but the sub-plot is what makes these issues worth the while, in my mind. Vanessa is eagerly trying to insinuate herself back into Wade's life, and her frustration with his pre-occupation with business matters is priceless. A lot of writers seemed to forget the appeal of Deadpool back in the old X-Force days, and part of that appeal was his relationship with Vanessa.

The issues themselves are great, even aside from the Copycat sub-plot, and they lead into a two-issue guest appearance by the Punisher, which is also a great read. Copycat turns up again in issue 56, along with Siryn, but unfortunately the whole issue itself I found to be cheap and anti-climactic, and something I would just assume forget.

4- Who is Agent X? (Deadpool 66-69, Agent X 1-7, 13+) : Marketing gimmicks and rumors of legal loopholes aside, the premise of Agent X turned into a decent one. Ignoring issues 8-12 all-together (with no offense to the creators who worked on those titles, but they just did not fit into the flow of what this title was supposed to be about), and providing Gail Simone can close this one out with the skill that she began it, this certainly could prove to be one of the best "Deadpool" story I have ever read.

Thinking back to the last few issues of the Deadpool ongoing, the set-up for this was incredible. Starting with the first indication that Deadpool was losing his memory and motor functions back in issue 66, through the introduction of the Black Swan, and through the end of Deadpool, the emergence of Agent X was clearly well orchestrated and all of the corperate/political hyjinx aside, nicely pulled off.

Now we have a character who is not unlike Deadpool, with total amnesia (Deadpool's mind was affected by the virus), but who displays hints of extreme sophistication and a level of gentlemanly behavior way out of "Wade Wilson's" league.

So which is it? Is Agent X Deadpool? The Black Swan? Both? Neither? All are possible, and I can't wait to find out which it is. And that is, in the end, what makes a great story. When it is all said and done, I would not be at all surprised to see this story climb a couple of spots on this list.

3- Typhoid Mary (Deadpool 6-8, Daredevil/Deadpool Annual '97) : In the ups and downs of Deadpool's quest to be a hero, Siryn definitely served as his inspiration to do good. It is only natural that another woman would drag him right back down into the depths. Typhoid Mary fit that bill.

After taking two different jobs, one involving busting a woman out of a mental institution, the other killing that same inmate, Deadpool finds that the jobs were posted by the same woman- the inmate herself, Typhoid Mary. Typhoid Mary has three basic personalities at this point; Mary Walker, the meek woman who is basically waiting to be saved by a knight in shining armor; Bloody Mary, the femi-nazi who would just assume see Deadpool dead for the crime of being a man, and Typhoid, ultimately the dominant personality that falls somewhere between the two. Deadpool falls for the bad-girl a bit, and keeping in line with his own quest to be a hero, he decides that she can be redeemed as well, with his help.

A kick out of a window makes Typhoid remember that she needs to kill Daredevil, and enlists Deadpool's help to get her there. He goes along with it, but soon Typhoid decides that she is going to kill anyone who has ever used her in New York. Deadpool goes along with it as a means of "therapy," knowing Daredevil could likely handle himself in the end, and thinking that facing him down would help her mind heal.

Typhoid eventually grows tired of Deadpool's efforts to rehabilitate her, and breaks loose. She goes on a killing spree, daring the "hero" to stop her at every turn. Deadpool eventually stops her rampage by beating her to a bloody pulp.

This storyline is especially telling because it highlight's Deadpool's conflicted nature about becoming a hero. He is almost adolescent in his need to become good to "impress a girl." But when a new one comes along that he is clearly attracted to because of her inherent "badness," he can't face that, and attempts to rehabilitate her too. His utter revulsion at being called a "Hero" by Typhoid at the end of issue #8 shows just how far he has to go in his turnaround.

2- All Along the Watchtower, Parts 1 and 2 (Wolverine #154-155) : The subplot of this Wolverine story involving Deadpool and Siryn is one that quite frankly belonged in Deadpool's own title. The fact that Rob Liefeld conceptualized and drew this title likely had something to do with the fact that Deadpool was featured in this story. Say what you like about Liefeld (I know there are a lot of Liefeld-haters out there), but his work on this story, issue 155 in particular, was outstanding. The art was fantastic, and his story, coupled with Eric Stephenson's writing, was truly amazing, and it deserves a spot in the Deadpool's top stories.

Deadpool's part in this tale revolves around Siryn, and her injury that left her mute, and therefore unable to use her powers. The Watchtower was a group of people who decided that they could make use of Wolverine's healing factor to "heal the world," but to do that, they needed him dead. Deadpool threw in with them, seeing a chance to heal Siryn, and went out to take down Wolverine to those ends.

In the final standoff, Siryn stands behind Deadpool against Wolverine and his allies, and the two sides part ways. Siryn now healed, Deadpool wanted nothing more to do with the Watchtower, or Wolverine. Though Deadpool tried to kill him, Wolverine realizes that no good could come of a throw-down with Deadpool and Siryn at this point, and he allows the two to go on their way.

As I said, this truly was a story that belonged on Deadpool's own series, considering the importance of Siryn to his character. That aside, it was a great little story, and I am glad that it got printed in something.

1- Dead Reckoning (Deadpool #23-25) : The ongoing concept of the Mithras Directive that culminated in the "Dead Reckoning" arc was by far the best story that Deadpool was a part of. It had it all-a great build-up, splashes of destiny, secrets, betrayal, twists, and moral ambiguity. The foundations of this arc were laid down all the way back in Deadpool #1 (vol. 3) and Deadpool as a character was ultimately defined by this story. Really there is nothing that I can say that does this story justice other than read it!