In February 1991, in New Mutants No. 98, Marvel comic book creator Rob Liefeld unleashed Deadpool onto the comic book industry. In February 2016, Deadpool will celebrate his 25th anniversary when his first solo movie is released.
As with anything creative, if the fans and consumers do not like a someone then that character may not live on. This was not, and hasn't been, the case with Deadpool because fans wanted more of the character since his very first appearance.
At his Wizard World Cleveland Comic Con panel, on Saturday, Liefeld spoke about how the fans instantly connected with Deadpool and immediately wanted more of him after his first appearance.
"Marvel called me at the end of the week after [New Mutants' release] and asked what issue I was working on. I had already sent the next issue FedEx but Marvel wished I had put Deadpool into it. They told me they received more mail for Deadpool than any of character and kids couldn't get enough of him. Marvel asked if I could put him into more issues but I didn't have any room for him in [New Mutants] 100, so they said they would do a Fact File on him in the back of the book. And then have a trading card for him in X-Force No. 1."
It's the fans that propelled Deadpool into the popularity he has today. Matter of fact, during his panel, Liefeld also said how Hot Topic is now a Deadpool store. (He's not wrong... have you been to one recently? It's all Deadpool right as you walk in.)
Liefeld continued by saying the rise of Deadpool is all about his passionate fan base.
"It's you the fans who got Deadpool way more appearances because you wrote letters."
The crazy part about all of this is that it was the same (albeit much larger) fan base that helped Deadpool get greenlit by Fox.
People keep thanking me for getting Deadpool made. I didn't get it made. YOU did. The internet put Fox in a hammerlock death-grip. #sayuncle
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) February 20, 2015
When Deadpool hits theaters on February 12, 2016 it's all because of his fans.
Related Posts: DEADPOOL Lands its Leading Lady but Will Recast COLOSSUS
One Year From Today DEADPOOL Releases in Theaters; and Here's How it Took 6 Years to Get Green Lit
To read more about Deadpool, click right here.