
“Deadpool” stands alone in its superhero subgenre of comics. Unlike most superheroes, Deadpool is not accepted by other superheroes or not a model citizen to be looked up to. He is dirty, raunchy, politically incorrect, and self-centered. The visual motif the artist of the “Deadpool” comics is able to show, is an adult comedic and action packed sides to Deadpool through the use of funny scenes with serious or action type scenes.


The shot shown is a long shot, as well as an establishing shot. It is a long shot because it shows a woman in white, crates of weapons, the large industrial fan in the back, and multiple light fixtures, all from a far. It also establishes some context of what the story is about, like the location of where the scene is; shown in the upper left corner. The scene also utilizes the POV (point of view) shot. The reader is in the eyes of the person the woman in white is looking at, essentially making us a character in the picture. We are looking into the warehouse, right at the woman in the white dress. We can see that is she is unknown with the dark shading of her face and limbs and that she is in a dark warehouse with crates of weapons. The mystery woman is using the intra diegetic gaze, which means she is looking right at us. The artist uses dark shading and shadows to portray the fact that the scene is at night. Helping to reinforce the night time setting, the artist makes the lights inside the warehouse look bright. He also draws the lights giving off a hue that they give off when it is exceptionally dark. This frame also sets the comic up with some comedic context with the use of the crates. We have one crate that has been opened that is full of guns. Then right above it there is a crate with the words “Definitely Not Guns.” Right above that is a crate that says “plush toys”. This could make the reader think, of course, there are guns in the crate that says it is not guns. Also the reader could find it funny that a warehouse would house children’s toys and guns right next to one another. There is a mysterious effect going on with the character, whom is the focal point of the page, her face is shaded in as to not give away her identity. On the other hand, there are clues to her identity with the choice of clothing the artist uses and the signature blonde hair. This hints that it might be the iconic Marilyn Monroe. The colors used are warm and dark, except for the character’s dress. The artist uses browns and different shades of grey to portray dullness and darkness. These warm colors also allow the character’s white dress to stand out to our eyes. This puts emphasis on the character, while also emphasizing the fact that it is night time in a dark warehouse. The artist gives the reader enough information to establish the story while, also being mysterious and leaving the reader wanting more. This picture is a good example of the artist is fitting in the adult comedic side of Deadpool to the visual motif of the comic.


Leading up to this shot, Deadpool has been fighting dead presidents that are trying to destroy the United States. This is what gamers would call the boss battle, which is when the main character faces the ultimate and most superior of all his opponents. The shot is another long shot; giving the reader a view of the fighting arena that Deadpool and Abe Lincoln are in. We can see both fighters, as well as the crowd. The reader is also viewing the panel from a POV type shot, as if we were one of the spectators in the crowd. This puts us right in the action. By doing this type of shot, the artist stresses the importance of this moment and how we should visualize the actions taking place and signaling the climax of the story. The main characters are placed in the middle of the shot, showing the focal point of the panel; as if to say, all eyes on the fighters. There are yellows, oranges, and reds in the crowd to show an aggressive scene. Those colors are used because they are known to be associated with danger, excitement, and caution. The main character’s costume is red and black; showing aggression and mystery. Also, having the bright red of Deadpool’s costume surrounded by darker colors make him stand out with the contrast in colors. Abe Lincoln is a dull light blue to accentuate the fact that he is dead. Having a green hue around Abe helps portray the fact that he is under a spell that was used to bring him back to life. The background is dark with bright circles depicting lights. The artist used all of the elements written about to reinforce the climax of the story. This picture shows the serious, action part of the visual motif. 

I feel the two scenes I chose were the most important for the comic. The first sets up the entire story and gives insight into the entire text. The second is the climax of the story. A battle of good versus evil and the beginning of the enemy’s demise. Both scenes epitomize the title of the comic. The images are serious and bold, but when the reader reads the text, they receive the odd mix of elements that make “Deadpool” what it is. The text is full of jokes, puns, and politically incorrect statements. For example, a ghost of Ben Franklin says “Pray tell. What is that? Some sort of ethnic breadless sandwich? Describe it in detail, please. I miss food as much as I miss sex” (Posehn 8). “Deadpool” is known for its adult humor and being the, not so super, superhero. An example of this is when Deadpool says “I’m kinda famous too, but I’m not a feminine hygiene product about it” (Posehn 9). The comic mixes its images and comedic text. When you look at the first image, the reader may think that is it just Marilyn Monroe with crates of guns around her. The reader then learns the women ends up being Deadpool disguised as Marilyn Monroe to trick John F. Kennedy. “Surprise! Say hello to my little Wade! … GAH! That wasn’t there last time! C’mon Marilyn! Put on some AH… panties!” (Posehn 6). This is something President Kennedy would have never said, but the writers use the text to make the comic funny. This quote also gives us some play on a historical scandal, which brings more comedy. The second image I chose seems intense. As the climax of the comic, a reader would not expect there to be anything funny about the situation, but writers have Deadpool trying to make one last joke just before he and Abe Lincoln are about to fight. Deadpool is all about women, fighting, and being the center of attention with the things he says. I think the motif is straight forward and does not lead the reader to make assumptions about who Deadpool is, what he stands for, and that he is a superhero. The text changes the whole dynamic of the comic, adding the unusual comedy with the superhero façade to the visual motif.

Deadpool is probably not the first hero that comes to mind when you think of superheroes, but he is the funniest while still being able to kick some serious evil ass. Whether he is dressing up like Marilyn Monroe to trick a dead J.F.K. or tells jokes while fighting Abe Lincoln, he does it all. The artists and writers mesh the dirty, comedic side of Deadpool with the typical heroic side in perfect harmony. The writers write funny one liners and politically incorrect statements, while the artists draw scenes that are just enough out of the norm for a hero comic to intrigue readers. In the end, Deadpool still defeats evil and saves the day as a hero while actually having a sense of humor. The artist is able to achieve this with an unusual mix of comedy, seriousness, and action in the comic’s visual motif.
