Over a decade after Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe shocked fans with its gleeful nihilism, writer Cullen Bunn is back with Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe One Last Time — and this time, the Merc with a Mouth is taking his slaughter spree across the Multiverse.
Published by Marvel Comics, the first issue of this grim return is scripted by Bunn, with art by Dalibor Talagić, colors by Lee Loughridge, and letters by Joe Sabino. It wastes no time getting bloody, kicking off in the aftermath of the last carnage-filled chapter and immediately hurling Wade Wilson back into the chaos, now with the added bonus (or curse) of Multiversal travel. The result is a familiar concept reinvigorated by unpredictability, with brutal cameos and darkly creative kills from Earth to Earth.
Unlike his usual quippy, fourth-wall-breaking persona, this Deadpool is different — colder, more focused, and deeply unsettling. He’s not cracking jokes or dancing with chimichangas. He’s here to kill. Bunn’s approach dials down the comedy and amps up the menace, making this iteration of Wade a relentless force of death. He’s not fighting for a cause. There’s no redemption arc. Just murder.
That alone gives the issue a chilling edge. When Deadpool shows up in a universe, the end is all but guaranteed — no hero or villain, no matter how obscure or beloved, is safe. From Superior Spider-Man to Franken-Castle, each kill is both a nostalgic callback and a horrifying “what if?” Talagić captures it all with gruesome precision, especially the expressive sadness behind Deadpool’s mask — eyes that reveal just how far gone this version of the character is.
The environments shift with every Multiversal jump, giving each kill its own unique vibe. The opening battle with Superior Spider-Man is a grim homage to the first Deadpool Kills series — a visual reminder of how far this idea has evolved, and how far Deadpool is willing to go. Some deaths are shown in visceral detail; others happen just out of sight, a testament to how desensitized the character — and perhaps the audience — has become.
The exposition comes from a new character whose purpose is to set the mission in motion. He’s forgettable, but that’s not the point. He’s a plot device — the flint to reignite Deadpool’s bloodlust. More interesting is a surprising return of a classic Deadpool element that hasn’t been seen since before the movies, and its reintroduction adds a chaotic flair that longtime fans will appreciate. Without spoiling too much, let’s just say the pages get a lot noisier in the second half, both visually and narratively.
Visually, Talagić and colorist Lee Loughridge excel. The action is viciously drawn, with splashes of vibrant red slicing through the book’s otherwise dark and desaturated palette. Blood, costumes, and emotional moments all use this red to jarring effect, pulling your attention and emphasizing the stakes. Loughridge’s colors make sure that when blood is spilled, it matters. The shadows do a lot of heavy lifting, creating a moody, oppressive world where the light rarely reaches.
The lettering by Joe Sabino deserves credit too, especially when a certain noisy narrative device returns in all its chaotic glory. It’s a visual blast from the past that clutters the pages in a way that feels purposeful, matching the increasingly unhinged tone of the book.
Ultimately, Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe One Last Time #1 delivers exactly what it promises — more death, more Deadpool, and a multiverse’s worth of possibilities for mayhem. While the novelty of Deadpool slaughtering superheroes might feel familiar, the creative kills, Multiverse twist, and tonal shift toward horror help keep the formula from feeling stale.
This isn’t the wisecracking antihero fans fell in love with. This is Deadpool as an apex predator, and he’s never been more dangerous — or more compelling. It may be “one last time,” but Bunn and Talagić prove there’s still plenty of blood left to spill.