DEADPOOL

When he first appeared on the scene in 1991, Deadpool was a minor character, hailed as the mutant answer to Spider-Man. Or, rather, the mutant rip-off of Spider-Man, right down to the red costume with coloured rings around the eyes, the extraordinary agility and a propensity for delivering one-liners in the middle of a fight.

But the Rob Liefeld/Fabian Nicieza creation quickly became a fan favourite and established a demented identity of his own. The constant regeneration of his brain cells has turned the former Weapon X subject certifiably insane – so much so that he realises he’s in a comic book, and frequently refers to the fact. Although he began life as a villain, the Merc With A Mouth was given his own title in 1997 (although cancelled in 2002, Marvel’s having another crack later this year) and is now officially a hero. Well, an anti-hero. And one of the most entertaining ones around.