Welcome to another creepy edition of X-Men on Monday at X-Fans, AIPT!
With blockbusters like Deadpool & Wolverine in their hands, can you blame Marvel Comics for releasing the Deadpool/Wolverine series? Now House of Ideas could have put a creative team on this title. However, Marvel has reunited with the fame of writer Benjamin Percy and artist Joshua Cassara’s Kracon Ella X Force.
Only two issues, Ben and Josh are not disappointed. And Ben was kind enough to return to X-Men on Monday to discuss Deadpool and Wolverine’s dynamic, Stryfe’s ominous plans and more!
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AIPT: Welcome to Ben, X-Men Monday!
Benjamin Percy: Thank you for taking me back.
AIPT: Deadpool/Wolverine has been an action-packed, bloody explosion so far. But I’m interested, you obviously write a lot of Wolverine stories, and some of them featured Deadpool. So, when Marvel was looking for a creative team to tackle the Deadpool and the Wolverine series, as a writer, what did you want to sink your creative nails into this challenge?
Ben: The simple answer is, if Wolverine is my favorite character in the comics and Marvel approaches me about something, I’m going to say, “Hell, yeah, bub.”
But to continue: I was once again excited to team up with Josh Cassara, my incredibly talented friend and collaborator of X-Force, X-Lives and X Deaths of Wolverine. Not only does he adore me in the art of his great powers, but he also has a lot of fun working with me.
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Then it’s so explosive to write about this strange couple duo – the straight man, the gooball. And with the blockbuster film still in everyone’s minds, Wade and Logan are spending a moment, which is a smart time to publish comic books.
aipt: Absolutely. X-Fan WeaponXfromtemu asked how to balance Deadpool’s humor with Wolverine’s more serious tone without overshadowing one of them.
Ben: Horror and humor make good bed fellows. This is not a horror story, and is not accurate, but is full of mayhem, monsters, and nightmare-like future predictions. Deadpool offers balance and revitality.
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AIPT: You’ve talked a lot about writing Logan over the years, but X-Fan Phil wanted to know how to approach how to find Deadpool’s voice. You’ve been one of Phil’s favorite Deadpool writers since the past few years.
Ben: Thank you, Phil. You are now my favourite Phil of the past few years.
I write a lot of dark things, I have a grumpy persona, but I can also become a goofball. It is important to me to have that pressure valve in my life and in my writing. Deadpool gives you the opportunity to play in another register.
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Many comedians are deeply damaged, and humor is a survival instinct. That’s how I think about Wade. He is so emotionally and physically hurt, he arms himself with a laugh.
AIPT: For two-part questions, I would like to revisit Josh Cassara. First, how has your creative partnership with Josh evolved since X-Force #1? Secondly, is he your Wolverine Deadpool? Or was it when we found out you were walking all the way?
Ben: Josh and I get each other perfectly. We have the same sense of humor, the same work ethic, devotion to our family, the love of a cup of meat, the same ’80s action film in our creative DNA. The situation for Mindmeld is ongoing. And as we communicate constantly, our voices and visions unite.
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To answer part 2 of your question… I think both are flesh, furry, fart-scented stews of both characters.
AIPT: A wonderful image. Now I absolutely loved the 6-page Deadpool Funeral Sequence of Deadpool/Wolverine #1. Completely plotted, Josh slammed all the right comedy notes. How do scenes like that come together between you?
Ben: I’m glad I dug that moment. I actually apologized to Josh for the first issue. Because I asked him to pack a lot on it. I tried to open things more with Deadpool/Wolverine #2 so that he gets wild with some splashes and spreads.
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With that particular sequence, I was thinking of ways to orchestrate a cold open, like the scenario of Deadpool Meat James Bond, which is both engaging and thrilling. I spend as much time as possible on the North Shore of Lake Superior. The road leading to the cliffs and coastline is very dramatic. It was just as I was imagining chasing cars and choppers that were too fast along highway 61, when the first species of ideas came to me. Josh of course – he brought it all back to life beautifully.
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aipt: I love it. Secondly, the X-Fan Duck with a hat is always interested in something. Wolverine and Deadpool appear in so many books at the same time, so are you sitting down with the creatives of those books and not accidentally stepping into the character’s plan by mistake what you’re doing or the editors stepping in to ensure that the editors don’t accidentally make sure they do something by accident?
Ben: Our fearless leader – editor Mark Basso – emphasized this from the start. Our story is not out of continuity, but there is no continuity either. It should have an evergreen atmosphere. Our first day goal: Build a non-stop action story that felt like an 80s/’90s action thriller. Everything that is a timeline sprint happens at once, so you don’t have to worry about what’s going on with the 616 bystanders.
AIPT: How did you settle into Strife as the main villain of the first arc? And while talking about the evil clone of Cable, X-Fan Di Lincoln (run, who loves art, tells the rules of the story!) thought at one point that he would see the appearance from Cable himself.
Ben: Thank you, D! I’m always trying to honor my legacy, while still putting a new spin on things. In this case, I wanted to revisit the 90s storyline “X-Cutioner’s Song” and build on its foundations. Stryfe and the Legacy Virus are central parts of its crossover.
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About your question about cable: No spoilers!
AIPT: The next issue of Deadpool/Wolverine promises that Wolverine will feature Deadpool’s “Absolute $@#%”. What can you tease about this knockdown, dragout brawl?
Ben: Josh worked as a bartender for many years, but no one draws a better bar. He developed one of the most iconic places in Krakoa, the Green Lagoon. Logan almost needs to take part in the bar fight, so I wanted to bring it to 11. We have an old Western saloon where Wolverine and Deadpool knock down, drag-out brawls, and absolutely destroy each other’s bodies and the bar itself. But there’s more to this than mere violence because of violence. Wolverine is literally trying to hack it figuratively, as it is under the influence of Strife’s telepathy.
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AIPT: While we looked ahead, X-Fan Tasertag was wondering if he could support other villains besides Stryfe as well as the characters of their respective franchise in future issues.
Ben: Director Tallinn – Head of the anti-mutant agency o*n*e – is fun. And others are coming – the new juicy characters we present.
And there’s a big revelation about the villains that come around the midpoint of the arc.
AIPT: Finally, X-Fan’s Gregg Katzman said, “While we’re doing this amazing team-up series, we’ve got a series that’s midway from Marvel.” Greg needs to know what you can make fun of about Predator vs. Spider-Man.
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Ben: I just happen to know that Greg is a fan of the ultimate Craven…and let’s say he’s going to be very pleased. Why couldn’t I go along with the world’s biggest hunter as a predator?
aipt: That’s amazing – I hope Spider-Man survives the experience. But on that memo, thank you, Ben, for stopping by the X-Men on Monday!
The X-Fans will be on this week’s X-Men Monday Exclusive, on March 19, 2025, with a preview of Deadpool/Wolverine #3.
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Next Edition of X-Men Monday: Authors Alex Paknadel and Tim Seeley discuss the incredible X-Men Infinity Comic series!
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Until next time, X-Fans will remain exceptional!
