Movies News Talk
Archie Comics' parody of Deadpool is incredibly funny, but his ability to break the fourth wall gives him the edge in a fight with the antihero. Deadpool has been established as one of Marvel's best fighters. While not being quite as strong as heroes like the Hulk, his healing factor and skills as a mercenary make Wade Wilson a total force to be reckoned with. However, his official parody from Archie Comics has officially given him a rival who could defeat him.
In Archie & Friends: Blockbuster Movies #1 by Dan Parent, Ian Flynn, Steven Butler, Lily Butler, Rich Koslowski, Barry Grossman, Glenn Whitmore and Jack Morelli, readers are introduced to Poolnoodle, a clear spoof of the iconic Marvel antihero. He looks incredibly similar to the Merc with a Mouth regarding his eyes and hooded mask. However, instead of red and black, he has a black and green color scheme. Plus, instead of katanas and guns, his weaponry is replaced entirely with pool toys, such as a water pistol.
All-in-all, he appears to be more of a joke compared to Deadpool, given that he doesn't have the weapons that make the latter so deadly. However, his secret connection to the Fourth Wall makes him far more powerful than Marvel's iconic character than fans would expect.
"Poolnoodle's abilities make his very existence incredibly scary for those who cross him."
What PoolNoodle lacks in weaponry, he makes up for with his ability to break the fourth wall. While he and Deadpool are completely aware they're characters in a story, PoolNoodle's abilities make his very existence incredibly scary for those who cross him. He's able to summon characters from any media he wishes, such as parodies of James Bond, Indiana Jones, the Avengers and more. Plus, he's able to completely transport anyone he wishes to various locations just by mentioning them. He's essentially the Archie Comics interpretation of Mr. Mxyzptlk wearing a Deadpool-like costume.
While Deadpool is capable of making these references and addressing the audience, his jokes never expand past the realm of reality. He's not able to move villains from one place to another just by mentioning something in pop culture. He also can't bring forth anyone to help him fight without there being a reason for their arrival. His fourth-wall-breaking will always be a key part of his personality, such as his daughter Princess being used as the ultimate punchline for a Chainsaw Man reference. However, it's nothing compared to PoolNoodle's experience with it.
Of course, it would seem like a fight between PoolNoodle and Deadpool would be pretty cut-and-dry since Deadpool has access to his weapons. He's trained in mercenary combat, so it's possible he could put an end to PoolNoodle with one good swing of his katanas. However, this probably wouldn't be the case. As established prior, PoolNoodle is capable of not just summoning anyone he wishes, but also changing the battlefield at any opportunity. Deadpool would constantly need to adjust to his new surroundings on top of fighting off an endless barrage of wacky characters before he could get to PoolNoodle, potentially ending with the latter transporting them to another planet entirely, then leaving him there.
PoolNoodle's tether to the fourth wall is just that powerful at the end of the day. While Deadpool has the skills to take on whoever he wants, he just wouldn't be able to stand up to this reality-breaking foe in a fight. It's a great thing that it turns out Archie Comics' parody of Deadpool ends up being a dream during a movie marathon, because if he were a real hero, the Merc with a Mouth would be in serious trouble if the two decided to duke it out.
Archie & Friends: Blockbuster Movies #1 is available now from Archie Comics!