Deadpool: The Circle Chase (Comics) | Review

Before Deadpool became the fourth-wall-breaking sensation we know today, there was The Circle Chase. This 1993 limited series dropped when Wade Wilson was still a minor X-Force character and what it did was establish the chaotic energy that would define him for decades.

If you want to see where the Deadpool formula really took shape, this four-issue run is required reading. Here's what makes this series interesting: it's raw, unpolished and doesn't try to be anything more than a violent treasure hunt with jokes. No pretense, no grand ambitions, just pure mercenary chaos in its most unapologetic form.

No meta-commentary yet, no excessive pop culture references. Just a mercenary chasing down a mysterious inheritance while everyone else tries to kill him. It's Deadpool before Hollywood got involved and that purity gives it a different flavor than anything published after.

The story kicks off when Wade Wilson learns that his former mentor and weapons dealer, Tolliver, has died and left behind something valuable. The catch? Wade isn't the only one invited to this scavenger hunt. Multiple players want the prize and none of them plan to play fair or let anyone walk away alive from this contest.

Black Tom Cassidy, Juggernaut, Weasel and several other mercenaries are all gunning for the same prize, which turns out to be a device containing secrets about Tolliver's operations, his network of contacts and information that could destroy or enrich anyone who possesses it.

What follows is a globe-trotting chase where Deadpool fights, schemes and wisecracks his way through obstacle after obstacle. The series introduces Weasel as his tech support and closest thing to a friend, which becomes a cornerstone relationship in later stories and defines how Wade interacts with the few people he trusts.

We also get Copycat (Vanessa Carlysle) playing both sides throughout the entire hunt, adding romantic tension and betrayal to an already messy situation while revealing complicated history between her and Wade that adds emotional weight to every confrontation they share.

The action sequences escalate from street-level brawls to demolition, with Wade constantly outmatched in raw power but never outthought. His tactical improvisation becomes the series' signature move, showing survival instinct and creative violence matter more than brute strength when the underworld wants you dead.

The plot structure is straightforward but effective. Each issue ramps up the stakes while revealing bits about Wade's past connections to Tolliver and the mercenary world. There's no grand philosophical statement, just survival-driven action with character moments.

The treasure hunt framework smartly explores Wade's moral flexibility without making him completely irredeemable. He'll shoot first and skip the questions entirely but there's a code buried under all that carnage. The series walks a tightrope between making him dangerous enough to fear and human enough to root for.

The inheritance twist at the end sets up future storylines involving Cable and the ongoing mysteries around Tolliver's organization, creating narrative threads that would pay off in subsequent X-Force issues and establishing Wade's place in the larger mutant universe.

What's clever about this setup is how it positions Deadpool as someone who operates in the margins of bigger events. He's not saving the world or fighting for ideology. He's chasing a payday that intersects with mutant politics, which becomes his narrative niche afterward.

One thing worth noting: this series directly ties into the X-Force continuity from that era and rewards readers familiar with those storylines. Tolliver was a major antagonist in Rob Liefeld's X-Force run and his death creates ripple effects that The Circle Chase explores in unexpected ways while filling gaps the main series left open.

If you've read those issues, this limited series acts as an essential side story that enriches the entire narrative. If you haven't, the comic gives you enough context to follow along without feeling lost or confused about character motivations and back-story.

Writer Fabian Nicieza (Avengers West Coast: Darker Than Scarlet, X-Men: Fatal Attractions) handles the writing and his approach balances humor with genuine danger. The jokes land more often than they miss but Wade isn't the hyperactive comedian he becomes later. He's funny because he's unhinged, not performing.

Artwork by Joe Madureira (Savage Wolverine: Hands on a Dead Body, Ultimates 3: Who Killed the Scarlet Witch?) is where this series shines. His early 90s style brings kinetic energy to every page, with exaggerated expressions and dynamic fight choreography that keeps pacing tight.

The character designs have that distinct manga-influenced look that was bleeding into American comics at the time and it works for Deadpool's acrobatic combat style and fluid movement. The panel layouts never get boring, shifting perspectives to match the action's intensity while keeping everything visually clear.

Harry Candelario's inks complement Madureira's pencils without overpowering them, keeping details sharp during quieter moments and adding weight to the chaos during battle scenes while Glynis Oliver's vibrant colors give the book its Saturday morning cartoon energy.

The Circle Chase proves Deadpool can carry his own book. It's not perfect and readers expecting traditional superhero fare might find the tone jarring but it establishes the core elements that make Wade Wilson work: unpredictability, competence underneath the jokes and the ability to survive situations that should kill him.

This series demonstrates Wade can function independently without X-Force carrying the narrative weight. The four issues establish his supporting cast, expand his underworld connections and prove that humor doesn't have to undercut tension when handled correctly.

For readers wondering if this mercenary deserves ongoing attention or fans tired of cookie-cutter superhero books, The Circle Chase delivers exactly what it promises: a violent, funny, fast-paced adventure that doesn't waste time and respects your intelligence.

Deadpool: The Circle Chase is available in both physical and digital formats. You can grab the paperback and Epic Collection hardcover through major retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, or read it digitally on ComiXology, Kindle and Marvel Unlimited platforms.