You know you’re a true comic book superstar when there are endless variations of you out there. Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, they’ve all got multiple versions of themselves running around. Although Deadpool has not been around nearly as long as those previously mentioned icons, he already has a ton of “other Deadpools” out in the wild. There’s Kidpool, Lady Deadpool, and yes, Dogpool. And as the name suggests, he’s Deadpool, just as a canine. Thanks to Ryan Reynolds’ Instagram posts, we know “The Merc with the Bark” is going to appear in Deadpool & Wolverine. But what is the actual Marvel Comics history of Dogpool? Or as Deadpool loves to call him, “Cujo.” We’re here to explain it all.
The Marvel Comics Origins of Dogpool
Like Alligator Loki and Spider-Ham before him, Dogpool continues a proud tradition of animal versions of famous Marvel heroes. As far as animal doppelgänger characters in the Marvel Universe go, Dogpool is a relatively recent addition. He first appeared in Prelude to Deadpool Corps #3 in 2010, and then died tragically in Deadpool Kills Deadpool #1 back in 2013. The pooch known as Dogpool hailed from Earth-103173, and was known as Wilson, just like the Wade Wilson of Earth-616 we all know and love. In his world, Wilson was the guinea pig test subject for a brand called Mascara X, intended to be makeup that would always replenish itself after just one use. Of course, “Mascara X” is a spoof on “Weapon X,” where Wade Wilson (and Wolverine) got their powers.
Just like the Deadpool we all know, Wilson gained healing powers. And also like human Wade, they hideously disfigured him as a result. The amoral Babeline Cosmetics company didn’t realize the tests gave Wilson powers, and they threw the poor doggo into the dumpster. Depressed by his state, and the rejection he received from all who looked at his ugly mug, Wilson tried to end it all by throwing himself in front of a moving vehicle. But he survived and healed instantly. A circus truck passed by and saw the miraculous self-healing dog, and so Wilson joined their circus. They rechristened him as Deadpool, “the Death Defying Hound.” He was part of this circus, and almost killed by a dog Wolverine. Until the human Wade Wilson came to his Earth to recruit him into the Deadpool Corps, that is.
Dogpool Joins the Deadpool Corps and Promptly Dies
So what is the Deadpool Corps, you might ask? Well, much like the Thor Corps, it’s an army made of different multiversal variants of Wade Wilson. The 616 Deadpool actually founded the team, to save reality from a powerful cosmic being, the Awareness. The Awareness had one goal—to devour the consciousness of the Multiverse itself. They recruited Dogpool, who formed a close bond with Kidpool. Later, once the Awareness threat ended, Wade Wilson had to gather the Deadpool Corps once again, to fight the Dreadpool Corps, made up of evil Deadpools from across the multiverse. It was during this event that Dogpool came to Earth-616 to warn our version of Wade. When an evil Deadpool tried to kill the 616 version, Dogpool heroically gave his life to save him. During his brief time on this Earth (and a few others) Dogpool made a lasting impression.
Dogpool in Deadpool & Wolverine and in the MCU
So how will Dogpool fit into the overall story of Deadpool & Wolverine ? Well, we already know the multiverse is playing a big part in the upcoming film. And rumors suggest we’ll be seeing Kidpool, and maybe even the entire Deadpool Corps. And you can’t have the Deadpool Corps without at least one appearance from Dogpool.
In a recent interview with Empire, Reynolds shares of the pup, “It’s love at first sight…He loves Dogpool.” And offers, “Her real name is Peggy, and she won the award for Britain’s Ugliest Dog. The reason why I was a huge proponent for her was because she feels like the animal manifestation of Wade Wilson. It was, just like many things during the writing process, a tiny little afterthought, and it grew. It was one of those things where you just keep listening to the movie, and Dogpool became a staple.” But, of course, Dogpool is still a Deadpool. Reynolds concludes, “Dogpool’s a Pool, so probably has some moral flexibility about where she wees and poops.”
Maybe it’ll be a brief cameo, or maybe Dogpool will tag along with Wade for most of the movie. We just know that he looks like a very good boy (although a bit mangy) and we can’t wait to see him up on the big screen when Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters on July 26, 2024.
Originally published on December 29, 2023.
