While 2020 was a rocky year for everyone, Marvel will be boosting the spirits of comic fans by ending it with a special crossover featuring one of the universe's most beloved antiheroes. Writer Sanshira Kasama and artist Hikaru Uesugi both have teamed up with Marvel Comics to release a new Deadpool manga series. If the anticipation from fans says anything about the upcoming release, people will be lining up (metaphorically, of course) to read the issue as soon as it drops.
The new series, titled Deadpool: Samurai, will be premiering soon on Shonen Jump. The popular digital manga platform has made its name by hosting an array of popular manga, including the iconic "Big Three" (Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach). Soon, Deadpool will be joining the ranks. The mercenary has not only become an honorary member the Shonen Jump family, but has already become well acquainted with some of the existing lineup. In a teaser tweeted by Bill Roseman, Deadpool appears to be reading the My Hero Academia series. The whimsical, sarcastic hero may find himself relating to the "quirky" characters of the MHA world, so it's a fitting choice.
This crossover may even prove to be bigger than just Deadpool: Samurai. Could it hint at future Marvel x Shonen Jump series to come? With the rising popularity of manga in America, Marvel could be catching onto the trend by giving fans exactly what they didn't know they needed. Considering the fan bases of Shonen Jump and Marvel overlap significantly, this will almost certainly spark conversations regarding what manga/comic crossovers should come next.
The hope for future crossovers can be held in confidence considering they have occurred in the past. Though not with Shonen Jump specifically. A one-shot crossover event between the Avengers and Attack on Titan (titled Attack on Avengers) back in June 2015 included fan favorite characters from both franchises, including the Armored, colossal Titans from Attack on Titan coming face-to-face with Spiderman and superhero teams like the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy from Marvel. Still, manga and Marvel crossovers are presently few and far between. This, along with Deadpool: Samurai, hopefully hints at more events in the future.
Until then, fans can look forward to the upcoming release of Deadpool: Samurai. Readers are already stirring up massive discourse surrounding the series. It seems Marvel fans of all ages are waiting patiently to see Wade Wilson presented in a manga setting, especially considering the highly praised platform this series will premiere on. The series will be available on December 10th, so fans on the edge of their seats don't have much longer to wait!