"Deadpool: Suicide Kings" #1

Wade Wilson AKA Deadpool, Marvel Comics' Merc with a Mouth, is a very dangerous man. He's armed with a superhuman healing factor, a plethora of deadly weapons, and an arsenal of jokes, quips, and sarcastic replies. This month he'll need to bring them all to bear to survive what writer Mike Benson and artist Carlo Barberi have planned for him in the five issue mini-series "Deadpool: Suicide Kings." CBR News spoke with Benson about the project.

Benson's first Deadpool story, a one-shot titled "Game$ of Death," is in stores now. The strength of his script for that project earned him the opportunity to take the Merc with a Mouth out for another spin, which he eagerly accepted. "Deadpool is a unique character -- an interesting blend of manic humor and crazy-paced action and mayhem," Benson told CBR News. "What makes him challenging to write is you don't really want to rely on one thing. It's about capturing everything at once - his essence. Also, humor is pretty subjective so hopefully more people will dig it than not."

"Suicide Kings" finds Deadpool hunting for clues and cover. "There is definitely a detective element to this tale. In a nutshell, Deadpool is framed for a heinous crime, putting him in the crosshairs of some big-name Marvel Universe heroes - Spider-Man and Daredevil -- and one anti-hero (the Punisher)," Benson explained. "To prove his innocence, Deadpool has first got to avoid getting captured or, in the case of the Punisher, killed."

Benson found writing the dynamic between Deadpool and characters like Spider-Man, the Punisher and Daredevil to be both fun and difficult. "Fun insofar as you're playing in the deep water with these iconic heroes I grew up with," the writer said. "Difficult insofar as you're playing with these iconic heroes and you need to really be true to who they are, not only the star of the title."

While "Game$ of the Death" was an over the top, comedic Deadpool romp, the tone of "Suicide Kings" is more toned down. "This series will, no doubt, have big zany moments, but it's more about Deadpool on the run, trying to prove his innocence," Benson remarked. "The art (by Carlo Barberi) is also less cartoony than the art for 'Game$ of Death' (by Shawn Crystal). Carlo is an incredibly gifted artist - he really brings the character to life."

"Deadpool: Suicide Kings" isn't the only title Benson writes that stars a mentally fractured protagonist. He also pens the monthly adventures of "Moon Knight," which leaves some readers wondering about the possibility of future issues of Moon Knight featuring an appearance by everybody's favorite manic, mouthy, mercenary. "Broken, dysfunctional characters are much more relatable and fun to write," Benson said. "There's more depth. Deadpool is a fairly new character to me, but he's quickly grown on me. I think Moon Knight and Wade Wilson would make an excellent train wreck."

"Deadpool: Suicide Kings" #1 slices and sasses its way into stores on April 8th from Marvel Comics.