In the trailer for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Tatiana Maslany's Jennifer Walters turns and addresses the camera in a manner similar to Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag (which inspired the Disney+ series). Some Marvel Cinematic Universe fans may protest, thinking she's stealing Wade Wilson's signature shtick. But She-Hulk broke the fourth-wall long before Deadpool existed; she's Marvel Studios' safe-for-work version of the Merc with a Mouth.

In the late 1980s, John Byrne relaunched Superman after the first Crisis on Infinite Earths rebooted DC continuity. Other similar books like The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen had pushed comics into a very serious, very adult direction. So after working on Fantastic Four with the character, Byrne launched a new She-Hulk title called Sensational She-Hulk after her first comic failed. Its debut cover featured a very muscular She-Hulk in a unitard. "Okay, now this is your second chance," the speech bubbles read, "If you don't buy my book this time, I'm gonna come to your house and rip up all your X-Men." Other gags were often directed at Byrne and criticizing his storytelling decisions, as seen in the image below.

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The fourth wall break is now part of Deadpool's signature style, but She-Hulk was the first Marvel character aware she was in a comic book. Byrne left by issue #10 over creative differences -- but the personality of the character was set and she maintained her comedic tone (though slightly less so) until he returned years later for Sensational She-Hulk #31 through #50. Through She-Hulk, Byrne showed that comics could still be fun. Jokes about the Comics Code Authority and comic book tropes abounded. While She-Hulk was depicted seriously in Avengers and other books, her own series was a special place where anything went.

The comedy in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law promises to be very similar. It wouldn't be shocking to fans of the Byrne book if Maslany's Jennifer didn't directly address Kevin Feige & company, possibly even shooting some "behind-the-scenes" bits where she "fixes" problems with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But unlike Deadpool, she won't do it by killing people or being overly vulgar or crude. She-Hulk can be a "Deadpool" for the kids unable to watch TV-MA shows or R-rated films.

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The real question is whether She-Hulk: Attorney at Law will be able to sell this humor or if it only works in the pages of a comic book. One of the more common gags in the early run was how Jennifer would walk "through" panels to whole new settings. In one issue, she was able to instantly teleport to Australia. Comic books have the ability to be utterly ridiculous in one panel and utterly heartbreaking in the next. Will that humor translate into live-action, especially when the story calls for a heavier tone? While Deadpool's stories also have moments of emotion, the character himself is always ridiculous. If any actor is capable of balancing this tough role, it's Maslany -- whose work on Orphan Black should win her an honorary Emmy every year in perpetuity to go with the one she earned in 2016.

Modern Marvel maniacs may think of Deadpool as the preeminent fourth wall-breaker, but She-Hulk walked through ads in her comic books so Deadpool could run. What's great about She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is that now viewers can experience this kind of humor without having to worry about their kids. Now Marvel just has to get these two characters into the same show or movie.

Laugh at the jokes when She-Hulk: Attorney at Law debuts Aug. 17 on Disney+.