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Marvel has announced plans for a five-part mini-series starring Deadpool. The first issue of Deadpool and The Mercs will be published in February 2016.

Writer Cullen Bunn and illustrator Salva Espin have been recruited to work on this project. Four artists, Declan Shalvey, John Tyler Christopher, Mike Hawthorne, and Ron Lim, have signed on to create the main cover an action figure variant cover, a design variant cover, and a variant cover.

In an interview with IGN.com, Bunn explained that “this series spins right out of the main Deadpool book and the shenanigans Gerry Duggan is perpetrating over there. We’ve seen Deadpool hiring guys like Foolkiller, Terror, and Slapstick to run missions for him. This story focuses on that team in the thick of it and interacting with many Marvel characters. It just so happens that most of these characters want them dead.” (via The Hollywood Reporter)

With Agent Carter plugging up the airwaves with awesomeness, it’s time for the comics to start integrating period pieces back into the fold. Enter 1872, the newest Secret Wars tie-in from Marvel featuring two fine creators in author Gerry Duggan and artist Evan “Doc” Shaner taking our favorite heroes back a few century or two. 1872 #1 ships in May with a stunning Alex Maleev cover on the first issue.

A Western drawn by Shaner is worth the hole Secret Wars is blasting into your wallet. Don’t just take our word for it either “Doc’s first sketches blew holes in our heads,” said Duggan to the AV Club regarding Shaner. Let the saliva continue to drop from your mouth when you hear about Sheriff Steve Rogers, Blacksmith Tony Stark, and a young strapping Bruce Banner running amok in the Old West.

The best part of this entire story revealed by the AV Club might be the strapline: Real Heroes Die With Their Boots On. Duggan explained the genesis of how the off-the-wall title came to be with a few simple words “I pitched it.” This is yet another case of someone on a Secret Wars tie-in getting the opportunity to tell the stories that they want to tell.

Here’s the full solicitation and cover:

1872 #1

Written by GERRY DUGGAN

Penciled by EVAN “DOC” SHANER

Cover by ALEX MALEEV

Variant Cover by EVAN “DOC” SHANER

REAL HEROES DIE WITH THEIR BOOTS ON

• SHERIFF STEVE ROGERS faces corruption and fear in the boom town of TIMELY.
• The only thing ANTHONY STARK seems capable of is pulling a cork, so can he pull Rogers’ fat from the fire?
• But…a stranger comes to town that will change Timely forever…for anyone left standing, that is.

 The Batverse is getting two ongoing spinoff series, according to EW. And not a mention of the “New 52″ in the pr….In Arkham Manor, Wayne Manor gets turned into…a home for the insane. Whch could just be Batman and Robin, but you get the point. CReative team is writer Gerry Duggan and artist Shawn Crystal.

In Gotham Academy, it’s Gossip Girl meets Gotham with the adventures at Gotham City’s most prestigious prep school. The words “twisted teenybopping universe” were used. The writers are Becky Cloonan and Brendan Fletcher and artist is Karl Kerschl.  

This is the most non-New 52 book announced since the New 52 started. Actually both covers look very non-New 52ish — could this be the influence of Batman temporary editor Mark Doyle? 

Both books hit in October.