Deadpool and Cable creator Rob Liefeld has premiered a new subscriber exclusive Empire Magazine cover featuring his two most famed creations, who star in the upcoming Deadpool 2.
"So excited to share my exclusive Deadpool & Cable cover for all @empiremagazine subscribers," the comic book author and artist wrote on Instagram Friday.
"One of my favorite magazines, it was a thrill and an honor to scribble DP and Nathan for them!! Deadpool 2 is out in 7 days!!!"
The cover sees the longtime partners weapons at the ready and prepared for battle, with Deadpool wielding duel swords and Cable brandishing a massive gun.
The time-traveling mutant makes his live-action debut in the Deadpool sequel, introducing series newcomer Josh Brolin. The gruff warrior from the future aims to eliminate a teenage mutant (Julian Dennison), forcing anti-hero Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) to play the role of hero. Also introduced into the franchise is lucky mutant Domino (Zazie Beetz), another Liefeld X-Force creation.
Liefeld told Fandango Deadpool 2's version of the mutants are "an R-rated Avengers in the making," saying "I see how well it clicks, and I think that when you throw the R-rating in there, the X-Force can absolutely rival the Avengers."
"X-Force is not family friendly," he said, "and that matters, too. I definitely do see [Fox] building their version of the Avengers with this."
The "kick ass" characters were created by Liefeld as a response to longtime super team the X-Men, who the comic book creator called "kind of a mopey group."
"They were always drowned in their own sorrows, and I like action — I like kick ass characters — so when I transformed the book and turned it into X-Force, I think each of the characters, from Cable to Domino to Deadpool are a kick ass group of badass mutants that don't take any sh—t," Liefeld said.
"They knock down your wall. They ask questions later. They are very much a more aggressive arm of the X-Men."
X-Force, a solo spinoff movie featuring the black-ops mutant team, is in the works from studio Fox under producers Ryan Reynolds, Simon Kinberg, and Lauren Shuler Donner.
Deadpool 2 opens May 18.