The "New Mutants" No. 98 original cover art from 1991 has been listed for sale at $7.5 million at Heritage, a price which would make it the most expensive piece of comic book art ever, if sold.
It has been more than 20 years since the artwork, which adorned the cover of "New Mutants" No. 98 (first appearance of Deadpool), has changed hands. The current record for any piece of comic book art was set by the original cover for "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Book One," which sold for $2.4 million in 2022 at Heritage.
Announced in the wake of the theatrical release of "Deadpool & Wolverine," which now holds the distinction of the highest-grossing rated-R film in box-office history, eclipsing $600 million in its first few weeks, the cover was drawn by Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld.
“I’ve long admired — and coveted — this work, which I consider the most important piece of comic-book art from the 1990s,” Heritage co-chairman Jim Halperin said in a release. “I’m thrilled we’re now able to offer it to someone who, like me, admires Rob Liefeld and adores his Deadpool, who is among the most beloved characters in comics and, now, the MCU.”
Liefeld, who took the reigns for the "New Mutants" series at the age of just 22, had his work cut out for him, as it was in dire straits, with sales lagging other X-Men series such as Wolverine and facing the specter of discontinuation.
With the release of "New Mutants" No. 98 in December 1990, Deadpool became an instant hit, resulting in subsequent appearances in other comics as well as in multimedia such as video games and even an action figure. When Ryan Reynolds portrayed the character in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and in the 2016 release of "Deadpool," the character’s popularity reached new heights.
“Deadpool has never been more popular,” Halperin says. “And his popularity only continues to grow. I can’t think of a better time to offer Rob’s cover that introduced him to the world.”
It’s difficult to gauge whether the hefty price tag is appropriate, given the lack of comparable sales. However, a comparison to the record-breaking "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Book One" cover by Frank Miller suggests it might be lofty. Miller is considered one of the greatest comic-book artists of all time. Liefeld is also an industry legend, however, his legacy is more complicated.
The New York Times described him as “among the most controversial figures in the comics industry” and “one of most recognized and best-selling artists.”
One particularly memorable moment of strife between Liefeld and the establishment of the comic world came when he appeared in a Spike Lee-directed commercial for Levi’s.
“I got the target on my back,” Liefeld told the New York Times. “Some of the old guys in the business were like, ‘Oh, how unfortunate that Rob Liefeld is the spokesman for our craft.’ Sour grapes much?”
His unorthodox style, sometimes compared to Japanese anime, has raised the ire of old-school illustrators.
But that style has stood the test of time and won over legions of fans, making Liefeld one of the most significant and influential comic artists of the era. As the Reynolds-portrayed character continues to dominate at the press box, his status as a pioneer of the industry appears poised to increase.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.