Inside the Guide: New Mutants #98

There are a lot of wholesome comic book heroes with strong moral fiber and codes of ethics. They defend people, protect the innocent, and try their very best to stop villains without killing them. And then there’s Deadpool.

In 1991 Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld created a violent mercenary in Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool. The weapons toting character has no qualms about killing his targets – and making jokes while doing it. Matching Deadpool’s penchant for violence are his constant stream of pop culture references, insults, and fourth wall breaks. An antihero in every sense of the word, the Merc with a Mouth mocks and annoys the heroes he works with and cracks up audiences on a near constant basis.

When Deadpool was introduced in New Mutants #98 (February 1991), the book carried a cover price of $1. A few months later in The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #21, a Near Mint copy was valued at $1.50. It didn’t see much traction over the next decade, landing at $4 in 2000’s Guide #30. But by the Guide #40, its value had increased six times to $25.

Deadpool’s first appearance really took off in the 2010s. Thriving in comics and with a movie on the way, New Mutants #98 was up to $150 in 2015’s Guide #45. With the release of the Deadpool movie starring Ryan Reynolds, it doubled in one year, reaching $300 in the Guide #46. In the new Guide #54, which came out on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, a Near Mint copy of New Mutants #98 is up to $375.