CGC Featured Comic of the Month: New Mutants #98

Posted on 3/1/2024

Our March marquee is the maiden appearance of Marvel’s Merc with a Mouth.


Click images to enlarge.

Name: New Mutants #98

Comic publisher: Marvel Comics

Date: February 1991

Variants: This comic was released with a direct edition and a standard edition, as well as a Mark Jewelers edition in 1991. The issue has been reprinted many times over the years, sometimes with special edition covers, and published internationally with an Australian price variant in 1991 and later in Spanish by Panini Espana in November 2019.

What makes it special? This issue is the first appearance of the “Merc with a Mouth” Deadpool (aka Wade Wilson) — a wise-cracking assassin with the ability to heal and regenerate from any injury. Throughout the years, Deadpool has become a satirical and unpredictable character, often breaking the fourth wall of the comic book page to speak directly to readers.

Why is it interesting now? Selectively ignoring his first attempt at film in 2009’s “Wolverine: Origins,” Deadpool first hit theaters in 2016 under the 20th Century Fox banner. Eight years and $71 billion later, Disney/Marvel has reacquired the rights to the Fox film characters. Deadpool is finally making the leap into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (and he’s not alone) in the film’s upcoming threequel, “Deadpool and Wolverine.”

Did you know? Created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza, Deadpool was a spoofed mix of the DC Comics character Deathstroke (aka Slade Wilson) and Marvel’s Spider-Man.

Total graded by CGC: As of February 19, 2024, there were 28,571 copies of New Mutants #98 (direct and newsstand editions) in the CGC Census, as well as 62 copies of the Australian price variant edition and 12 copies of the Spanish edition.

CGC highest graded: Among those 28,571 graded copies, only one is graded CGC 10 Gem Mint.

Sales highlights: a CGC 9.9 sold for $40,250 through ComicConnect in June 2023.

CGC Comics Registry Champion: CGC Comics Registry user bagofleas’s set newmuties includes a CGC 9.8 copy, along with every other issue from this series (#1-100), including the annuals (#1-7), special editions and more, helping to earn it the Best in Set Type Award in 2009-2011 and again in 2013-2018, as well as the Best Set Presentation Award in 2014.

Previous Featured Comics of the Month:

Follow @CGCComics on Instagram to vote for next month's Featured Comic!

About CGC

Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for many other types of pop culture collectibles. These divisions include CGC Cards, CGC Video Games and CGC Home Video. CGC Cards provides expert card grading for TCGs, sports cards and non-sports cards. CGC Video Games is dedicated to video game grading for the most popular consoles, including Nintendo, Sega, Atari, PlayStation and more. The newest division of CGC, CGC Home Video, provides expert VHS grading in addition to other types of home media.

Articles List

CGC Featured Comic of the Month: New Mutants #98

About CGC

Stay Informed

Thanks!