As Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine continues to lay its global box office competition to waste, the owner of the original cover art featuring Deadpool in his first appearance in New Mutants #98 has put it up for a staggering price of $7.5 million. If the sale happens, the Merc With a Mouth cover will become the most expensive original comic book art piece in history.

The Deadpool piece has been consigned to Heritage Auctions after its anonymous owner put it up for sale, having reportedly turned down several past opportunities to make a profit on it. The owner has had the art for twenty years and believes now is the time to sell it in order to capitalize on the obscene success of Deadpool & Wolverine. At $7.5 million, the New Mutants #98 cover will eclipse the current record holder, a $5.4 million piece by Frank Frazetta.

Heritage co-chairman Jim Halperin is happy to offer collectors and comic book fans a chance to own the landmark piece of Deadpool art. “I’ve long admired—and coveted—this work, which I consider the most important piece of comic book art from the 1990s,” he stated via a press 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.”

Created by Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza, Deadpool alias Wade Wilson made the New Mutants #98 appearance in December 1990, debuting initially as a supervillain and foil to the New Mutants and X-Force. Liefeld effectively pitched the character as “Spider-Man with guns and swords.” The quippy Canadian fourth-wall-breaking mercenary eventually became an anti-hero and is currently one of the most popular comic book characters in pop culture, partly due to Ryan Reynolds’ live-action Deadpool iteration.

It would be an understatement to say that the Merc With a Mouth’s MCU introduction has gone well for Reynolds and Marvel Studios. Deadpool &Wolverine continues to break box-office records, recently surpassing ThePassion of Christ to become the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever at the domestic box office. In just two weekends the MCU film has made $395.6 million compared to the Mel Gibson film’s $370 million. Deadpool has indeed become ‘Marvel Jesus.’

Deadpool actor Reynolds reacted to the feat, playfully responding to being asked if he thought he would ever surpass Jesus at the box office by stating, “Wow, well thank you for putting us in a no-win cultural situation that will result in the end of our careers. Off to a great start, Frosty, love it.” He continued, “Isn’t there a line in Deadpool 2 where I say we beat Passion of the Christ overseas where there’s no such thing as religion? They didn’t get me then, they won’t get me now.”

Liefeld’s original New Mutants #98 cover art featuring Deadpool’s first appearance is available for $7.5 million.

Source: Heritage Auctions