The New Mutants #98
The New Mutants #98 (cover-dated February 1991, on newsstands December 1990) is the single most consequential debut issue of Marvel's Copper Age mutant expansion: it introduces Deadpool — the wisecracking mercenary Wade Wilson — who would grow from a one-shot antagonist into one of Marvel's defining pop-culture figures, eventually headlining films that became the highest-grossing R-rated movies ever made. The issue simultaneously presents the first appearances of the corporate manipulator Gideon and the shapeshifter Copycat posing as Domino, three new characters in a single chapter that doubled the cast of an already-crowded X-book in a single sitting. Beyond the debuts, the issue functions as the structural hinge of the New Mutants-to-X-Force transition: Rictor departs, Sunspot's father is murdered by Gideon's operative, and Cable begins consolidating his paramilitary vision of the team — making this the opening move of a three-issue arc titled 'The Beginning of the End' that dissolved the old New Mutants lineup and cleared the ground for X-Force #1. The reader response was extraordinary for the era, with Fabian Nicieza recalling the issue drew roughly three to four hundred letters compared to the title's usual fifty, with approximately 75% asking for Deadpool's return — a fan verdict that Marvel honored immediately.
In "The Beginning of the End, Part One," the fate of the New Mutants takes a dark turn as Gideon orchestrates the murder of Sunspot’s father, setting off a chain of escalating tensions. This pivotal issue marks the first appearance of Deadpool, introduced in a brutal, high-stakes encounter with Cable—only to be thwarted by Domino. With tensions rising and old alliances tested, the team fractures as Rictor makes a risky decision, and Cable and Domino prepare for what lies ahead. Written by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza and illustrated by Rob Liefeld, with colors by S. Buccellato and letters by Joe Rosen, the cover by Rob Liefeld captures the chaos in bold, striking detail.
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Rob Liefeld joined The New Mutants in 1989 as penciller when the title had fallen to roughly 100,000 monthly copies; his arrival drove sales up by approximately 50,000 copies per month, and Marvel rewarded that momentum by granting him full creative control over plots and new characters beginning with issue #98. Liefeld designed the Deadpool character as a red-and-black-costumed mercenary antagonist for Cable, drawing visual inspiration from DC's Deathstroke (Slade Wilson) — a debt Nicieza acknowledged immediately by naming the new character 'Wade Wilson' as a self-aware inside joke. Nicieza, who scripted Liefeld's plots, shaped the character's voice and personality, describing Liefeld's brief as 'Spider-Man meets Punisher' and choosing an 'annoying loudmouth' register that distinguished Deadpool from every other Marvel mercenary on the stands; the fourth-wall-breaking comedic voice Deadpool is now known for was seeded here but fully developed only in Joe Kelly's 1997 ongoing series. Liefeld subsequently disputed the degree of credit owed to Nicieza, arguing in a 2016 New York Times interview that he had done 'all the heavy lifting,' while Marvel has consistently credited both as co-creators.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Deadpool (Wade Wilson), created by penciller/plotter Rob Liefeld and scripter Fabian Nicieza; cover-dated February 1991, published on newsstands in December 1990.
- First appearance of Gideon, a mutant power-absorber and Sebastian Shaw ally who schemes to maneuver Sunspot (Roberto Da Costa) into control of the Da Costa family business empire — which begins with Gideon's operative poisoning Sunspot's father Emmanuel Da Costa in this very issue.
- First appearance of Copycat (Vanessa Carlysle) disguised as Domino; the character is presented as Domino throughout this issue, but a subsequent retcon — or long-planned reveal — in X-Force #8 (1992) established that the 'Domino' here was actually the shapeshifter Copycat, making X-Force #8 and #11 the true first appearances of the real Domino (Neena Thurman).
- Rictor (Julio Richter) departs the New Mutants in this issue, leaving a note for Boom-Boom stating his intention to rescue Wolfsbane from Genosha — marking a significant roster reduction as Cable reshapes the team.
- This issue is the first in the three-part arc 'The Beginning of the End,' which serves as the transition bridge between The New Mutants (1983 series) and X-Force (1991 series); the New Mutants title concluded with #100.
- Deadpool debuts here as a villain-for-hire, contracted by the shadowy 'Mr. Tolliver' to assassinate Cable; he is defeated when 'Domino' (Copycat) places three knives in his back — his mercenary/antagonist role precedes the anti-hero characterization he later develops.
- Deadpool's civilian name 'Wade Wilson' was crafted by Nicieza as a deliberate riff on DC villain Deathstroke's real name 'Slade Wilson,' with Liefeld having openly acknowledged Deathstroke as a visual influence on the character's design.
- Marvel has issued an official Facsimile Edition reprint of the issue, with printings released in November 2022 and May 2024 (the latter including a retailer incentive variant cover by InHyuk Lee), reflecting the issue's sustained significance to the publisher's catalog.
Cast · 29 characters
Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
Gideon arranges for the murder of Sunspot's father. Deadpool, working for Mr. Tolliver, attacks Cable. Domino defeats him. Cable and Domino plot strategy. Rictor decides to go after Wolfsbane, who stayed in Genosha. Gideon tells Sunspot his father is dead.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).