When New Mutants #98 first hit the stands in 1991 there was something that set it apart from the other comics around at the time. No, I'm not Rob Liefeld's absurdly over the top characterisations, bulging muscles, and proliferation of pointless pouches*. As you can see from the cover of New Mutants #98, drawing people does not appear to be one of Liefeld's strong points. Some would have considered this to be a major road block on the path to comics stardom. Not Mr Liefeld.
Whilst it is difficult to determine the exact number of atrocities committed on the comic community by Liefeld, it is important to remember that, in 1991, he was one of the most popular artists on Marvel's payroll. Furthermore, Liefeld's legacy is not all doom and gloom, without him, we would be without the teachings of Deadpool.
When we first meet the "Merc with the Mouth", he's a red suit wearing guy with skinny legs and weird feet (thanks Liefeld!). Granted, Deadpool's first appearance is a brief one. Deadpool is contracted to take out would-be world saviour Cable. After dealing out an ass spanking to Cable and a couple of other bit players (Boom Boom anyone?), Deadpool is unceremoniously stabbed in the back, literally, by Cable's on-again/off-again flame, Domino.
What can we learn from this?
Don't turn your back on a women that has a better than average chance at being able to throw knives and have them hit you in the back pointy end first.
Dodgy art work aside, copies of New Mutants #98 in excellent condition have been known to go for upward of $100US on eBay. With Deadpool due to make an appearance in the Wolverine Origins movie, his stocks are most definitely on the rise.
* If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out "The 40 Worst Rob Liefeld Drawings".
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