Deadpool, the mouthy mercenary producing big box-office sales, may soon set a record at a comic-book auction.

Cover artwork featuring Deadpool's first appearance in the comics went on sale this week at Heritage Auctions with an asking price of $7.5 million. If it sells at that price, it will be the most valuable comic-book art ever sold.

The penciled artwork was created by writer/artist Rob Liefeld, at age 23, for New Mutants #98, which was released in February 1991.