We haven't heard any recent Spawn news, and in the movie business, out of sight is out of mind. With things relatively quiet on the western front, how are the values of Spawn #1 holding up?
Spawn can be a polarizing topic in comic circles. There are those who despise the exaggerated character designs of the 1990s and view them as simply cash grabs that have no substance. Then you've got the Todd McFarlane fans who have given Spawn a cult following of his own. While I wouldn't go so far as to say that Spawn ranks among the most original of characters, I would fall into the latter category, and I appreciate McFarlane's legacy and impact on comic art. When he announced that he'd finally lined up a producer for a rate-R Spawn feature film, I was excited, and I still am.
For months we had a steady stream of Spawn movie news. In 2017, we found out that Blumhouse Productions was on board, and McFarlane himself will climb into the director's chair. Earlier this year, it was revealed that Jamie Foxx had signed on to play the lead, and Jeremy Renner had joined the cast in a supporting role. Since that July Renner news, nothing else major has been said about the movie, and the excitement seems to have died down.
The big question: has the lack of news affected the prices of Spawn #1?
We're certainly seeing a decline in the values in the past 90 days. Of the 14 different grades for both the newsstand and direct editions sold in the last three months, 10 have dropped in fair market value compared to the 12-month average.
Starting in January, a 9.8 direct edition Spawn #1 rarely sold for less than $100 all the way up to late-October. Beginning with that last week of October, the prices began to drop quickly. After selling for as much as $300 earlier in the year, it has steadily declined; two of the past four sales since December 4 have been for $71 and $66, respectively.
The other near-mint grades for the direct editions have been suffering as well. The 9.6, which sold for as high as $203 this year, has averaged $58 in the past 90 days. The 9.4 has dropped as well with an FMV of $44, though one did sell for a high of $91 just last month.
With so many high grade copies of Spawn #1 floating around the market, this is never going to be an Incredible Hulk #181-level key, no matter how popular the movie gets. There's simply too many issues to be found. However, it will still prove to be a sound investment, especially since the movie is slowly shaping up to be a hit.
Sure, things have gotten quiet and there's no release date in sight, but this movie is definitely happening. When McFarlane gives us another round of announcements, you'll see the interest in Spawn quickly spike. Where you'll want to plan for the future is the trailer. As a collector and an investor, cross your fingers that McFarlane and Blumhouse give us a very cool (scary would be even better) glimpse of Spawn in a trailer hopefully in the not-too-distant future. Let mainstream fans get a peek at a stunning costume, and those copies of Spawn #1 will once again reach triple digits.
