Will the Man Called Nova make it into the MCU? Only Kevin Feige can say, but the persistent rumors are driving the market for Nova #1. Here's the latest.

Back when James Gunn was heading up the Guardians of the Galaxy films, it was clear that he had no plans to bring in the single character we know as Nova. He'd already established the intergalactic Xandarian police force known as the Nova Corps, and there didn't seem to be any need in having the Green Lantern facsimile darting across the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Then came Infinity War...and Gunn's public firing by Disney. Now the table could be set for the superpowered Nova to enter the fray, but that's pure speculation at this point.

Here's my logic. We didn't actually get to see it (and I wish we had because that would have made for an impressive visual), but Infinity War set up the introduction when it was mentioned in the film's first act that Thanos had decimated Xandar, and we assume wiped out the Nova Corps as he claimed the infinity stone. That could make for an easy transition into the story of the sole surviving member of the corps on a quest to defeat Thanos and reestablish the corps.

At any rate, I'm not the only one who sees the potential for Nova in the MCU; sales for the debut issue of the original series have spiked. So far this year, Nova #1 (1976) has been among the best-selling bronze age comics. With the rumors swirling, 2018 has brought new record highs for original-Nova Richard Rider's first appearance, particularly for the higher grades. A graded 9.8 has already brought $1,000, which topped the previous high of $949 sold back in 2014. After the sales dropped for two years from 2016-2017, they are clearly back in line with the previous figures.

If you're in the market for Rider's first appearance, but you don't want to pay such a high price, you can always drop to the 9.6, where the 90-day average is at a more-reasonable $308. However, as with virtually all grades of Nova #1, the value is on the move, so you'll want to act quickly. Just two years ago, it averaged $179, and last year, its fair market value was just $187.

While the 9.8 and 9.6 are the showy, higher-priced copies to add to the collection, it's been the 9.4 that has been the most popular grade. Over the past 12 months, 77 graded 9.4s have been purchased on eBay for an average of $154. Like its flashier counterparts, this grade has also experienced a record-high sale when one sold for $250 on May 24. The bigger picture, however, is that the data indicates this could very well push into the $300 range within the coming months as it has been routinely selling for close to $200 or more since August.

With Marvel finally giving us a Captain Marvel teaser trailer, it stands to reason that even more rumors of Nova taking part in the cosmic MCU will emerge. That will only add to the speculation and popularity of Nova #1, so if you're on the fence, now is the time to act.