Iron Man #24While Thor #337 and Angela: Asgard’s Assassin #1 has the spotlight, keep your eyes on Iron Man #24 and Thor: God of Thunder #19. Here's why.

CHRISTIAN BALE IN THE MCU?

The big news in the opening weeks of 2020 has been that Christian Bale is reportedly being cast for the MCU, specifically Love and Thunder. While fans are petitioning Marvel to have the lauded actor voice Beta Ray Bill, he could suit up as a villain in the latest Thor movie. In fact, it seems likely that Dario Agger (aka, Minotaur) will be making his way into the MCU. Here’s my logic.

Nothing has been said about the plot for Love and Thunder aside from Jane Foster taking up the mantle as the Goddess of Thunder. Past that, Marvel has said nothing about the latest installment of Thor. That leaves the door open to many possibilities. 

During Jason Aaron’s Thor run, the evil Roxxon Corporation was a primary antagonist to both the God and Goddess of Thunder. Every dastardly corporation needs a face, and Roxxon was saddled with Agger’s. For those unfamiliar with him, Agger is a sadistic billionaire who transforms into Minotaur with a strength that rivals Thor’s. 

Going back to Aaron’s Thor run, we can assume that his plot of Jane Foster developing cancer while moonlighting as the thunder goddess will be the inspiration behind Love and Thunder. That will open the door for Agger to be the featured villain, and Bale would perfectly fit the role. If that is the case, the Minotaur keys will rapidly inflate. 

Iron Man #24IRON MAN #24

Iron Man #24 is a true sleeper pick. Debuting in 1970, the Minotaur was originally the alter ego of Miklos Vryolak, and it is the pricier of the two comics on today's list. Still, even the higher-end grades are relatively cheap pickups. Only the 9.8 and 9.6 sell for over $150, and neither of those grades has traded hands since 2013. 

Last year, a 9.4 sold for $128 on January 24, tying it with a 2005 sale for its peak value. When it comes to investing, that’s nothing. Putting less than $200 into a Bronze Age first appearance is a steal, and I advise you to add it to your collection and wait. At this point, it’s not likely to lose value, so it’s not much of a gamble. 

Speaking of bang for your buck, a 7.0 sold for just $20 earlier this month. That is a great indicator of the state of the market, at least for the low and mid grades. If a 7.0 is only bringing $20, then you can get a low grade for practically change. There’s basically nothing to lose and much to gain.

Iron Man #24 - Thor: God of Thunder #19THOR: GOD OF THUNDER #19

Another sleeper, Thor: God of Thunder #19 may not be the first appearance of Minotaur, but it is Agger's premiere. The best part is that it is dirt cheap at the moment. There haven't been any graded sales since the 9.8s averaged $20 in August 2017, and that includes two variant covers. That's less than the cost of the grading alone for these comics. If Bale does get announced for the role of Agger, this will be a white-hot issue in no time.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This could turn out to be a similar case to Avengers #47 and #48. Ever since Marvel Studios announced that Kit Harrington was cast for the role of the Black Knight, those two issues have taken off at a legendary pace. Just like the Minotaur keys, the investment risk was minimal only a couple of years ago. 

I am not suggesting that either Iron Man #24 or Thor #19 will reach Avengers #48 heights. The fact is villain keys have a shorter upside than heroes' first appearances since, generally, the villains have a much shorter MCU duration. Still, those villain firsts can make bold moves overnight, and this is your chance to get in at ground zero before everyone suddenly cares about Minotaur.

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