The news spread like wildfire Wednesday. Thespian extraordinaire Cate Blanchett will reprise her role as Hela in an official MCU appearance in What If…? season two. Although the details are scant, it should thrill fans who were certain we’d never see the Norse goddess after the events of 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. Will she last more than a single episode? We’ll have to wait and see.
The report was made official this week, but there’s been rumors of more than just Hela returning since the summer. Back in July, reports circulated that not only would Thor’s long-lost sister be back for another tour of duty, but so would the All-Father, Odin. While Anthony Hopkins has not been confirmed, it stands to reason that he would also join the voice cast if that rumor pans out.
It’s easy to dismiss this as just a one-off appearance. Certainly, Thor’s childish, slapstick adventure in What If…? season one was almost unanimously proclaimed the worst entry in the show, and one that is easily forgettable. However, as we have seen throughout Phase Four, there’s potential for all the Multiversal characters from the animated universe to find life outside the confines of What If…?. We’ve seen Captain Carter in Multiverse of Madness and the Marvel Zombies will be starring in their own cartoon. That leaves plenty of questions about how Hela and possibly Odin’s returns will affect The Multiverse Saga.
With that in mind, it could pay to get your hands on Hela’s key issues while the market is down.
JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #102
At the top of the list is Journey into Mystery #102 featuring the first appearance of Hela. Obviously, this issue peaked five years ago with Ragnarok. Since she died at the end of the movie, the investment speculation died along with her. Such is the shelf life of comic book villains. In this case, there could be a renewed interest in JIM #102, especially if there’s an indication that more is yet to come.
To this point, there hadn’t been much in the way of sales for 2022. The highest grade sold in recent weeks has been the 9.4, which brought $3,600 on October 25. Surprisingly, that was a huge leap from two years ago when it sold for $1,975. If you’re looking to keep the budget below four figures, the 6.0 last sold for just $240.
THOR #150
Another great addition to your Hela collection is her first cover appearance on 1968’s Thor #150. As an added bonus, this issue also features the Inhumans’ origin story. Despite their prospects of making an MCU comeback are slim at best, you never know what the future may hold, especially with the Multiverse involved.
Anytime you have the first cover art for a popular character, it makes these prime targets for collectors and investors alike. In this case, it is a worthy addition to your long boxes for a smaller price. You can go all the way up to a graded 8.0 and walk away with a nice copy for $250 based on the most recent sale.
RAISING HELA
What does the future hold for Blanchett and Hela? It’s too early to tell, but don’t be so sure she won’t play a larger role going forward. Hopefully, we’ll see more of her than just one episode of What If…?. Even better, maybe it will be an improvement over Thor’s entry from last season.
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