Those Multiverse of Madness keys were hit hard this week as both the Illuminati and America Chavez’s first appearances fell to the wayside. Here's a look at the Coldest Comics of the past 30 days.

The Marvel hype machine giveth and the hype machine taketh away. Once the thrill of the latest Marvel Studios CGI extravaganza dies down, those inflated comic prices usually take a downward turn. This week, MOM put the brakes on two issues that were the talk of the comic community only a couple months ago. Meanwhile, one of the hottest Thor: Love and Thunder keys suffered a setback as well.

What are the Coldest Comics? It’s the law of opposites in the comic collecting world, and where there is hot, there must be cold. The Hottest Comics index ranks the top 100 best-selling single issues across eBay. On the Coldest Comics blog, we take a look at the comics that suffered the biggest falls using the 30-day data. 

71. NEW AVENGERS #7 (-57)

The post-MOM fallout was in full effect this week, and it began with the Illuminati. Considering how unceremoniously the group was extinguished, it makes sense that New Avengers #7 ranks as the single Coldest Comic of the week. 

The Marvel fandom has been divided on Multiverse of Madness. While many appreciated Sam Raimi’s zany, comical aspect with hints of horror that he brought to the table, the handling of the characters was drawn into question. Besides Scarlet Witch’s sudden turn to the dark side and her seeming demise (although we all know she isn’t actually gone), the biggest complaint was the Illuminati’s ignominious MCU entrance and quick exit. 

Leading to the movie’s release, the tease of Patrick Stewart’s Professor X and the Illuminati had the world buzzing. Just before the MOM premiere, leaked footage spoiled the arrivals of Mister Fantastic, Captain Carter, and Maria Rambeau as Captain Marvel along with the return of Black Bolt. In what could be another joke that Marvel Studios played on its audience, the Scarlet Witch murdered them one after another. Granted, it was entertaining, but it was such a tragic waste of what could have been a major MCU moment.

No doubt, that is the culprit behind New Avengers #7’s dramatic crash. For the past year, the graded 9.8 had averaged $348. In April and into May, it was routinely selling for $400-$450. The past month has seen that average fall to $205.

99. VENGEANCE #1 (-54)

Multiverse of Madness may have taken the wind out of the sails for all those New Avengers #7 investors and speculators, but there is still hope for America Chavez. As campy as her MOM debut may have been, at least she survived the ordeal. By the end of the movie, she was fully powered and seemed poised for bigger things in the MCU. Despite lagging sales for the time being, it’s her association with a couple of teams that should help this comic rebound in the coming months.

All last year, it was apparent that Marvel Studios was introducing the Young Avengers. As certain as we all were that the teenagers were on their way to the MCU, the recent Wonder Man news has reignited the speculation for the West Coast Avengers. While America may not be the first character associated with the team, she, Kate Bishop, and Clint Barton were part of the updated 2018 lineup. 

With those superteams lining up for their live-action debut, America will likely be one of the featured characters when that happens. At the moment, her first appearance in Vengeance #1 is suffering from the usual post-movie slump. Still, the prices for a graded 9.8 remain in the $800-$900 range throughout June. That is a departure from the 12-month $1,251 FMV, but this is standard procedure after the movie hype has quieted.

81. WHAT IF…? #10 (-49)

Out of all five Coldest Comics, What If…? #10 may be the biggest surprise. 

The excitement for Thor: Love and Thunder is boiling over with the latest trailers, and fans are ready to see Jane Foster take up Mjolnir as the Goddess of Thunder. Ever since Marvel first announced that Lady Thor would be front and center in the fourth Thor movie, collectors have been on the hunt for What If…? #10. Although it is an elseworld tale and not considered canon, investors and speculators marked this issue high on their wish lists since it was the first time Jane wielded Thor’s magic hammer. 

This week, Thordis’ premiere took a tumble in the rankings. Although it may have dropped almost 50 spots, the prices are still enjoying the move hype inflation. Like practically every other high-priced key on the market, What If…? #10 is feeling the effects of the overall economic hardship. Buyers aren’t spending as much on comics, and that has brought down values for many keys. On June 15, a graded 9.6 sold for $275, which was a significant decline from the $475-$500 price tags it was raking in only a month ago. 

78. GHOST RIDER #28 (-48)

What happened here? Just a few weeks ago, Ghost Rider #28 was on fire thanks to the gossip that the Midnight Sons would be coming together in the MCU. Couple that with the recent Midnight Suns gaming update, and this should be climbing, not falling. The group first stood together in a single frame as the Nine in this 1992 comic. That had collectors lining up to get their hands on a higher grade. Still, here it is on the Coldest Comics.

What could have caused it to take such a hard hit in this week’s rankings? As often happens, this could very well be another case of the Midnight Sons becoming old news. Marvel Studios churns out the announcements on practically a monthly basis. In the past two weeks alone, they have revealed plans to bring Wonder Man and the Thunderbolts to life in the MCU. That’s on top of the upcoming premieres of the numerous Disney+ streaming shows and this year’s movie lineup. With so many other investment and speculation darlings rolling in by the week, it takes the attention off unconfirmed gossip like we have in regards to the Midnight Sons.

If you have been debating buying a 9.8 for your collection, now could be an opportune moment. Over the past 12 months, it has sold for as much as $869 on its way to a $225 FMV. For the past month, that average has dropped to $161. 

62. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #316 (-37)

You would think that Sony’s Venom 3 announcement would be causing a sales spike for those symbiote keys, but Venom’s first full cover appearance took a slide. It all comes down to buyers having plenty of options when it comes to the sentient alien costume.

Since Spider-Man: No Way Home, it’s been the early symbiote appearances with Spider-Man sporting the black suit that has gotten the most attention. Granted, Venom’s keys never truly cool off thanks to his enduring popularity despite the bad movies, but the allure of Peter Parker and the Black Suit Saga being brought to life in the MCU has put a premium on issues like Secret Wars #8 and ASM #252. 

ASM #316 has been a hot key for the past couple of years now, and that status isn’t going to change. Fans love Venom; the more expensive his first appearances become, the more tempting his cover premiere is to potential buyers. Like virtually everything else on the market, prices are lower now than they were a year ago; the ASM #316 high grades are still expensive. Sure, the 9.8 was selling for over $1k this time in 2021, but it’s still earning $964 on average for the past 30 days.

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*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.