Those fad comics with their beefy prices dissuaded buyers this week, and the sales for Avengers #7 and Spider-Man 2099 #1 felt the icy chill of the Coldest Comics.

Sir Isaac Newton would be proud because the Hottest Comics has proven yet again that what goes up must come down. After blistering the secondary market, the first appearances of the Illuminati and the futuristic Spider-Man saw their sales plateau since last month. Let’s explore the reasons and the current coldest comics market.

How do we get these rankings? They are based on the Hottest Comics, which is a list of the 100 best-selling single issues across eBay. There’s more than just those climbing the ladder because we also get a snapshot of the issues that have lost their grip on the rungs. Step inside and peruse the comics that took the biggest drop over a 30-day span.

84. NEW AVENGERS #7 (-77)

Those fair market values could only hold for so long. Now it would seem that New Avengers #7 and the first appearance of the Illuminati has outpriced itself.

For weeks, this was the hottest comic around. Patrick Stewart’s voice in the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer seemingly confirmed the shadowy superteam. At this point, although Marvel has not officially confirmed the Illuminati’s role in the film, fans have taken it as a foregone conclusion that they are the council that drags Strange before them in handcuffs. Whether that is the case remains to be seen, but the speculation has driven the secondary market for New Avengers #7.

The problem with most suddenly-hot keys is that they get pricey virtually overnight. It sends an issue from being an affordable spec pick to ridiculously overvalued in a matter of weeks. For years, even the graded 9.8 stayed in the $40 range before the initial rumors began in 2020. The FMV climbed into $200 territory up until that famous Super Bowl ad in February. Since then, it’s consistently been a $400-$500 comic, which is the likely reason for its plummet this week. 

99. X-MEN, VOL. 2, #1 COLLECTOR’S EDITION (-66)

It was only two weeks ago that the collector’s edition of 1991’s X-Men #1 found itself at the bottom of the barrel. It locked in the dubious award for having lost the most positions of any single issue over the course of 30 days. Yet, only weeks before, it had been climbing the ranks. That leaves buyers with questions about why this issue has grown ice cold and found a place on this coldest comics list.

When it comes to most keys from the early ‘90s, the simplest explanation comes down to availability. There were so many copies of X-Men #1 on the market in ‘91. It still holds the Guinness World Record for the largest print run of any comic ever published. In fact, it practically started the variant craze that has seen a resurgence in the past decade. 

All things X-Men have been gaining popularity due to the MCU speculation. Between Stewart’s role in MOM and the cartoon revival, X-Men ‘97, buyers are circling the waters for anything brand X. It’s led to an uptick in sales for those X-Men #1s largely due to their prices being much more affordable than many X-keys. With so many choices, there’s always going to be someone left without a dance partner. In this instance, it’s the collector’s edition.

Over the last decade, the 9.8 collector’s edition was generally a $50 comic. There were occasional spikes that sent it to triple digits, but it would soon come back to reality. At least they did until May 2021. Prices began jumping over the $100 mark, and they have nearly reached $150 in a couple of instances. With so many other copies to choose from, it’s no wonder that buyers are looking at other options for what is becoming an increasingly riskier gamble.

64. OMEGA MEN #3 (-33)

Despite the complete lack of DCEU news and rumors for Lobo, his first appearance always manages to land inside the top-100 Hottest Comics. Some weeks are better than others for the Main Man, and this happens to be one of the colder ones. After climbing into the 31st position, Omega Men #3 saw the bottom drop out as it fell to 64th. 

Although this issue may have gotten the cold shoulder this week, that doesn’t make it a poor investment. I’d say it’s quite the opposite. With the rise of quirky characters with a comedic twist, the time is right for Lobo to ride his space Harley into the DCEU. James Gunn has indicated that he is not done with The Suicide Squad, and Lobo would be a gem in the writer/director’s hands. After all, Lobo’s a tongue-in-cheek comedy act in the comics, and that has translated well onto screens both big and small. 

Since last June, the mythical 9.8 has been staying close to $400. Prices took a modest dip this year back to the $350, though recent sales have been rebounding. If you are looking to save money, opt for the 9.6. The quality is virtually the same, and it has averaged $146 for the past month.

56. WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #1 (-32)

On practically any given week, you can find a wide assortment of symbiote keys scattered across the Hottest Comics. From Secret Wars #8 to Amazing Spider-Man #300 and all points in between, virtually every early Venom and symbiote appearance is somewhere in the top 100. 

Like the ‘91 X-Men #1, where there are so many keys to choose from, it’s only natural that some issues get left in the cold from time to time. Sometimes it’s been ASM #252, but this week the burden fell on Web of Spider-Man #1. 

There are so many rumors flying about Venom. On one hand, Tom Hardy is firmly planted in the Sony-verse, and a third movie is definitely going to happen. On the other hand, a piece of the alien costume was left in the MCU when Eddie Brock was caught in Doctor Strange’s spell in No Way Home. Does that mean there will be two Venoms between the Sony-verse and the MCU? Only Kevin Feige knows for sure, but it’s made for a hot market for all things Venom.

While a drop by more than 30 positions is noticeable, it’s not exactly a sign to panic. Web #1 will bounce back, and its place on the Coldest Comics list will be filled by another Venom key. Need a copy to call your own? At the top of the list is the 9.8, which has a $254 FMV since March. Of course, you can always go to the auction sites and find raw copies for less than $50 without much trouble.

52. SPIDER-MAN 2099 #1 (-25)

This week’s Coldest Comics list was filled with formerly hot items. We had New Avengers #7, and now we can add Spider-Man 2099 #1 to that list. 

What initially made this such a popular issue was last year’s reveal that, indeed, Miguel O’Hara from the 2099 universe would have a starring role in the animated sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The futuristic Spider-Man’s early appearances had already seen a price hike thanks to the mid-credits cameo in Into the Spider-Verse. Since then, there have been plenty of rumors about his next appearance. Some have speculated that a live-action series was in the works while others theorized he could appear in the MCU after a Loki Easter egg hinted at the 2099 timeline. When the news spread that Spider-Man 2099 would be front and center in Across the Spider-Verse, buyers lost their collective minds in their scramble for Miguel’s key issues.

That excitement brought with it escalating prices for what are fairly common issues. Like 1991’s X-Men #1, Spider-Man 2099 #1 had a large print run. Virtually every kid of the ‘90s had their copies because who could resist that awesome costume on the cover art? While the sales volume may have taken a brief hiatus, the prices remain high. Count yourself fortunate if you can find a graded 9.8 for under $200 at this point.

Have you added any of these Coldest Comics to your collection? Let us know in the comments!

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