As we turn the page on 2021, it's time to think about what comics we should consider investing in during the upcoming year. Without further ado, here are three books ripe for comic speculation in 2022!

Punisher #218: The First Appearance of Punisher as War Machine

Because of his violent nature, I wondered if Punisher would appear in the family-friendly Disney confines of the MCU. The first ten minutes of The Falcon & The Winter Soldier and the Marvel Zombies episode of What If? demonstrated that Kevin Feige isn't afraid to show our heroes straight up killing bad guys without compunction.

In addition (Spoiler alert if you haven't seen NWH or Hawkeye), we've recently seen Charlie Cox's Daredevil appear in Spider-Man: No Way Home and Vincent D'onofrio's Kingpin appear in Hawkeye. It's therefore reasonable to expect that Jon Bernthal's Punisher, another Marvel Netflix character, will appear at some point in 2022.

Some are predicting that will take place during the upcoming Moon Knight series, but I think it'll occur in Armor Wars. Feige gives fans what they want -- and we could see the iconic Punisher skull painted on the War Machine armor.

If this does happen, expect to see copies of Punisher #218 go through the roof. The Jon Bernthal photo variant of this issue is already quite expensive, but the Cover A is still affordable (NM copies selling for around $20 to $25 on eBay) and the lenticular variant is downright cheap (NM copies selling for around $10). Investing in several copies of a $10 book presents minimal risk and I could easily see a 200% to 300% return on investment if the Punisher does appear in Armor Wars. You could potentially make a 1000%+ ROI if you submit these books to CGC and get them back in time before the show debuts.

Amazing Spider-Man #1 (Vol. 2): The 1st Cameo Appearance of Silk

As we've seen in recent weeks, the first appearances of second-tier Spider-Man characters such as Spider-Man 2099 and Spider-Gwen can dominate the market. A few years ago, few cared about Spider-Man 2099; however, after having a major role in the recent Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse trailer, Amazing Spider-Man #365 has consistently appeared at the very top of GoCollect's Hottest Comics list for the past 30 days.

In comparison to Spider-Man 2099 and Spider-Gwen's first appearances, Silk's first appearance is relatively undervalued. Several CGC 9.8 copies of her first full appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #4 (Vol. 2) have recently sold for $299 on eBay. Her first cameo appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #1 (Vol. 2) doesn't cost that much more than cover price; you can purchase high-grade copies of this book for around $10.

As many know, Amazon Studios is currently producing an Amazon TV series for Silk. If Invincible is evidence of what Amazon can do with comic book properties, we shouldn't be surprised if the show is a success. if that is indeed the case, don't expect NM copies of Amazing Spider-Man #1 to remain at $10.

The Mighty Thor #365

Some readers may not consider this speculation since Throg made a cameo appearance during the fifth episode of Loki; however, I'm speculating that Throg will play a much more significant role in the MCU going forward. He fits Disney's formula perfectly -- he's cute, non-threatening, and makes fans laugh. He could easily become the next Baby Yoda, Rocket Raccoon, or Groot. We've already seen a Lego version of Throg; I predict that will only be the beginning of Throg-related merchandise.

In addition, there are only 18 CGC 9.8 copies of The Mighty Thor #365, which contains Throg's first appearance, on the CGC census. Clearly, investors aren't submitting copies of this book for grading; this could be an indication that investors are sleeping on this character. You can purchase copies of this book on eBay for around $20 to $40.

I've also invested in several copies of Thor #364, the first appearance of Simon Walterson, a frog who later becomes Throg, and Thor #366, Throg's first cover appearance.

Where is your comic speculation journey headed in 2022? Please tell us in the comments section below!

*Any comic speculation or investment advice contained within this blog is that of the freelance author and does not represent opinions or advice from GoCollect.