Shorting a stock is essentially just betting against it somehow. You can buy a put or sell a covered call and bet the company's stock collapses based on whatever your premise is. But how do you short a comic book? Do you sell it immediately, or only after a particular sign or tell about the comic? Comic books increase value with media hype and customer loyalty for the most part. The most significant degree of hype you can get for a comic is the first appearance in a new movie. I am thinking of the build-up to the Avengers movie for Avengers #1. Even more recently, the media explosion for all things Thanos, and Infinity War. Hence, the related issue Infinity Gauntlet #1 price increase. As a speculator, you need to short comics, when the inverse to positive news happens. If there is an adverse event and it changes the investment landscape; then ROI will decrease rapidly. Is there an indicator to spot weaker issues before they collapse down the price decrease wormhole?
Guardians of the Galaxy has had its big movie premiere not just once but twice and seemingly will be taking a backseat to Venom going forward. The media hype for Guardians of the Galaxy has died since the first premiere. Who doesn't love Chris Pratt in this role? But even he can't save the day as Starlord. The movie Guardians 2 was kinda week in my opinion. The beginning of a severe decay in popularity and a potential catalyst for adverse change.
The hits keep coming James Gunn's is rumored to have been removed from the projects directing, and or more importantly, writing. Terrible news, because he was a lot of the impetus for the first two successes in the Guardians franchise. Finally, when Captain Marvel shows it will suck all the oxygen out of the spaceship for the first self-titled comic book Guardians of the Galaxy #1 (1990). Already a (9.4) grade is slowing a loss -7% of its value. With a lack of creative spark in the second movie, firing the original director and writer, and other franchises distracting attention; this will alter the trajectory for the Guardians towards a collision course with terra firma. Avoid this galactic nosedive and sell your copy at once.
The Amazing Spider-Man #797 (Design Variant Leg)
This comic and all its like variant covers have dropped precipitously now that the storyline has ended and the writer has moved to another book. The Amazing Spider-Man #797 (Design Variant Leg) was created by Dan Slott (script) and Stuart Immonen (art). This book was hot until the end of Slott's run on Spidey. Many of the first copies sold out before you could even buy a second copy at your local comic shop. The old adage, "what goes up, must come down" was never truer than with this Amazing Spider-Man #797 (Design Variant Leg). This book has lost -34.1% over the last five months for near mint to mint (9.8). The next grade (9.6) has lost -14% ROI for this "exclusive" variant. Slott's run on Spidey is over and therefore, the prices drop. Sell ASM #727 now while it is still cooling off, don't be stuck with another variant that goes nowhere.
Iron Fist the TV show leaves a lot to be desired. The actor that plays Iron Fist (Finn Jones) is a great actor but just wrong for the part. They needed another Chris Evans, with proper muscle mass and intensity, not a pretty boy. Good lord, the lack of physical credibility has ruined the show and made it not believable. Not to mention lacking in creative storytelling. Marvel has knocked hit shows out of the park like Babe Ruth. But on the Iron Fist saga, they have sorely lacked, and It has begun to decrease the value of his comics.
The first appearance of Iron Fist is in Marvel Premiere #15. Currently, this comic book in grades between (7.0) to (3.5) has losses as high as -40% FMV. With the entire lower grades losing money and the upper grades showing slight gains (9.6) at positive +13%, this is the opening salvo of continued losses. Right now this book has participated in the big run-up to the series. It is only a matter of time before the higher grades (and prices) follow suit and drop. Remember the catalyst for a new series pushed this book up toward the mystical Ku'n Lu'n in the sky. Now it is going to plummet back to earth, and speculators need to pull the ripcord now to avoid become speculation meteorites.
