Which one is the true first appearance of Eddie Brock's son: Venom #7 or Venom #9? No matter which side of the debate you fall on, both these issues are great investments considering Donny Cates has teased "big important moments for newer characters" in the upcoming Absolute Carnage.
Want to start a riot in a comic convention? Loudly state your opinion on the cameo versus the full appearance debate, then walk away and watch the fireworks. This is the argument that is as old as the hobby itself, and it spawns the subtopic of which is more valuable, the cameo or the full appearance? In most cases, it's the first full appearance that earns the higher prices, and some collectors are highly opinionated on that front.
On that note, when I wrote "Affordable Modern Firsts," it created an interesting dialogue among collectors: which is the first appearance of Dylan Brock? Is it Venom #7 or Venom #9?
I said before that I leaned toward this issue as Dylan's first appearance, but the mighty CGC has spoken, and they don't agree with me. Venom #7 is officially listed as the first appearance of Dylan in cameo while Venom #9 is noted as Dylan's first full appearance.
Many collectors feel that a cameo is the "true" first appearance, and there's no more famous example than Incredible Hulk #180 and Incredible Hulk #181. In the final panel of Hulk #180, we see the first published drawing of Wolverine in Marvel continuity (I'm avoiding the argument that Wolverine was created for a fan contest in Foom #2; I'm referring to his debut in a story arc).
CGC acknowledges Hulk #180 as the first appearance of Wolverine in cameo, while Hulk #181 earns the bigger values as it is officially deemed as his first full appearance. He's featured in both comics, so which one is his "true" premiere? I see Hulk #180 as his debut though it is used as a teaser for Hulk #181, which is why the latter is the more valuable of the two. It's a similar case with the Dylan Brock firsts, with issue #9 earning the bigger price tags because it is designated as the first full appearance.
With that being said, you're going to want to pick up both issues in the near future. Current master of all things Venom Donny Cates hinted that something major is coming for "newer characters" in the Absolute Carnage crossover, and he specifically mentioned the issues of Venom and the main Absolute Carnage comics. The most obvious response is to say he's referring to Knull, but I'm predicting he's also referring to Dylan. Since the Venom symbiote separated from Eddie, does that mean it will bond with Dylan? Will he be the host of an all-new symbiote? Donny, you've got me intrigued.
Want more Venom and Knull content? Check out "The Venom #3 Third-Print Explosion."
If you're going to collect the Dylan Brock keys, then you're going to want this issue. The bonus is that it's nearly half the cost of the first full appearance. However, it is gradually rising. Only two days ago, a graded 9.8 of the standard cover sold for $55. Since mid-June, it has sold for between $70-$80 four times after it dipped a month prior to the $40-$50 range.
At the moment, the 90-day fair market value stands at $50, but I see this continuing to gain value as the signs point to Dylan becoming a more important character in the Venom-verse.
As I previously stated, CGC has recognized Venom #9 as Dylan's first full appearance. The past two months have seen this issue skyrocket and break its own records. Back in February, a 9.8 of the standard cover brought a then-record high $80. On May 11, one surpassed that with a $135 sale. That record was shattered on June 29 with the new high of $150. That gives it a 90-day average of $84 and climbing.
Even the second print is benefiting from the attention on Dylan. A 9.8 sold for $47 on May 20, which is just below the FMV of Venom #7.
