In a week when Miles Morales overtook Venom for the number one ranking and Darkhawk clung to the top 10, Namor blew the competition out of the water. And just like that, Fantastic Four #4 has become one of the hottest comics this week, jumping nearly 1,000 positions over the past seven days. The bigger question is, why? Why Fantastic Four? Not surprisingly, Marvel Studios and the MCU hold the clues to the answer.
As long as there have been Marvel movies, even before Iron Man kicked off the MCU, there has been talk of Namor on the big screen. With every wave of new rumors, his early appearances from the 1960s heat up. Now there is mysterious casting speculation that has propelled Fantastic Four #4 to new heights.
What are the Hottest Comics rankings? It is the list of the biggest movers of the past week based on sales data. Using up-to-the-minute figures from eBay, these are the comics that had the biggest increases in sales volume.
18. FANTASTIC FOUR #4 (+981)
Just when we start to forget about Namor, he comes storming back into the mix, and his Silver Age key issues top the list.
Considering the Submariner (or Sub-Mariner, if your prefer) made his first newsstand appearance way back in Marvel Comics #1, it is safe to say that very few of us will ever hold a copy of that issue. The next best thing is to opt for his first Silver Age appearance in the pages of Fantastic Four #4.
At this time, Marvel’s first family ruled the comic industry. They set a standard for all of Marvel to follow, and Namor was introduced as a villain with eyes for Sue. With the MCU bracing for the FF’s arrival, will they bring Namor in tow? Instead, will he be labeled a mutant and added to the X-Men family of characters? Chances are neither since Kevin Feige has already stated that Namor’s movie/television rights are a labyrinth to navigate.
Despite that, possible casting news for Black Panther 2 has fans asking questions. As reported on November 21, Narcos star Tenoch Huerta is in talks to join the cast as a villain. Which villain is uncertain, but it has long been speculated that Namor would be the Black Panther's antagonist in the sequel, so any casting leads to that conclusion. That has helped propel sales and prices for Fantastic Four #4.
It appears that many of the high-grade sales came from a November 22 Heritage auction. On that day, a 9.4 sold for over $40k. During the same sale, a 9.2 brought $24k, and an 8.5 sold for $11,500. The list keeps growing as a 7.5 went for $9,250, and a 6.0 sold for $4,100. The only sale from the past week that was not from Heritage Auctions was a 1.0 that had an $825 price tag from an eBay sale on November 18.
22. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #252 NEWSSTAND EDITION (+978)
All the Venom keys have been hot for years now. Sure, they ebb and flow with the tide of movie interests and whatnot, but Venom has ascended to arguably being the most popular character in all of Marvel Comics. Throughout the top 100 Hottest Comics, 20 of those are directly related to Venom. One of those happens to be Amazing Spider-Man #252, which is tied for the first appearance of the black suit in the normal Earth 616 universe.
This particular issue is not just any comic. This is the harder-to-find newsstand edition, which was sold alongside newspapers and magazines at newsstands, as well as grocery and convenience stores, as opposed to the direct editions that were exclusive to comic shops. These days, newsstand editions are collector’s gold and coveted because of their rarity. That inevitably brings up the prices, especially for hot keys like ASM #252.
When it comes to this comic, collectors were aiming for the near-mint grades. In fact, the lowest grade that traded hands in the last seven days was a 9.0. Being higher grades, it should not be surprising that they were pulling in large figures. Over the past week, a 9.8 newsstand ASM #252 sold for as much as $910.56 while the 9.6 has consistently sold in the $200-$300 range. Likewise, the 9.2 has brought over $150, and even the 9.0 has crossed the $100 threshold.
29. BLACK PANTHER #1 (+971)
MCU fans worldwide continue to mourn the unexpected passing of Chadwick Boseman, and that has left a void in the Black Panther fandom. Will Marvel recast the part of T’Challa? Will the mantle be passed to another character? If so, who? Those questions have created a scramble for anyone who may potentially inherit the Black Panther crown, and it also has renewed interest in those BP keys.
When the first appearance has gotten out of reach, what do you do? Move on to the other minor keys, like the character’s first solo title, which you will find in 1977’s Black Panther #1. Along with many of T’Challa’s keys, this issue has been a roller coaster in recent months. One week, it will surge in the rankings only to fall behind the next week. Will that trend continue? We shall see.
While the sales volume may be hit or miss, the fair market values for Black Panther #1 have been on the rise. The graded 9.8 set a year high with a $1,199 sale earlier this month. In fact, all but one grade for this landmark issue has seen an increase in the past 90 days compared to the 12-month averages. The only exception is the 7.0, which has a three-month FMV of $90, and that is still above last year’s $59 average.
32. X-MEN #120 (+968)
Last week, Alpha Flight #1, the team’s first self-titled series, was one of the hottest comics, rising over 900 positions. Continuing that trend, X-Men #120 has followed suit and surpassed that mark with a 968-spot gain.
What makes this issue special is it marked the first official appearance of the Canadian superteam. With rumors of mutants ruling the future MCU, Alpha Flight has been linked to a fair share of speculation, and it makes sense that this issue is suddenly in demand.
Not only has the sales volume risen, but the FMVs have been on the way up as well. The 9.8 recently set a record high after a $3,000 sale on November 18. Going all the way down the ladder, virtually every grade of X-Men #120 is seeing a boost in values in 2020. Even an 8.0 has passed the $100 mark, which speaks volumes about this comic’s popularity.
34. MARVEL SUPER-HEROES SECRET WARS #1 (+965)
Last week, I noted that the classic Secret Wars comics were quietly trending. After decades of being overshadowed by Secret Wars #8, in which Spider-Man found the alien symbiote that would become Venom, the other issues from the 1984-85 original series are gaining popularity in their own right. This could be from the persistent rumors that Marvel Studios will put together an onscreen Secret Wars adaptation.
If that is true, the MCU could also introduce an onscreen Beyonder, who made his cameo debut in this issue. Throughout this series, he was only a flash of light and a voice. Later though, he would get a body in Secret Wars II.
At a 9.8, Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #1 currently sits at a respectable $257 90-day average. If you are looking to save yourself a few dollars for the upcoming Christmas season, consider the 9.6. It is nearly the same high-quality grade but for a fraction of the cost. Currently, it has a 90-day FMV of $90, which is less than half that of the 9.8. Still too much? Scroll down to the 9.0, and you will find it selling for under $50 at the moment.
Fantastic Four is on top right now, but keep an eye out for next week's hottest picks.
