It is time for another round of Fantasy Investing. Where did your picks rank this week?

THE RECAP

One week, I’m on top; the next, I’m cleaning up the scraps. Such is the stock market that we call comic books. Such is fantasy investing.

Last time, I put most of my faith in Amazing Spider-Man #361. The logic was sound; after all, the new Venom trailer was still fresh on our minds, and we finally got a look at Woody Harrelson’s Cletus Kasady. Better yet, we were treated to a full view of Carnage in all his CGI glory. For the most part, he looked the part straight from the comics. 

The trouble is ASM #361 has been selling, certainly, but it has not been turning the profits that I had hoped for. Over the past two weeks, the 9.8’s FMV has risen by just $50, and that $1,450 price tag is getting heavy on my budget. 

On the other side, Hulk #180 was my saving grace. After a $650 investment, the 4.5’s FMV swelled to $1,100. That was more than enough to keep my investment in ASM #361 for at least one more round.

THIS WEEK’S RESULTS

Unfortunately, Hulk #180 had a sudden plummet, and I am still trying to figure out why. After ballooning to $1,100, that 4.5 fell flat this week and the profits went down to $875. The cornerstone of my strategy, ASM #361, showed signs of life, but $50 is just not enough to keep the $1k+ investment in Carnage’s first appearance.

My rock has been Sam Wilson’s debut in Captain America #117. That 7.0 has not set the market ablaze, but it has delivered week after week, even if for only marginal results. This week, it was pushed from $850 to $875, which was nice, but it did not make up for Hulk #180’s drop.

The one I am waiting to move forward is the standard edition of Bitter Root #1. The sales data still reflects March’s sales data, and that is why its 9.8 FMV remains at $140. Whenever the data is updated, that one should give my budget a win.

DIVERSIFYING THE PORTFOLIO

I need to turn things around, so I decided to spread the love. Goodbye, Carnage. Alas, I will miss you, but your $1,450 price tag is just too much to bear with the profit margin being so thin. Instead, I took that money and put it into the hotter symbiote book, Amazing Spider-Man #300. With an 8.0 earning $800, that left room in the budget for a 9.6 ASM #316, Venom’s first full cover appearance. 

The most fun pick of the week all hinges on the latest movie news. Another Robert Kirkman property is getting the live-action treatment, and it has the potential to make huge waves. This time, Hollywood is looking to adapt Hardcore for the big screen. I decided to invest a measly $12 in the 2012 Top Cow second print of Hardcore #1, which was the character’s first full appearance. 

THIS WEEK’S PICKS

INCREDIBLE HULK #180 (4.5) - CURRENT FMV: $875
CAPTAIN AMERICA #117 (7.0) - CURRENT FMV: $875
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #300 (8.0) - CURRENT FMV: $800
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #316 (9.6) - CURRENT FMV: $625BITTER ROOT #1 STANDARD EDITION (9.8)
CURRENT FMV: $140
HARDCORE #1 SECOND PRINT 2012 (9.8)
CURRENT FMV: $12
NEW BUDGET: $3,327 ($13 under budget)

MEMBER PICKS

Eddie:

ASM #300 9.4 = $1350/$1350    New X-Men #128 9.8 = $180/$190
Spawn #1 9.8 = $240/$250    Spawn #9 9.8 = $140/$140
ASM #344 9.8 = $300/$325   Hulk #1 (2008) 9.8 = $280/$280
ASM #238 8.5 = $500/$500
Total = $2,990
Profit = $45
Grand Total = $3,035

Brian:

Avengers #48 6.5 = $475/$800   Darth Vader #3 9.6 = $260/$240
ASM #194 7.0 = $268/$200  ASM #301 9.4 = $265/$120
ASM #201 9.2 = $177/$70  Edge of Spider-Verse #2 9.4 = $600/$625
Daredevil #7 7.0 = $925/$875
Total = $2,970
Profit =  -$40
Grand Total = $2,930

Ilya from OWC
Ok…its comeback time!
New Budget: $3,200
Wolverine #1 (1982) in 9.8 = $650/$700   She-Hulk #1 in 9.8 = $900/$1350
ASM #252 in 9.8 = $1300/$1700  X-Factor #6 in 9.8 = $350/$400
Total = $3,200!
Profit = $950
Grand Total = $4,150

John:

ASM #361 9.8 = $1450/$1450
Ultimate Fallout #4 9.4 = $850/$850
Marvel Premier #10 8.0 = $300/$300
Journey into Mystery #103 7.5 = $650/$650
Total = $3,250
Profit = 0
Grand Total = $3,250

Comicbookcollect.wordpress.com ** WINNER**

Venom vs. Carnage #1 (2004) 9.8 = $130/$140
Bitter Root #1 (2018) 9.8 = $140/$140
Venom: Lethal Protector #4 (1993) 9.8 = $110/$110
Amazing Spider-Man #55 (2021) 5.0 = $20/$16
Something is Killing the Children #1 (2019) 9.8 = $425/$425
Conan the Barbarian #23 (1973) 9.6 = $825/$875
Strange Tales #159 (1967) 9.0 = $375/$400
Sweet Tooth #1 (2009) 9.8 = $525/$825
Mighty Avengers #1 (2013) 9.8 = $170/$170
Journey into Mystery #85 (1962) 1.0 = $625/$1550
Total = $3,345
Profit = $1,306
Grand Total = $4,651

JOIN THE GAME!

Want to play? Follow the rules, and add your picks to the comments section.

  1. Fantasy investing is only for graded comics and their averages based on current values calculated by GoCollect.
  2. You can only buy one grade per comic, so no buying $3k’s worth of one hot book.
  3. Once you post your picks, they are locked until the following Sunday at midnight.
  4. You can have as many or as few comics as you like, as long as you don’t exceed the $3k budget.
  5. Only comics with a current GoCollect Fair Market Value can be used.
  6. Universal grades only; no CGC Signature Series or qualified grades.
  7. At the end of each week, the winner is determined by the biggest profit margin over the initial $3k budget. That will also determine your next week’s budget.
  8. Make moves. You have to sell at least one of your comics each week.
  9. Spend it or lose it. If you still have money left in your budget, it doesn’t carry over to the next round.

**All data current on the date of the writing of this post- 5/25/21

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