The second round of Fantasy Investing is in the books, and Wolverine's Hulk #180 cameo came through in a big way this week. How are your picks holding up?

A DIFFERENT MINDSET

Adapting to weekly picks proved to be a challenge in the previous round. That calls for different strategies that focus on more immediate returns rather than looking at more long-term investments. For all you fantasy investors out there, it will pay dividends to keep track of the Hottest Comics and see what issues are suddenly getting those major boosts in sales. After all, when a comic moves up in sales volume, the fair market values tend to follow soon thereafter.

RECAP

In the last edition of Fantasy Investing, I wrote about hinging my investment strategy on that first cameo appearance of Wolverine in Hulk #180. The fact that it doesn’t warrant the same values as Hulk #181 worked out great for me. Last week, I downgraded to a 4.5 with an investment of $600 in order to fund a 9.8 copy of Carnage’s first appearance. Over the course of seven days, that 4.5 nearly doubled to $1,100. That helped make up for last time’s lackluster performance. It just proves to me that centering my investments around Wolverine is still the safest choice.

Overall, it was a much better week for the Temple of Tuck. My biggest investment, a 9.8 ASM #361, underperformed with a very modest $50 bump in FMV, but the first appearance of Falcon in Captain America #117  helped bring up the total profit margin. The 6.5 got a $50 FMV increase of its own. Add that to the $500 profit from Hulk #180, and the picks were looking good.

The problem remains X-Men #129. Overall, this is a hot comic and the FMVs are all going to go up...eventually. Here we are with another week of slacking, and my 9.0 took a $95 hit, dropping from $375 to $280. 

THE NEW STRATEGY

As much as it pains me, I am selling my 9.0 X-Men #129 for its current FMV of $280. I am reinvesting that amount in a 9.8 copy of the Bitter Root #1 standard cover. Why this one? Last week, it was announced that Regina King, who stole the show in HBO Max’s Watchmen series, would direct a feature film adaptation of the comic. That has given it a quick spike, and $140 for a 9.8 is a small price for the profits it is capable of attaining.

That left me with $140 to spend, and I decided to upgrade Cap #117 from a 6.5 to a 7.0 for $850. That leaves me with $15 leftover.

THIS WEEK’S PICKS:

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #361 (9.8)
CURRENT FMV: $1,450

INCREDIBLE HULK #180 (4.5)
CURRENT FMV: $1,100

CAPTAIN AMERICA #117 (7.0)
CURRENT FMV: $850

BITTER ROOT #1 STANDARD COVER (9.8)
CURRENT FMV: $140

LAST WEEK’S TOTAL: $3,040/$3,555
PROFIT: $505
THIS WEEK’S TOTAL INVESTMENT: $3,540

THE GOCOLLECT MEMBER PICKS:

Each week, we will spotlight up to five players’ picks. Get your picks updated by midnight on Sunday if you would like a chance to be featured in next week’s post. Hats off to ComicbookCollect, who dominated the first game last year.

**Comicbookcollect.wordpress.com WINNER

New Budget= $3025
Something is Killing the Children #1 (2019) $550/$425
Lady Killer #1 (2015) 9.8 $180/$400
Conan the Barbarian #23 (1973) 9.6 $625/$825
Strange Tales #159 (1967) 9.0 $375/$375
Sweet Tooth #1 (2009) 9.8 $500/$525
Mighty Avengers #1 (2013) 9.8 $170/$170
Journey into Mystery #85 (1962) 1.0 $625/$625
Total $3025
Profit: $320
Grand Total: $3,345

Jeff

Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel #1 9.6 – $750/$525
Marvel Comics Presents #72 9.6 – $100/$250
Wolverine #1 (1982) 9.6 – $280/$300
Wolverine #1 (1988) 9.8 – $350/$350
Uncanny X-Men #133 9.6 – $190/$190
Hulk #340 9.6 – $550/$550
Hulk #1 (std cover) (2008) 9.8 – $270/$280
Amazing Spider-Man #361 9.6 – $500/$550
Total = $2990
Profit: $5
Grand Total: $2995

**Ilya from OWC

New Budget: $2,975
Wolverine #1 in 9.8 = $575/$650
She-Hulk #1 in 9.8 = $900/$900
ASM #252 in 9.8 = $1,250/$1,300
ASM #360 in 9.8 = $230/$350
Total Spent = $2,955
Profit= $245
Grand Total= $3,200

**Tom Puangpee

Selling my Green Lantern #87 7.5– $725
Purchasing:
X-Men #129 – 9.4 – $500/$425
Amazing Spider-Man #361 – 8.0 – $220/$210
Keeping:
Tomb of Dracula #10 – 8.0 – $1850/$1350
Ultimate Fallout #4 – 9.4 – $450/$500
Shazam #28 – 9.0 – $375/$375
Total= $3,395
Profit=   -$535
Grand Total= $2,860

**John 

Incredible Hulk #180, 5.0 – $1100/$1150
Wolverine #1, 9.8 – $600/$650
ASM #361, 9.8 – $1250/$1450
Total= $2,950
Profit= $300
Grand Total=$3,250

JOIN THE GAME

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

  1. This 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.

Upgrade to Premium and join the next round! Think you've got what it takes?