SPOILER ALERT. DON’T SAY WE DIDN’T WARN YOU.
That cat is out of its proverbial bag. Some would argue the cat was never in the bag to begin with, considering the on-the-nose allusions to Marvel’s boss of bosses. (Being a cat, it probably got itself stuck in the bag.)
After four episodes of buildup, Hawkeye produced Maya Lopez’s mysterious “Uncle” who also happens to be New York’s resident crime lord: Kingpin. We only see him for a moment in a still shot with Kate Bishop’s mom, Eleanor, but Clint Barton confirms he is the one and only Wilson Fisk. Now the wait is on for Daredevil to come snooping.
On that note, let’s dive into the data for three keys you’ll want on your Christmas list.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #50
Whether or not you saw Episode Five’s big reveal coming from a mile away, it was still a major moment to see what appears to be Vincent D’Onofrio back in his most popular role. Kingpin’s return to the MCU will have shockwaves for the cinematic future, particularly as we approach the Echo release date. In the meantime, the game is now afoot to collect the king of Wilson Fisk keys, ASM #50.
If you are looking for a graded copy, be prepared to spend most of your Christmas budget. Just yesterday, a 4.5 sold for $1,195. A raw copy advertised in the “very good” range brought almost $900 the same day.
BLACK WIDOW #1 (J.G. JONES VARIANT)
The majority of the excitement for this week’s Hawkeye centers on Fisk, and for good reason. However, the real star of the episode was Yelena Belova. We discover that she was a victim of Thanos’ snap with the Infinity Gauntlet, known in-story as “the Blip.”
What makes for the most fascinating viewing is seeing the experience through her eyes as she is dusted away only to return to five years later. From Yelena’s perspective, she never left, yet she has to rebuild her entire life.
As far as collecting, there’s no surpassing her first cover appearance on the J.G. Jones variant of Black Widow #1. Last week, a graded 9.8 earned $550 on eBay.
TALES OF SUSPENSE #98
Another plot development with implications for the final episode came when Yelena discovered that she was hired by Eleanor Bishop. This plays into the theory that Kate’s mom is not the innocent bystander she appears to be. In fact, many viewers believe she is actually the Silver Age Iron Man villain, Madame Masque. If that is the case, we will likely get the answer in next week’s season (and possibly series) finale. In the meantime, collectors are stockpiling Tales of Suspense #98.
At the moment, the prices have not taken off for TOS #98. Most raw copies have been selling for $50-$100, while the last graded comic - an 8.5 - brought $290 on December 12.
RETURN OF THE NETFLIX-VERSE?
Kevin Feige previously announced that Charlie Cox would be the MCU’s one and only Daredevil, and it appears D’Onofrio is back as Wilson Fisk. Does that mean we will see other characters from the former Netflix Marvel series? Those rumors of Jon Bernthal being involved in Armor Wars don’t sound so far-fetched now.
