It’s the year-end edition of the Hottest Comics blog, and Naomi and The Infinity Gauntlet made huge comebacks to close out 2020.

Over the final week of 2020, the Hottest Comics saw major changes in the top 10.

Amazing Spider-Man #129, the Punisher’s first appearance, took the top spot for the first time this year. Then there was Black Panther’s premiere in Fantastic Four #52 driving up 25 positions to reach third place.

Marvel Studios revealed that Riri Williams will be coming to live-action on Disney+, and that shot her first appearance in Iron Man #9  into fourth, gaining over 700 positions in the process.

While the top-five faced a mighty shakeup, five comics made gargantuan moves up the Hottest Comics ladder. A variant of Naomi #1 nearly made a 1,000-position leap to crack the top 10, while the premiere of the Infinity Gauntlet from 1990 was close behind. That makes these the two hottest comics thanks to their impressive momentum in the past week.

Today’s list is based on eBay sales from the past week. The following five comics showed the biggest gains in sales over the last seven days. This is not a reflection of a comic’s fair market value, but the two do tend to coincide.

10. NAOMI #1 VARIANT COVER (+990)

It took some time, but those Naomi first appearances are showing signs of life.

Initially, her debut comic set the collecting world on fire because DC had billed her as the next big thing. That fell flat, and the prices soon deflated. Now that Ava DuVernay is attached to a live-action Naomi series, speculators are fawning over her first appearance like it was 2019 again.

Buyers were specifically interested in the variant cover, which cracked the top 10 for the first time. It has been several weeks since the last time a comic has bordered on 1,000 spots, so fans were definitely gunning for Naomi. 

Overall, this issue has not gotten out of hand just yet. At a 9.8, the variant edition averages about $130. Those numbers put it in league with the numbers it was generating in the spring of 2019 when the Naomi speculation was at its height. 

Needing a copy but not willing to fork over $130 or more? Look no further than the 9.6. Over the last three months, that grade has averaged $79. You will want to act quickly. The price is inflating as it was a $55 comic most of this year, and the most recent sale was for $84.

17. SILVER SURFER #44 (+983)

For quite some time, the only Silver Surfer issues worth collecting have been the Silver Age gems. Suddenly, those 1990s Surfer comics have come back into play and are heating up.

This issue featured the first appearance of the Infinity Gauntlet, which is getting the most attention its had since Endgame hit theaters. Not only is Silver Surfer #44 raking up nearly 1,000 positions in the past week, but Infinity Gauntlet #1 made a comeback of its own and is ranked #19.

In 2018 when Thanos and his war on existence were conquering the worldwide box office, this issue had an FMV of $365 for a graded 9.8. After falling under $300 a year later, 2020 has seen it average $220. However, things are on the way up. The most recent sale was for $395 on December 26.

Not everyone will insist on purchasing a near-mint-plus grade. The 9.6 is much easier on the post-Christmas wallet as it averages $109 at the moment. Looking to save more? Opt for the 9.4, which has a 90-day FMV of $65. 

23. ABSOLUTE CARNAGE #1 VARIANT EDITION (+976)

Before the King in Black took over the Marvel Universe, there was Absolute Carnage in 2019. When it comes to Carnage, his aesthetic makes for great artwork. While the issue itself does not feature any key moments or first appearances, Carnage fans cannot get enough of that beautiful Stanley “Artgerm” Lau artwork.

As typical with event comics, there were many variants for Absolute Carnage #1. In the case of the Artgerm variant, the trade dress graded at a 9.8 has earned $44 since it was released. On December 7, one brought $46, which is not much above the grading fees. The real money is in the Artgerm virgin cover. That one is currently averaging $209 over the past three months. Still, that is a far cry from the $438 FMV from 2019. 

26. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #46 COMIC MINT EDITION (+973)

It won’t be long before Spider-Man's new costume’s debut in ASM #62 ascends the ranks. For now, collectors were eying the classic suit, and it was presented wonderfully on the Comic Mint variant for ASM #46. Like the Absolute Carnage variant, there is nothing particularly special about this issue.  That is, aside from the cover by fan-favorite artist Peach Momoko. 

Both the Comic Mint trade dress and the standard cover, both at 9.8s, generally sell for $50, give or take. If you have the virgin Momoko edition, that one is earning a bit more. Over the past 90 days, it has averaged $73.

30. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #51 (+970)

Kingpin has been one of the iconic villains of the Marvel Universe for decades, but the Netflix Daredevil series elevated the character to new heights of popularity. His first appearance in ASM #50 ranked #29 after making gains of its own, but that figure was overshadowed by the huge movements from ASM #51. This week, Kingpin’s second appearance moved up 970 places to be the fifth-most traded comic on eBay. At least as far as graded sales.

Like all second appearances, they are typically the consolation prize of the collecting world. While those follow-up appearances do not bring the glory of those debut comics in most cases, they tend to be much better priced. As Kingpin’s key issues heat up, it makes sense that his second appearance would be making waves. For those looking for a piece of Wilson Fisk’s history, ASM #51 is a bargain compared to ASM #50.

The lower grades are typically the bigger sellers for these Silver Age keys, but that’s not the case with ASM #51. This year, the 8.0 has been the best seller with 11 copies trading hands. On average, that 8.0 sells for $231 since last December. However, the past 90 days have seen that FMV increase to nearly $300, so it is on the way up.

The better option may be the 5.0. It will not look as clean as that 8.0, but those mid-grades can present well in a graded slab. The selling point here is the price. The 5.0 has a 90-day FMV of $95, and it last sold for $100 earlier this month. With its cheaper price, this grade could heat up very quickly because it is easier to come by.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Until there are casting announcements and official release dates tied to the Naomi series, anything could happen. With the DCEU having seemingly turned a corner over the past couple of years, it would seem that Naomi will come to live-action. Then again, how many years have we been waiting for that DuVernay New Gods movie? The point is, those escalating prices hinge on whether or not Time-Warner/DC follows through on the project. For now, the sales will remain steady as long as there is a flow of Naomi news from the DC camp.

The two variants on today’s list will likely fall off their scorching paces as variants tend to do, but Kingpin's key issues will stay a fixture in the top 100 hottest comics list.

Of all the comics on today's list, I am most curious to see how those Infinity Gauntlet keys fare in the coming weeks.