Once again, a DC character’s first appearance rocked the collecting world as Static’s debut was the single hottest comic on the market, gaining nearly 1,000 places. Meanwhile, the Avengers and Monica Rambeau kept a close pace as their premieres were kept under watchful eyes in this week’s Hottest Comics.

It’s time again for the Hottest Comics. In this blog series, we break down the true movers and shakers of the market and list the five comics that showed the most growth in the past seven days. Don’t forget that these are based on sales volume, not fair market value, and that oftentimes helps those issues outpace some bigger keys.

On that note, let’s dive into the data.

23. STATIC #1 COLLECTOR’S EDITION (+976)

Collectors are back on the Static bandwagon, it would seem.

A few weeks ago, this was one of the best-selling comics on the market, spurred on by the news that a live-action Static movie was in the works. The fire was truly lit when Michael B. Jordan, Hollywood’s current “it” actor, attached his name to the project as a producer. 

Since then, this comic has been hit or miss with collectors. Just as soon as it mounts a flurry of offense and jumps to the top of the list, it will fall on hard times and become one of the bottom dwellers. I see this all being an issue with publicity. There hasn’t been much news since Jordan signed on to help produce the Static movie. While that created some attention, having a marquee name simply to produce is not earth-shaking news. Until the lead is cast or we get some news on the plot, then I predict Static #1 will continue to bounce from the top of the Hottest Comics to the bottom and back again.

Over the past three months, there have been 46 sales of graded 9.8s of the collector’s edition.  It is definitely the cover to have. In that time, it has amassed an average of $265. By today’s market standards, that is not a bad price for a character with such potential. If you don’t mind dropping the grade to a 9.4, you can have a collector’s edition for $110 based on the most recent sales prices.

25. AVENGERS #1 (+975)

Not that the Avengers’ first team appearance wasn’t popular before, but the MCU took this holy grail key issue to an entirely new level. Even though the team was decimated by the closing moments of Endgame, the Avengers will live on with a new cast of characters. Of course, this is what they have done in the comics, having a revolving door of heroes joining the team. At this point, everyone is or has been an Avenger. With that playing out in the MCU, it will keep Avengers #1 at the top of the heap when it comes to holy grails.

Typically, those mega-expensive key issues run in the mid-pack and oftentimes the tail of the Hottest Comics. That is not to say they are not popular, but they are just too expensive for the average collector. When a 0.5 with a missing page sells for $1,400, that puts it in a different class altogether. Only days ago, a lowly 1.0 brought an astounding $1,625, while a 1.5 earned $2,750. Think that’s pricey? Look at the 5.0, the highest grade sold in May, which brought $8,000 on April 27.

29. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #16 (+970)

The Marvels has comic fans buzzing about Monca Rambeau. After her heroic turn in WandaVision, Monica is quickly building a fan base, and it appears that the upcoming movie will solidify her as a full-fledged superhero. In the comics, she took over as Ms. Marvel after Carol Danvers lost her powers to Rogue. Although she already has powers in the MCU, there is still a chance that she could ascend to the title role of the Captain Marvel movies. If nothing else, she may challenge Carol for the mantle or at least be christened with the name Photon. 

With all this Monica speculation, it leaves us to wonder if she will gain enough popularity to headline her own movie or Disney+ franchise. That is pushing collectors and investors to get their hands on her first appearance in ASM Annual #16. 

In the past week, the 9.8 has been setting the market on fire. On May 8, one brought a record $1,200. Three days later, another sold for $1,100. As usual, the better deal is the 9.6, which sold for $393 earlier this month. 

32. PREDATOR #1 (+967)

The only surprise here is how long it took for the Predator’s first comic appearance to ascend the ladder. 

The franchise made headlines last year when Marvel Comics announced it would be taking over publishing duties for the Predator comics. That gave Predator #1 a bump in FMV that will only become more pronounced. Later this year, Marvel will introduce its Predator by way of variant covers for many of its titles. That will lead to the company’s first Predator comic.

Marvel implored this same strategy with its Alien ongoing series, and the results were positive. The variant covers were a hit with collectors and Alien fans alike, and the first issue of Alien #1 sold well enough to warrant a second printing. It also helped push values for the xenomorph’s first comic appearances, and we can expect the same payoff for the Predator. That explains why collectors want to be part of the action.

Originally, the variants and the first Marvel Predator comic were slated for a May release, but that was mysteriously pushed back to November with no explanation. There is some speculation that it is connected to the pending lawsuit filed by Jim and John Thomas, authors of the original 1986 Predator screenplay, regarding ownership of the property. Depending on how that is resolved, there could be more delays.

Lawsuits or not, Predator #1 is on fire. Back in March, a 9.8 sold for a record-high $1,000. Since then, it has steadily maintained in the $900 range. Are you looking for a copy, but you aren’t willing to invest that much? Take a closer look at the 9.6. For basically the same grade, at least to the naked eye, you will part with a much smaller price. In fact, the last 9.6 to trade hands went for just $180.

42. TOMB OF DRACULA #10 (+958)

As fans gear up for Mahershala Ali’s turn as the Daywalker, collectors and investors are buying every copy of Tomb of Dracula #10 they can find. 

No matter what Marvel puts on this screen, it is a hit. With the Blade franchise, we already know that the character can star in his own solo franchise and earn a profit. Putting Blade under the MCU banner and connecting him to the greater cinematic universe will only enhance the property. By the time the first trailers are released, we can expect TOD #10 to double or even triple in value. That’s why collectors are willing to spend large sums to claim one for themselves.

To this point, Blade’s first appearance has been on fire. Earlier this month, a 9.4 earned $5,725, outpacing the previous high by some $1,300 in the process. For that matter, a 9.2, which peaked at $2,475 last year, has now become a $4,400 comic. 

It’s not just the high grades feeling the MCU flames. The 6.0 is now selling in the $1,300 range, while a low-grade 4.0 is beginning to approach the $1k mark. For the matter, a 1.8 sold for $300 just this month.

What did you think about this week's Hottest Comics list? Let us know in the comments!