Batman villains dominated the sales charts this week as the first appearances of Punchline and Man-Bat made the biggest moves on the Hottest Comics list.

Today’s list is all about the movers and shakers of the secondary market. Each week, GoCollect tracks the 1,001 best-selling comics from eBay. Of those 1k+ issues, these five gained the most positions of any comic. 

Don’t forget that these Hottest Comics figures are based on sales volume, not fair market value. While a comic may be earning high prices, that does not necessarily mean it is selling many copies and vice versa.

44. YEAR OF THE VILLAIN: HELL ARISEN #3 (+956)

Punchline’s first full appearance was on fire this week. Collectors may have been banking on the Joker’s newest sidekick following Harley Quinn and ascending to full-blown superhero status.

There are also rumors going around that Warner Media and HBO Max are considering bringing Punchline to the live-action DCEU either as a supporting role or starring in her own series for the streaming service. Either way, it is keeping her in the spotlight, and that has collectors dishing out larger and larger sums to invest in her DC future.

Since mid-March, FMVs for the 9.8 graded Hell Arisen #3 have held steady for the most part. Ever since it crossed the $300 threshold on March 11, most copies have stayed anywhere from $250-$350. Over the past month, those prices are more consistently strolling through the $350 neighborhood. We have not seen any copies surpass last year’s high of $390, but with FMVs creeping up, it is only a matter of time until that happens.

50. DETECTIVE COMICS #400 (+949)

This is the biggest surprise on today’s list. After being largely ignored for quite some time, DC #400 was catapulted into the 50th position this week. What makes this issue special is it marked the first appearance of Man-Bat. Generally speaking, he has been one of Batman’s more overlooked villains, though he has maintained a modest fan base throughout the years. This week, the mutant bat finally got his time in the spotlight, and his debut comic is feeling the effects.

What could have this issue suddenly lighting up the Hottest Comics? To the best of my knowledge, I have not heard any rumors that Man-Bat is coming to live-action. However, the Man-Bat comic series is up to its fourth issue, and that could be giving the classic villain a share of the spotlight.

Another possibility is the backup story that showcases the first team-up between Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson. Nightwing’s latest solo series has been a hit among fans, and the latest issue featured a first appearance. The second print of that issue features Batgirl on the cover, and that could be another factor in DC #400’s surge.

All this attention has boosted the FMVs for most grades of DC #400. The 9.0, for one, is nearly at the $1k mark after selling for a record-high $900 earlier this year, and it has a 90-day average of $860. The 8.5’s progression is more impressive, as what was a $460 comic in 2019 has now reached the $650 stage. Even on the bottom end of things, the 2.5 - the lowest grade sold so far in 2021 - is selling for $150.

53. AVENGERS ANNUAL #10 (+947)

Rogue has remained one of the more popular characters in the past year, specifically among investors. With rumors flying about her introduction into the MCU, it has kept this issue on the move. The most prominent has been that she will be introduced apart from the X-Men and as a villain in the Captain Marvel sequel, which we now know will be titled “The Marvels.” With the new title comes new speculation, and the thought is that Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau, and Kamal Khan will all be featured in the movie.

What does that mean for Rogue? At first glance, you would think this would not leave enough room for her in a film that will likely be jam-packed with characters new and old. However, this could be the setup she needs to follow her comic origins. In Avengers Annual #10, she stole Carol’s powers. Carol was then succeeded by Monica as the MCU’s Ms. Marvel. Captain Danvers would regain her powers, and Monica would transcend into Photon. Having both Carol and Monica in the same movie could mean that Marvel Studios is following Avengers Annual #10, and that would mean Rogue will be in the film.

Until Marvel dispels the Rogue gossip, the higher grades of this comic will keep climbing. The 9.6 recently sold for $870 and $789. Compare that to last year, when it did not sell for more than $386, which happened to be a record at the time. If you are on a smaller budget, don’t fret; you can still get as high as a 7.0 for less than $100. That will not last for much longer, however.

61. HAWKEYE #1 (+939)

The Kate Bishop speculation has been popular for a while now, but the recent set photos of her in costume only ups the ante. It doesn’t hurt that the word on the internet is that the MCU’s Clint Barton will retire his bow and arrow by the end of the Hawkeye Disney+ series, handing the reins to Kate as the official version of the character. 

Obviously, the bigger Kate Bishop key is Young Avengers #1, but this comic makes for a much cheaper alternative. Although it is not her first appearance, Hawkeye #1 not only features a classic Kate cover, but it also has the debut of Ramone Watts, who would later gain powers of her own and join the West Coast Avengers as Alloy. 

It comes as no surprise that this issue has been rapidly inflating for the past couple of years. Two years ago, you could have owned a 9.8 for $56 on average. Over the past 90 days, that FMV has risen to $134, and the latest sales had $169 and $160 price tags. 

64. STAR WARS: HIGH REPUBLIC ADVENTURES #1 1:10 YAEL NATHAN RATIO VARIANT (+936)

Anything Star Wars is selling very well. Of course, that has been the case for a year and a half now. It’s not like that is news. What has all the SW comics on the go these days is the prospect of new characters being added to the Disney+ live-action realm. Practically every first appearance from a Star Wars comic of any era has taken off. It's no matter if it was published by Marvel, Dark Horse, or IDW. Suffice to say, the first issue of a new SW series promising all-new characters would be a monster in the sales department. 

Sure enough, Star Wars: The High Republic #1 and Star Wars: High Republic Adventures #1 both topped the sales charts when they first hit store shelves. Since then, collectors have been gunning for those first issues, which is why we see the 1:10 ratio variant getting a Hottest Comics boost this week. 

What is a ratio variant, you may be asking? It is an incentive for local comic shop owners to buy more copies of a single title. In this case, for every 10 copies of High Republic Adventures #1 an LCS owner ordered, Marvel/IDW included a copy of the Yael Nathan variant cover. While a 1:10 is not necessarily rare, it is harder to find than the standard cover, thus raising the values. Whereas the standard cover graded at a 9.8 averages $65, the retailer incentive 1:10 variant fetches $122.

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