Dreadstar #10 ascended the Hottest Comics rankings, surprising the market with a huge push up the ladder.

Sometimes, an overlooked issue can take the market by storm. A forgotten 1980s Marvel imprint blasted its way through the Hottest Comics, landing Dreadstar #10 nearly to the head of the table. Behind that cosmic adventure, an Immortal Hulk variant kept pace and pushed into the top 10 as well.

As always those MCU rumors kept the market on alert as Nova's first appearance, as well as two Silver Age Spider-Man comics, made tremendous moves of their own.

WHAT ARE THE HOTTEST COMICS?

It’s all about the volume. Oftentimes in the collecting world, we focus on comics’ values to gauge the state of the market, which makes sense. Alongside that, it pays to stay connected to the number of copies being sold to keep an eye on what’s hot and what’s not. That is the true value of the Hottest Comics index.

With that in mind, it is time to dive into this week’s data.

2. DREADSTAR #10 (+997)

This week’s top mover and single hottest comic rushed into the mix like a freight train. Seemingly overnight, Dreadstar #10 plowed through the competition on its way into the top 10. It came within three spots of climbing 1,000 rungs up the ladder, and it very nearly overtook Eternals #1 for the #1 position. So what’s so special about it?

The first issue of Dreadstar introduced the character of Vanth Dreadstar and was the first comic published under one of Marvel’s imprints, Epic Comics. The series was created by the legendary Jim Starlin, who also created Thanos. Now, Dreadstar is set to make a return to the world of comics with Dreadstar Returns, which will be a 100-page graphic novel rather than a full series that is funded through a Kickstarter campaign. 

With the attention being placed on Dreadstar, it has sent collectors on a scavenger hunt for those 1980s classic issues. Six years ago, the word was that Dreadstar was getting a movie, but that apparently fizzled out. The newfound attention could reignite the rumors and send those Dreadstar keys into the stratosphere.

When it comes to fair market values, things are not so impressive. There have only been two graded sales so far this year. Most recently, a 9.6 sold for $23 in June while a 9.8 brought $35 in January. If those prices aren’t cheap enough, you can own a raw copy for less than $4.

Unless there is something significant about Dreadstar #10 that I am missing, I imagine this issue will take a tumble by next week. For the moment, it’s fun to see such a random issue steal the spotlight.

5. IMMORTAL HULK #16 BENNETT VARIANT (+994)

The 1:25 transformation variant for Immortal Hulk #16  was red hot this week. Some of that success could be from the first appearance of Red Harpy, a twisted version of Red She-Hulk. Throughout Al Ewing and Joe Bennett’s Immortal Hulk run, they have put a horror spin on the classic character, and that extended outside just the Green Goliath.

While the series did not create Red She-Hulk, Ewing and Bennett transformed her into Red Harpy, a monstrous version of the character that would tear out Hulk’s heart. 

This particular variant embodied much of what fans appreciated about the Ewing/Bennett Hulk era. It was grotesque and familiar since it is the Bruce Banner/Hulk transformation presented in a way not seen before. The only way to get this comic (besides eBay) was if your local comic shop ordered enough copies to warrant Marvel adding it to the shipment. Being a 1:25 ratio variant, each store would get one Bennett edition for every 25 copies of the standard cover that were purchased.

Two years ago, this issue was on the way up. The 9.8 reached a record-high $186 over 38 sales in 2019. Last year, things slowed down, and it didn’t begin to reheat until March when it suddenly jumped from the $60-$80 range and into the triple digits. The most recent sale was for $125, which is the highest it's been since 2019.

8. NOVA #1 (+992)

The man called Nova blasted his way to the front of the line. After a low week that saw Nova #1 dip to the bottom of the rankings, his first appearance took off and cracked the top 10.

This has been one of the bigger speculative issues over the past couple of years. Since the MCU has gone more cosmic lately, there have been rumors galore that Nova would be coming to the big screen sometime in the near future. There has been speculation that fans could see him in the third Guardians of the Galaxy film. 

All the rumors and spec have ignited the sales for this comic. At the end of May, a 9.8 sold for a record $2,470, though the most recent sale was for $1,560. As usual, the much better deal is for the 9.6, which sold for $491 in the past week. Still too much? Consider the 9.0. That particular grade is currently earning under $200.

12. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #5 (#987)

Silver Age Spider-Man comics are always safe investments, especially for one of those early issues. This one, in particular, is on the move thanks to movie rumors for both the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home and Fantastic Four. While nothing has been stated about Doctor Doom’s role in the MCU, there are plenty of rumors surrounding the Latverian dictator. I would not be surprised if there is a theory of him appearing in No Way Home, though that would be a longshot.

With all the Doctor Doom keys getting more expensive by the month, ASM #5, although far from cheap, is a better alternative. This issue featured the first meeting between the two Marvel mainstays, and it ranks as a minor key for both characters. That is why even the lowly 1.8 is nearly a $500 comic at the moment. Once the grade moves into the 3.0+ range, prices move into four-digit territory. Still, compared to Doom’s first appearance in FF #4, that is a deal.

13. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #14 (+987)

Speaking of No Way Home, there has been a rumor circulating for much of this year that directly impacts this issue. The word on the internet is that Willem Dafoe, who portrayed the Norman Osborn/Green Goblin in 2002’s Spider-Man, has been spotted on the NWH set. No one from Marvel Studios has confirmed it, so take that with a grain of sale.

Still, it does sound plausible. Since it is public knowledge that both Doctor Octopus and Electro from the Sony-verse will be appearing in NWH, it does lend credibility to the Green Goblin speculation. That has, in turn, had a direct impact on sales for ASM #14.

With or without the movie rumors, the first appearance of Spider-Man’s most iconic villain will always be an expensive comic. Add the new movie speculation into the equation, and those values multiply.  

Two years ago, that grade averaged $510, which is a respectable figure for such a famous villain. Just last month, another 1.0 sold for $1,400, nearly tripling that 2019 FMV. By the time the grade reaches the 4.5 mark, prices skyrocket into the $3k territory. The highest grade sold so far in 2021 has been the 9.4, which sold for over $28,000 in April. And to think that it was half that price in 2019. With prices rising at this rate based solely on a rumor, just imagine where prices will be if, indeed, Dafoe arrives in the MCU if only for a cameo.

Did you buy any Hottest Comics this week? Tell us about your collection in the comments!