Between What If…? and the Spider-Man 2 game trailer, the secondary market was put on alert this week. Surprisingly, three holy grail keys from the Silver Age ranked among the biggest movers and shakers. Are you ready to dive into this week's Hottest Comics analysis? Let's jump in.

As always, the Hottest Comics are based on sales volume, not sales prices. Despite having an escalating fair market value, that does not necessarily guarantee a spot on today’s list. This is all about the comics that gained the most ground from one week to the next. 

Oftentimes, there are at least a pair of surprising issues that suddenly rocketed through the index. This week, buyers were gunning for the major key issues, and apparently, money was not an object for many investors. Let’s take a closer look.

8. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #5 (+991)

Sony’s Playstation announcements sent shockwaves throughout the comic community. In response, collectors and investors rushed online to nab those mega keys that could tie into the game, placing this book squarely in the top tier of this Hottest Comics list.

These days, anything Spider-Man was already as hot as he could get. The Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer is still blowing minds with the introduction of villains from across the Multiverse. It’s been true for years that the Silver Age ASM issues are some of the most reliable investments on the market, and anything from the Steve Ditko era is particularly good to have. Narrowing it down even further, all the issues inside the first year of ASM’s publication have dollar signs all over them.

[caption id="attachment_142787" align="alignleft" width="403"] ASM #5 Sales Trends - GoCollect[/caption]

What makes it a perfect storm for this specific issue is Doctor Doom. At this point, Victor Von Doom was almost exclusively a Fantastic Four villain. Then came ASM #5, and Marvel began circulating the good doctor outside the pages of FF.

Considering the FF movie has been announced, fans are looking for any connection to Doom and how he will be brought to the MCU. This is pure speculation on my part, but the Multiverse allows for anything and everything under the Marvel banner and perhaps beyond.

Could we see a Doctor Doom Easter egg or other allusion in No Way Home? There’s nothing that says it couldn’t happen.

The prices are about what you would expect from a key of this magnitude. On Sunday, there were two graded sales for mid and lower grades. The first was a 3.0 that fetched $840, followed by a 5.0 that sold for an impressive $2,214. Just three days prior, an 8.0 sold for $7,555.

10. NOVA #1 (+989)

Those MCU rumors keep the market in a state of flux, but that is part of the fun that is the stock market of comic collecting. Ever since the Nova Corps was introduced in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, there have been rampant theories on Nova entering the MCU. Although there was no mention or tease of him in GOTG Vol. 2, many fans are wondering if he will make his debut in the third Guardians installment.

James Gunn has said that he loves Nova, and it would appear the stage is set for Richard Rider or any of the Novas throughout the decades. That is precisely why this issue will remain a popular key, at least until after fans get their fill of him in the MCU.

All things considered, the prices for Nova #1 are fairly reasonable. The most recent raw copies to trade hands on eBay have sold anywhere from $60 to $150, neither of which is necessarily a bad price. If you are set on having a graded 9.8, be ready to spend about $1,800. 

12. SPAWN #1 (+988)

Will we ever get that fabled Spawn horror movie? It was not long ago that Todd McFarlane appeared to have everything in place to finally bring his Spawn film to life. Blumhouse Productions was set to be the producers, and McFarlane had said he was insistent that he write and direct. Then came the casting announcements with high-profile actors. Spawn fans rejoiced because the memories of the horrendous Spawn live-action movie from 1997 would be laid to rest.

Then disaster struck, and McFarlane announced the deal was off, but he urged the fanbase not to give up hope. Here we are years later, and once again, it looks like a light at the end of the tunnel. Reportedly, a Sam and Twitch project is in the works. That’s not to mention the Spawn Universe that has created an even bigger spotlight for Image’s first hit character. Put it all together, and it amounts to more attention than Al Simmons has had in years. That explains why his first appearance was a bullet through the rankings this week.

Since the end of spring, values for the graded 9.8 have steadily held in the $200-$300 range. Granted, there was a random $456 that shattered records earlier this year, but that appears to be an outlier. Honestly, there are so many Spawn #1s available, there is no reason to pay that much for even a graded 9.8. Still, you can't deny its place in this week's Hottest Comics list.

13. TALES OF SUSPENSE #39 (+986)

Gone but not forgotten in the MCU, Tony Stark has returned to the mainstream consciousness thanks to the hit Disney+ series, What If…?. With the show centering on the alternate realities created with small changes to the MCU’s early stages, many of the episodes have been focused on the original Avengers lineup. Counting the zombies episode, Tony Stark has been featured multiple times. This week, the sixth episode saw Eric Killmonger rescue Tony from the Ten Rings while in Afghanistan. That led to Killmonger basically taking Rhodey’s place as Tony’s BFF, but it also gave the would-be Iron Man the most screen time he has had since Endgame.

Of course, it is not Robert Downey, Jr. providing the voice work, but that has not watered down fans’ excitement. It’s not like Iron Man hasn’t been in the Marvel headlines this year. There’s Armor Wars incoming, which will center on the battle for Tony’s Iron Man suits, and let’s not forget his heir apparent, Riri Williams, who will be making her MCU debut in the Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever. Who knows? We may see RDJ return as the voice to her artificial intelligence. At least, that’s the rumor.

It has created a new push for another Marvel holy grail, Tales of Suspense #39, the first appearance of Iron Man. You know this is a hot comic when a facsimile reprint, despite it being graded at a 9.8, sells for $80. Still, that’s much cheaper than an original, low-grade TOS #39. On September 12, a 0.5 that is missing the seventh wrap sold for $1,250. What else do you need to know?

14. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 (+985)

So many holy grails made the Hottest Comics list this week. ASM #5, TOS #39, and ASM #1 all made sizable gains this week, which amassed to a huge amount of money being spent on eBay. Not only did they have impressive progression, but they all landed inside the top 15. On that note, we wrap up this week’s movers and shakers with one of the most enduring keys on the market, Amazing Spider-Man #1.

Why wouldn’t this issue be a hot seller? Granted, it is very expensive, but there is so much happening in the Spider-Man market that it would undoubtedly spread to ASM #1.

Between the trailers for No Way Home and the PS5-exclusive Spider-Man 2, Spidey is the talk of the comics community. His cast of characters has never been stronger, and it is leading to what many fans believe will be an epic meeting between all three big-screen Spider-Men. That is enough to encourage any buyers with the budget to get their hands on those Spider-Man grails, starting with ASM #1. 

Collectors want a piece of this issue that even an NFT is selling on eBay for $15, and those are completely digital. As for the real thing, a 3.0 sold for $14,599 on September 13. It makes the $7k someone spent on a 2.0 on September 9 seem like a bargain. 

So what do you think? Do you have any of these Hottest Comics in your collection? Let us know in the comments!

We've got the hottest tools for collectors, designed by collectors. Become a PRO and level up your collecting game!