Buyers were gunning for those Let There Be Carnage, and the movie hype establish Venom’s first cover appearance as the single hottest comic on the market. Welcome to the Hottest Comics show!

What are the Hottest Comics? Compiled for your collecting pleasure are the 1,001 top-selling single issues eBay has to offer. It is the “who’s who” of comics, from the holiest of holy grails to the random comic oddities. These are not based on fair market value, but instead are ranked according to sales volume. 

With that in mind, let’s explore the list and see which five comics had the momentum to claim the title of the hottest on the market.

8. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #316 (+992)

With all the fanfare for Venom: Let There Be Carnage’s world premiere this week, it is no wonder why all the symbiote keys have ascended to the top of the market. Of course, given that Venom is one of the most popular characters in all of comics and has been for years, his key issues are almost always hot. This week’s Hottest Comics index offered something a little different in ASM #316.

This key issue is often overshadowed by ASM #299 and #300, but it has been gaining a bigger following in 2021. What is so special about ASM #316? This is Venom’s first full cover appearance. In general, cover collecting is becoming more popular - and costly - thanks to the increasing rise of the grading companies. Many collectors want to have their key issues graded and then displayed. While a first appearance is still the dominant factor in FMVs, those displays look better when there is a major character on the cover. That is why an issue like ASM #316 with that impressive Todd McFarlane artwork is hitting record highs this year.

After a 9.8 sold for a record $1,925 in March, prices have rarely fallen below $1k this year. For the past three months, it has averaged nearly $1,200. The most recent sale dropped to $945 on September 24, but that was only the second sale below the $1,000 mark since March 12. 

If you are looking for something cheaper, you only need to bring the grade down to a 9.6, which is almost the same as that illustrious 9.8 to the naked eye. For only a 0.2 downgrade in quality, the price tag lowers to about $445.

13. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #362 NEWSSTAND (+987)

The anticipation for Carnage’s long-awaited movie debut is fueling the market for his key issues this week. Here we have the second full appearance of Carnage in all his glory. Equally as important to buyers is that it marked the first time Cletus Kasady shared the cover with Venom. The two would go on to be a staple of cover artists to this day, and it all started with this issue.

This week, anything and everything related to the symbiotes is on fire. With prices inflating for Carnage’s first full appearance and first cover on ASM #361, it is only natural that collectors on a budget aim for the second appearance. 

What is even more enticing than a standard edition ASM #362 is the elusive newsstand copy. Getting one is not the problem; it’s getting a high grade that is the tricky part. Remember that newsstand editions were sold in stores on sales racks where non-collectors tended to be anything but gentle with the comics. That makes color-breaking bends, folds, wear, and tear much more common. Finding a 9.8-level newsstand becomes less common than those direct editions, which were sold to comic shops with owners who took better care of the product.

For the past 90 days, the 9.8 standard edition has been averaging $200. Meanwhile, the newsstand version at the same grade last sold for $208 on September 25. Earlier this year, one brought a record $480. 

14. X-FORCE #11 (+986)

Those Deadpool key issues have been heating up since Kevin Feige confirmed that not only would Marvel Studios not be rebooting the film franchise, but the third movie will get a mature R rating. For a character as off-color as Deadpool, it is hard to imagine censoring him for a typical Disney PG-13 action-comedy.

Since then, Deadpool made his mark on the MCU in an ad for Ryan Reynolds’ Free Guy, and the “Merc with a Mouth” was seated on a couch next to Korg. It has all raised awareness not only for Wade Wilson, but the cast of characters from the previous Deadpool movies. 

This week, buyers were hot for the real Domino’s first appearance in X-Force #11. While she has not been mentioned in conversations about DP 3, the character with the mutant power of luck is getting a starring role in an upcoming comic series. This time around, she will lead a new team of female assassins called the Hotshots. That news plus the hype for Deadpool 3 have helped give this issue a bump in sales.

The best part is that while X-Force #11 is gaining in popularity, the FMVs remain relatively low. However, the prices have been on the rise. After regularly selling in the $110-$130 range for the past month, the most recent transaction on September 26 saw the price tag swell to $162. 

18. UNCANNY X-MEN #221 (+977)

It was an X-Men kind of week for buyers. Following in the footsteps of X-Force #11, Uncanny X-Men #221 climbed the ladder by leaps and bounds, gaining over 970 positions. X-fans are all too familiar with this issue as it contains the first appearance of Mister Sinister. 

Going back to the Easter egg in 2016’s X-Men: Apocalypse, audiences have been waiting for Nathan Essex to arrive on the big screen for years. With the Fox-verse of X-Men films coming to a close, Sinister fans are crossing their fingers that Marvel Studios will finally bring the villain to life. Now would be a great time to do just that. 

Jonathan Hickman’s House of X relaunch put a new spin on several characters, one of those being Mister Sinister. He has gained a much larger following thanks to his sassy and oftentimes hilarious personality. Showcasing this version of the character in the MCU would be perfect, and there is no doubt that he would quickly become a fan-favorite character.

In recent months, the FMVs have stayed fairly consistent. Since July, the sale prices have remained in the $400-$500 range for a 9.8. Meanwhile, the 9.6 falls into $200 territory. In fact, if you want to keep your budget at $100 or less, aim for anything up to a 9.0.

24. SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #1 LOCAL COMIC SHOP DAY FOIL EDITION (+976)

James Tynion IV had made a name for himself writing DC’s Batman series, but SIKTC truly showcased his talents as a horror writer. Since this issue blasted through the market, he has penned other horror hits The Department of Truth and The Nice House on the Lake. It’s also revealed his penchant for long titles. 

While those other titles are huge successes, it’s SIKTC #1 that is earning the largest values at the moment. This comic has been so popular that is has spawned eight total printings, and there is nothing that says there won’t be a ninth or tenth. It has made for one of the best-selling first issues of the modern comic era. 

All the printings and variants for SKITC #1 have been gaining value all year. Despite SIKTC’s Local Comic Shop Day edition bringing triple figures for higher grades, those inflating values have made this foil copy one of the cheaper options. While it may be the newest member of the club, but it already fetches between $100-$150.

What books do you think deserved to land on this week's Hottest Comics list? Tell us in the comments!