Remember what the Hottest Comics are all about: sales volume. Sure, those massive fair market values are the eye-catchers in the comics world. However, the high-priced issues tend to plateau as they exceed collectors’ budgets. In turn, those potential buyers find less-expensive issues, thus creating a spike in sales, which lands them on the blog.
Which keys were buyers targeting this week? I’m glad you asked.
31. FANTASTIC FOUR #52 (+66)
Interestingly enough, there’s been so much talk about Black Panther in the weeks surrounding Wakanda Forever’s premiere, yet this is the first time Fantastic Four #52 has made the blog. Shuri’s first appearance as well as her debut as Black Panther have both been mainstays on the Hottest Comics index, but FF #52 has been relatively quiet. This week, it came roaring back to life, taking the title of the single biggest mover and shaker on eBay. A fitting tribute to such a popular character.
Of course, what makes this issue a holy grail for many collectors is the first appearance of T’Challa. You get him on the cover art in his full costume, which is always a boon for buyers. It doesn’t hurt matters that the Negative Zone is introduced in FF #52 as well, and that is likely to be a factor in the MCU’s future.
With all the attention on the latest movie plus the allure of an impending Disney Plus spinoff series, his MCU legacy will live on. Will the modern comics follow suit and bring T’Challa’s story to a close? There hasn’t been any talk of changing the Black Panther guard that I am aware of, but Marvel does like to keep the comics at least somewhat in line with its movies, so it’s always a possibility.
Although T’Challa may not be the Black Panther of the MCU, this remains the issue to own with the prices to prove it. In recent weeks, a graded 9.4 sold for over $16k, which is actually down from the $22k price tag it earned in February. On the lower side of things, a 0.5 is still selling for close to $300 over the past 30 days.
21. BLACK PANTHER #2 (+46)
Not to be outdone, Shuri had the second-hottest comic across eBay this week, jumping 46 places to nestle itself just outside the top 20. With her having taken up the Black Panther mantle in Wakanda Forever, she has been established as a legitimate superhero in her own right. Fans also spotted her image added to the Marvel Studios logo ahead of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which is a clear indicator that Kevin Feige has big plans for Shuri going forward. There’s also a rumor that she’ll lead her own team.
It all adds up to a huge interest in Black Panther #2. This issue has been hot for years as fans were certain she would inherit the Black Panther title when Feige said he wouldn’t recast T’Challa. Now that her official introduction as the titular hero is in place, it’s made for a percolating market for this issue. The more popular she gets on the big screen, the more collectors will want to stockpile copies of Black Panther #2.
What can you expect to pay? Being a relatively new comic, finding a graded 9.8 is an easy task. In fact, there have been 113 sold since this time last year for an average of $445. That’s actually a huge decline from the 2021 FMV of $791. On the plus side, the 2022 sales figures are much more affordable at the moment.
17. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #4 (+48)
To all the collectors who were hoarding copies of ASM #4 for the past few years, your ship is about to come in. Already, it’s been catapulted by nearly 50 spots, landing just inside the top 20. That’s nothing new for this issue as the on-again/off-again rumors of Silk’s live-action debut kept it bouncing across the Hottest Comics. Now that Sony and Amazon have confirmed that the streaming series is officially in the works, this key is here to stay (unless the show is horrible, which is a very real possibility whenever Sony is involved).
Collectors have been gunning for this one thanks to Cindy Moon’s first appearance as Silk. After Cindy had debuted in ASM #1, her superpowered alter ego was teased until ASM #4 gave readers their first good look at the new costume. It’s made this the premiere item to own in the character’s history, outselling her introduction sans spider-suit. Rest assured, this one will only get more popular once the first trailers present Silk to non-comic reading viewers.
Silk’s imminent arrival into the mainstream consciousness is fueling the speculation for ASM #4. Graded at a 9.8, it has averaged $226 for the past 30 days, which is in line with most sales for the past few months. This is a great example of how the Hottest Comics index works. While the FMVs have not kicked into overdrive, the sales volume has come to life.
35. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #101 (+47)
Once again, Morbius has beaten the odds when it comes to his first appearance. After the absolute atomic bomb that was the Morbius movie, investors and speculators abandoned ship on ASM #101. The film left such a bad taste in the audience's mouths that all things Living Vampire were tanking in the box office disaster’s wake. Sony even tried rereleasing the movie after the “Morbin’ time” meme went viral, but it was not enough to help such a horrible film. That carried over to the collecting world, and this issue plummeted.
Just when it looked like Morbius’ chance at live-action fame had passed, and ASM #101 had fallen completely out of favor, it came charging back into action. The key was a rocket through the Hottest Comics, gaining almost 50 spots this week. What could have it on the move? My guess is that it is related to the numerous Spider-Man spinoff series in development combined with the potential for a Legion of Monsters team-up in the MCU. With the Sony-verse firmly entrenched in Marvel’s cinematic Multiverse, there’s nothing that says the Living Vampire won’t join the ranks in a team movie, or he could possibly make an appearance alongside Blade.
Although sales are up, where does that leave the prices for an ASM #101? On November 22, two 9.6s sold for much different prices. At the high end, one brought $8,400. That same day, another copy sold for $5,600. Of course, neither comes close to matching the $10k price tag this grade had been earning in March, thus giving you an idea of how far the values have dipped.
47. GIANT-SIZE X-MEN #1 (+40)
An issue near and dear to my heart, GSX #1 climbed back into the top-50 Hottest Comics after languishing in the 87th spot. That’s not altogether unexpected; with holy grails and their astronomical price tags, they don’t typically sell at high volume. Compared to the likes of X-Men #1 and Incredible Hulk #181, GSX #1 is the cheaper option, but it’s still an expensive piece of comic history to own. Prices range from over $33k for a 9.8 to close to $600 for a 0.5 and all points in between. When an issue at that level makes a 40-spot jump in the rankings, that is worth your attention.
Famously, this issue introduced the team of X-Men that would launch the mutants to superstardom. After Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s original lineup fell flat with comic fans in the 1960s, Len Wein and company reinvented the X-Men. They brought Wolverine from the pages of Hulk along with new characters Storm, Nightcrawler, and Colossus. Speaking of Storm, she could be a reason for GSX #1’s surge. In the aftermath of Wakanda Forever, some fans are wondering if she should be introduced in the Black Panther franchise before joining the X-Men. After all, her comic origin tells of her African childhood, and she was once married to T’Challa.
