GoCollect Blog: Hottest Comics: Sleep with One Eye Open, Gripping Your Pillow Tight (hottest-comics-sleep-with-one-eye-open-gripping-your-pillow-tight )

It’s that time again, and this week, The Sandman led the pack as collecting dreams became reality. Let's chat some Hottest Comics!

The world’s love affair with Morpheus and The Endless rolls on into its third week. Collectors responded with an eruption of Sandman sales, and Dream’s first appearance led the way.

What are the Hottest Comics? Ranked by total eBay sales for single issues, this is a snapshot of where collectors are investing their dollars. Combining sales for both graded and raw copies, this list is all about the volume. Sure, a different comic may be lighting the fuse in terms of fair market values, but the Hottest Comics isn’t based on an issue’s changing value. What you see below are the biggest movers and shakers that made the most noise in this week’s snapshot. Take a look.

**6. THE SANDMAN #1 (+54)**

Three weeks after its premiere, Netflix’s The Sandman remains the hottest series on streaming. In turn, that has collectors on a spending spree for his key issues, launching The Sandman #1 to the top of the best-sellers list. Sellers were more than happy to supply the demand for all things Endless, and it gave Dream’s first appearance another mighty push with 54 spots gained.

Of course, that very issue had moved 50+ positions a week ago, so it fell off the pace for a moment. After the brief sidestep, The Sandman #1 is back in control, and it has regained its place among the top 10 Hottest Comics.

Although the 30-day average stands at $879 for the graded 9.8, the last two weeks have seen a big leap. Since August 12, it hasn’t sold for less than $950. The most recent sale was for $1,100 on August 21.

**40. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, VOL. 3, #4 (+38)**

At one point, it seemed Silk’s live-action debut was imminent. The major news was Sony Pictures’ decision to greenlight her streaming series, which would reportedly air on Amazon Prime. That’s not to mention that Cindy Moon was more or less a background character in Spider-Man: Homecoming, and that spawned plenty of fan theories on her making the transition to Silk for the MCU. Don’t forget that after Into the Spider-Verse’s box office success, Sony had said there would be a female-led Spider-Verse spinoff, and that added fuel to the Silk fire.

The problem is that all the Silk noise quieted down for some time. There hasn’t been an actual update on the live-action series since 2020. As far as the public knows, there’s no cast or director at the ready, so it’s all in limbo. It’s been two years since the show was announced, and it appears to be in developmental Hell. So why would there be sudden interest in Cindy’s first appearance as Silk?

In June, Spider-Verse producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller didn’t actually give any updates, but they updated us on possible updates…maybe. Speaking with Deadline, they confirmed that they were, in fact, working on the Silk project and that we’ll have news “someday soon.” While that doesn’t mean much at all, it is the likely reason for ASM #4’s surge.

The graded 9.8 has been averaging close to $300 for most of the year. While that’s slightly down from its 2021 FMV, it’s nothing to worry about. Sooner or later, we’ll see Silk on the screen, and that’s when the values will get a bit more dramatic.

**63. DEADPOOL #1 (+37)**

The “Merc with a Mouth” is one of the biggest pop culture crossover stars of the 21st Century. Thanks to Ryan Reynolds apparently having been born to play the role, he escorted Deadpool into the mainstream zeitgeist. After two R-rated, fourth-wall-breaking films, even non-comic book fans have fallen in love with Wade Wilson and his raunchy humor.

Ever since Disney bought Fox, Deadpool has been a frequent topic of conversation. There’s no question that despite the House of Mouse’s promises not to be too heavy-handed with the Marvel properties, both Marvel Comics and Marvel Studios have been increasingly “Disney-fied.” Kevin Feige has said that Deadpool 3 will happen and that it will be R-rated, but fans are worried that Wade will lose his edge. Now it’s a waiting game to see what will happen with the franchise under the Disney banner.

There was a very small update on Deadpool 3 in June. Writer Rhett Reese had said that it would be a “fish-out-of-water story,” and that likely means he will be the round peg in the square hole as he tries fit into the MCU. That could be enough to have inspired buyers to seek out the character’s first solo comic.

Looking for a graded 9.8 to add to your collections? The FMV has held steady in the $175 range, and August 21 saw one go for $158.

**65. MS. MARVEL #1 (+30)**

Kamala Khan is officially the MCU’s Ms. Marvel, and we’re all set to see her next in The Marvels. While she may not have been the first character to use the moniker, her live-action popularity is proving to be a boon for sellers these days.

Remember when this issue was one of the hottest on the market? In the hype for the Captain Marvel movie, Ms. Marvel #1 was the second choice for Carol Danvers collectors. All of her keys were on fire for about a year leading up to the film’s premiere. Then, like practically all comic book movies, when the excitement fled, so did the demand for Captain Marvel keys. Now, three years later, Kamala Khan has given buyers another reason to comb the auction sites for Ms. Marvel #1. When the build for The Marvels begins, that could push this issue’s FMVs to new heights.

The values for the 9.8 have been gradually dipping for the past year. While the 12-month average was at $1,574, the 90-day average fell to $1,282. For the past month, that value has dropped to $1,025. As usual, the better value is basically anything below the 9.8. Lower the quality to the 9.6, and the average is closer to $300.

**47. UNCANNY X-MEN #221 (+29)**

In all likelihood, Mister Sinister will be in the X-Men when they arrive in the MCU, at least that’s what plenty of fans have been saying for years now. He came very close to being included in the Fox X-films before Disney bought the studio. In fact, actor Jon Hamm has said he was cast for the role and was in talks to appear in multiple films. When Kevin Feige hit the reset button, all bets were off. However, those Sinister rumors persisted. With the character’s reimagining in recent years, it’s led to speculation that Feige didn’t throw this particular baby out with the bath water.

The potential for Sinister in the MCU has been keeping Uncanny X-Men #221 on many wish lists. Week after week, it finds its way onto the Hottest Comics rankings, and that pattern will continue until there’s some indication one way or the other. Of course, UXM #221 is the second overall appearance after Sinister’s cameo in USM #213, but it’s the full debut that buyers have long targeted.

If you’re looking for a graded 9.8, the prices have dipped from $446 over the past year down to $402 for the last 30 days. However, the prices could be on the way up. Just this week, one copy brought $460. If more gossip rears its head, then that value could push into $500 territory. This is definitely an issue to watch as we get closer to an official X-Men announcement.