It’s easy to have a laser focus on the top-10 Hottest Comics, but dig deeper, and there are emerging trends that could turn into profits. This week it's Wolverine everywhere.

THE WOLVERINE SURGE

In the Comics Cooling Off blog, I noted that those high-priced Knull keys are in the midst of a downturn. Considering how hot those issues were just a few months ago, it is worth noting their continuing drop. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Wolverine’s keys are picking up steam, and I am not only referring to Incredible Hulk #181. His less-expensive key issues are littering the Hottest Comics. 

As of the time of this writing, the data revealed other findings as well. Let’s delve deeper into the numbers.

5. WOLVERINE: LIMITED SERIES #1 (+10)

WolverineTossing aside the mega keys (and mega-expensive keys) Hulk #181 (which happened to gain 17 spots and climb to #18) and Giant-Size X-Men #1 (the big winner of the week with 966 positions gained), this is the Wolverine key. What’s not to love? This is the debut issue of Wolverine’s first solo series written by Chris Claremont. What truly sets this as a must-have for Wolverine fans is Frank Miller’s pencils and Joe Rubenstein’s inks. The covers for all four issues are iconic, especially #1, and the interiors set the standard for Wolverine art to this day. 

With all the X-Men and Logan rumors floating around the internet, it is no surprise to see this issue land in the fifth spot, at least for one week.

 

38. WOLVERINE: ONGOING SERIES #1 (+30)

WolverineAs I have speculated before, there is a distinct possibility that Marvel Studios will debut Wolverine/Logan outside the X-Men. Aside from being Wolverine’s first ongoing self-titled series, it is in these pages that he first dons the codename “Patch.” We know that Madripoor is featured in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Will it be the location of an episode or will it be an Easter egg? That remains to be seen, but it does open the door for Patch to appear or at least get a name drop in the Disney+ series. That would effectively establish Logan in the MCU, and it would set up his pending arrival. No matter how it goes, the end result will be huge gains these solo adventures.

 

 

58. MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS #72 (+942)

WolverineThis is the real hidden gem in the Wolverine keys, and collectors are finally taking notice. This issue features the origin of the Weapon X program. If my Logan/Patch theory pans out and Wolverine is introduced separately from the X-Men, then Weapon X will undoubtedly take center stage in his story. That makes this undervalued minor key worth adding to your collection. 

 

 

 

 

FROM THE INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS

59. SOLAR, MAN OF THE ATOM # 1 (+940)

This was one of the first Valiant titles from the early 1990s. Solar was originally a Gold Key comics creation from the Silver Age, but Valiant picked up the rights and gave him a new spin. 

Ever since the company put Bloodshot on movie screens, fans have wondered if a Valiant-verse will happen. Last month, there were teases that led collectors to believe Solar could be in the works for a feature film. Nothing has been confirmed, and there are few rumors circling the waters, but Solar #1’s huge gains indicate that speculators may be jumping on this issue early.

 

 

99. THE TERMINATOR #1 (+900)

This issue stood out above everything else inside the top 100. Basically since the day the comic was published in 1990, no one has cared about the Terminator’s comic appearances. Over the decades, the cybernetic organism has made plenty of notable appearances, but none have turned into collectors’ gold. Could that be changing? Not quite, but this issue could be feeling the heat from Marvel Comics’ Aliens and Predator comic news. However, I think there may be another culprit here: Transformers vs. The Terminator. The crossover that we didn’t know we wanted could very well be fueling the fires with the Terminator’s first Dark Horse appearance.