This week, it’s time for something different in the land of the Hottest Comics. Utilizing the market overview tools, let’s take a closer look at the top five movers and shakers. Instead of checking the last 10 days, we will dive into the heavy hitters of the past 30 days. Normally, this was focused strictly on the past seven days, but with the changes to the site, it will be worth your time to examine those titles that are holding their own inside the top 100 throughout October.
Don’t forget that these are still based on sales volume and not fair market values. While a comic may have spiked in value in recent weeks, it doesn’t mean the number of sales has changed that dramatically.
With that in mind, let’s break out the microscopes and take a peek at this edition of the Hottest Comics.
10. FANTASTIC FOUR #67 (+72)
Of course the hottest comic for the past month has been an Adam Warlock key. After Will Poulter’s casting was confirmed by Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 writer/director James Gunn, practically everything connected to the cosmic deity has been on fire.
What helps FF #67 stand out from the Warlock keys pack is its price. Even though FMVs are spiking day after day, the prices for FF #67 are much cheaper options compared to those of Thor #165. Why would that be? When Warlock first appeared in FF #67, he was known simply as HIM. Created by the enclave to basically be a god, he was briefly spotted before jetting into space. The next time readers would see HIM would be on the cover of Thor #165.
As we have seen numerous times in the market, the first cover appearances add significant value to those early character issues. At the rate that comic is inflating, it puts the price tag out of reach for many collectors. That is why Thor #165, as popular as it is right now, did not have the same momentum as FF #67.
For instance, look at the graded 9.2 for FF #67. Since October 17, it has sold for a record $3,100 followed by $2,925. Granted that is an inflated price, considering that same 9.2 averaged $1,229 only a year ago. If you were to invest that same $3,100 in a Thor #165, the highest grade you could expect to buy would be an 8.5 based on 90-day averages.
20. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #365 (+48)
Oscar Isaac has the comic world in an uproar again. The star of the upcoming Moon Knight Disney+ series and the Dune remake was asked about Spider-Man 2099 in a recent interview with Fandom. Although Isaac did not indicate that there is a plan for Miguel O’Hara to return to the screen anytime soon, it was enough to spur the market for those Spider-Man 2099 key issues.
Remember that Isaac voiced the futuristic web-slinger for a post-credits scene in 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse. Since then, fans have been waiting for more from Spider-Man 2099. There has been an abundance of rumors that a Disney+ live-action series is in the works. There also have been theories that Isaac will voice the character in the upcoming Spider-Verse sequel that Sony is currently developing.
Despite Isaac having little to say on the matter, it has caused ASM #365 to be one of the fastest rising comics on the market. Although prices aren’t close to matching the record-high $775 from April, the sales volume is significant. When the 9.8 is bringing $346 for the first appearance of what could be a character on the verge of stardom, that price tag encourages sales.
65. THOR #1 (+24)
Thor: Love and Thunder may be a year from its theatrical debut, but the hype is only beginning. Natalie Portman is set to take up Mjolnir in an adaptation of Jason Aaron’s famed Lady Thor story arc. Understandably, it has put a premium on her first appearance in 2014’s Thor #1 and, thus, scoring a place on our hottest comics list.
Many collectors will argue that this is not the first appearance of Lady Thor. There is a contingency of readers that insist it was in What If…? #10 way back from 1978. To that, I have one word: Thordis.
Remember, the What If…? issues, just like the Disney+ show from this year, are not canon. Therefore, when the What If…? Jane picked up Thor’s hammer, she became Thordis. Jason Aaron’s canonical adventures saw Jane lift Mjolnir and become Lady Thor. That means that while many collectors want What If…? #10 because it was the first time Jane Foster held Mjolnir, the Love and Thunder character will be based on Aaron’s Lady Thor.
No matter your stance on the debate, those early appearances of Jane Foster as Thor have been heating up again. All month long, the 9.8 has been consistently earning $300+, and there was already a record-breaking $516 sale from July.
32. VENOM #3 (+22)
Knull is coming to the MCU...or at least that is what many Venom theorists are thinking. After the conclusion of Venom: Let There Be Carnage when the MCU and the Venom-verse were merged into one, it has left plenty of questions about the future of both the Venom and Spider-Man franchises. With Carnage defeated and presumed dead, it leaves us to wonder how Peter Parker and Eddie Brock will be brought together.
We can assume that since Venom has been portrayed as a hero so far in his movies that he and Spider-Man will eventually team up against a greater threat. With no Carnage and Shriek, that means Maximum Carnage is not going to happen. That has fans leaning toward the God of the Symbiotes, Knull.
Although Knull has only existed in the comics for the past three years, he has already been put on a cosmic power level. During The King in Black crossover, Knull held his own against Marvel’s elite before Venom eventually took him down. Some fans are even wondering if the weird shimmer that brought Eddie Brock into the MCU could have been due to Knull.
All of this speculation adds up to an upswing in the Knull market. Normally, buyers would be swarming the Venom #3 third print, but the first print standard cover has been winning the October sales battle. Despite a handful of outliers, this issue has had some of the most consistent prices all year. The 9.8 has stayed in the $200-$300 range. In fact, the most recent sale on October 26 was for $300.
30. UNCANNY X-MEN #221 (+19)
Will we see Mister Sinister in the MCU? There are a number of collectors banking on just that, and they are stockpiling those UXM #221s for that day. He was already teased in two Fox-verse X-Men movies, X-Men: Apocalypse and The New Mutants. Since Fox officially closed its doors, that has left those movies’ places in the canonical MCU in doubt.
In recent years, Sinister has gained a new following thanks to Jonathan Hickman’s X-Men run. During House of X and the updated X-Men series, Sinister was recruited by Professor X and Magneto for his genetic science prowess. It allowed Hickman the opportunity to tweak Sinister’s character, making him more sassy and hilarious in the process. If we read between the lines, that sounds like the perfect recipe for making him a hit MCU character.
Want a copy to call your own? The most recent 9.8 to swap owners online brought $475. Looking to save a few dollars? Think about buying a 9.6, which typically stays in the $200 range.
What do you think about this week's Hottest Comics analysis? Let us know in the comments!
