As MCU rumors and speculation build steam, it's time to act if you want to stay ahead of the curve. Here are four key issues that could have huge implications in the near future.
What do these four comics have in common? They're Norman Osborn keys, and they have the potential to bring major returns.
As I wrote in "Norman Osborn: the MCU's Next Thanos?," Spider-Man's arch-nemesis is a sleeper to continue Thanos' terrorizing the MCU on the grand stage. Norman Osborn is rumored to make his debut in Spider-Man: Far From Home, and the word is that he will be a major villain in the Captain Marvel sequel. Don't forget that last year ScreenRant reported that Marvel had commissioned a Dark Avengers screenplay. Taking all this into account, it could be the set up for Norman Osborn to be the next "big bad" for the MCU.
That being said, you will want to buy these keys now before Norman arrives in the MCU. Keep in mind, this list is focused on Norman Osborn keys and not Green Goblin because we're more likely to see Norman than the Goblin at least initially.
This comic will prove to be a major key in the coming months. While the Green Goblin made his debut in 1964's Amazing Spider-Man #14, readers didn't see Norman Osborn's face until 1966. The other significance to this issue is that it was the final ASM cover art drawn by Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko. He famously quit before he drew the cover for the following issue.
As you read this, prices for ASM #37 are climbing. Earlier this month, a 4.5 sold for $141 after it averaged $87 a year ago.
If you don't already have ASM #39, you'll want to hurry up. It's been steadily gaining value virtually across the board, and it's only going to be hotter in the future. The 6.0 sold for as much as $350 this year and recently sold for $275 on June 11. Even a 4.5 is commanding a hefty price tag after one brought $225 on May 23.
While I don't foresee Marvel Studios bringing the Green Goblin to the MCU, this is the issue where Norman Osborn revealed his identity as a supervillain. The bigger picture is that ASM #39 is Marvel history since this was John Romita, Sr.'s first issue on the title.
The fair market value for Dark Avengers #1 has taken off, and prices are getting out of hand. After all, this is the first appearance of the Iron Patriot, which is the most likely version of Norman Osborn's supervillain alter egos we could see in the MCU.
Last year, only one 9.8 in the standard cover traded hands, and it didn't even cover the grading fees when it sold for just $26. So far this year, it has averaged $187, and one brought an astounding $257 on May 8.
Of all Norman's modern keys, this is the biggest gamble with the highest upside. However, considering how low most ASM #798s have dropped in FMV, they're not too costly if you didn't buy at peak values last year. Certainly it's a long shot for Marvel Studios to incorporate the Red Goblin, but it's not inconceivable. Give the symbiote a different name and new origin to separate it from Carnage in Sony's Venom-verse, and Norman could easily become the monster we first saw in the "Go Down Swinging" story from the comics.
