Why has ASM #298 fallen out of favor when Venom trailers are hitting YouTube? Does this represent a buying opportunity? Triple keys are usually a solid investment. They provide some security with multiple catalysts for ownership, a wider fanbase, and a greater number of bites at the apple of popularity.  Possibly one of the most undervalued keys is the first issue by the artist.  Be it Jim Starlin, or John Buscemi, or my favorite, Dick Giordano, these artists mine away at a lifetime of artwork. Their first book in comics is a big deal, in my opinion.  Further, the fans seem to agree for the most part.

However, even triple keys fall from popularity. In fact, even with a big name and additional key elements in a book, popularity for it can dry up and blow away. Today, that book is Amazing Spider-Man #298. Why has Amazing Spider-Man #298 fallen out of favor? This is happening at the very time Venom trailers are hitting YouTube. Furthermore,  has this book lost value, and does this represent a buying opportunity?

Amazing Spider-Man #298

This is the first issue penciled by Todd McFarlane; it has the first cameo of Eddie Brock and the first cameo of Venom.  This book was created in March of 1988. The script was by David Michelinie, Pencils by Todd McFarlane, and inks by McFarlane and Bob Mcleod.  This is actually a fairly undervalued book as it is a duo-cameo: first cameo Eddie Brock and first cameo Venom.

Unfortunately, this book has fallen significantly out of not only the Top 100 Modern Age books but also the Top 200! Yes, this book has fallen 295 ranks, to splat on the pavement of unpopularity at a rank of, wait for it...342!! Yes, Eddie and Venom have seen better days.

Amazing Spider-Man #299

This book is the first appearance of Venom in costume. Now, it seems to me there are way too many Venom-based keys floating around. But if that is true, why is this first appearance of Venom in costume not at a premium?

Instead, by comparison, Amazing Spider-Man #300 has shot to the moon, and is now headed for Mars! Again, this was a David Michelinie book with Todd McFarlane on the art.  This book has declined with a drop of  328 ranks to rank at #345.

Title Grade Ranking/  Decline Return (YTD)
Amazing Spider-Man #298 9.8 #342/ loss of 295 ranks +2.3%
Amazing Spider-Man #299 9.8 #345/ loss of 328 ranks -8.6%

Venom 2: Cast, Plot, Release Date, Trailer and Everything You Need to Know - Filmy HotspotConclusion

The staying power of some of the Copper Age books is stupefying, to say the least. Heavily printed, very popular books at the time. Yet, even after a massive decline in popularity these books still hold a great deal of their value.  Is this an example of the Copper Age finally coming into its own? I believe it has.

For ASM #298 above the return in grade 9.8 is still positive +2.3% despite having fallen so far out of favor in GoCollect.com's rankings. We do see a smidgeon of weakness in ASM #299 with a decline of negative -8.6%.  Further, ASM #298 did show a few additional prices decline in the lower grades.

The bottom line, you probably only have a slim"Chance" of loss with Amazing Spider-Man volume one. This blue-chip of Marvel Comic continues to expand in price and return despite setbacks. This particular triple key is still strong. For those collectors looking to add Amazing Spider-Man #298 to their roster of Chance Card Vintage Monopoly Advance to Boardwalk' Poster by Design Turnpike | Displatebooks; now is probably a good time to buy without paying the premium. As for the investors among us, both these books are probably cheaper after Venom 2 has left theaters, or streaming online, or wherever we are going to watch it. For you spurious spectacular speculators, I do not see a good entry point for a flip. Maybe hold off with the investor group and wait for additional weakness. A triple key is not always a triple threat...