Oh the joy of the Limited Series.  A time to try out new characters, story lines, and of course... test some sales.  The 1980's and early 1990's were the heyday of the limited series, from Secret Wars to Nomad, we pretty much saw it all.  One of the better mid-1980's releases, which we will focus on today, was the Longshot Six-Issue Limited Series.  Longshot won the hearts of his fans with his "lucky" abilities.  Here we will review the two most desired issues from the series.

With future ties to the X-men, the Longshot series not only introduced the titular hero, it helped establish the underrated villian Mojo and his Mojoverse, an alternate world/dimension which was recently mentioned by Shatterstar in Deadpool 2.   Longshot eventually was offered a spot to join the X-men as a team member, establishing him as part of the Marvel lexicon and propelling him out of the Limited Series.  Not only did this series establish Longshot and Mojo, it would also lead us the wonderful X-babies!  If you have never heard of the X-babies, finish this blog and then wiki that!  More about the X-babies in the future.

Longshot is a genetically engineered humanoid with a set of mystical-evolutionary traits that give him an astonishing ability to fight and survive.  His most pronounced ability is definitely his ability to access and adjust his luck.  He is similar to Domino in this respect, they are both "lucky", but his abilities are much greater as they affect his outcomes.  Sprinkle on a bit of psychic ability and advanced technology to deal with the gladiator style television show that is the Mojoverse, have him start a rebellion, and you have the recipe for Longshot: a hero that can deliver.

The most collectible issues from the Limited Series are the first and third.   Longshot #3  is the most desirable book in the series because it is the first appearance of Mojo.  Recent sales have shown upper grades steadily increasing and is currently up 12%, with copies on eBay being scarce but selling around $140.  The lower grades, like 9.0 and 9.2, are up over 200% showing that collectors desire a lower price-point investment and ownership of this comic.  The mid-range, 9.4 and 9.6 grades, are also increasing over time, making Longshot #3 a sure winner for long-term investing.

Longshot #1 has also been seeing a rise in the upper grades, including 9.8 copies selling for approximately $150.  Census shows a crowding around the upper grades due to the boom of comic collecting during the 1980's.  Meaning that copies of these issues should be readily available on the market now and in coming years.

Longshot is a great hero with a cult following and a ton of potential as a TV offering for Marvel.  He is also a relatively unknown character among young comic fans and this makes him an investment you can bank on.  Both Longshot #1 and Longshot #3 have affordable price points and are plentiful on the open market, though Longshot #1 is more abundant.  Remember to keep an eye out for a Newsstand copy, these are more rare and a better long term investment.

Are we poised to see Longshot join the FOX Marvel Cinematic Universe along Deadpool and the X-men?  What is your favorite Limited Series from Marvel?  What actor would you cast to be Longshot?  Drop your comments and join in the conversation!