The latest Morbius trailer is still causing waves in the market. It’s been close to a month since the footage dropped, and plenty has happened in the comic world since then. Nevertheless, fans are anxious to see Aleksei Sytsevich after Rhino was specifically named in the Daily Bugle paper shown in the trailer.
When it comes to Spider-Man villains, Rhino is the quintessential henchman. He’s the brawn to someone else’s brain, usually following orders or just looking for a quick score. Sure, he may never be the evil mastermind who brings about Spidey’s undoing. Still, there is no denying the affection fans have for Rhino.
Since a mechanical version of the character appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and teased a big CGI fight, audiences have been waiting for Rhino to reappear.
Will we catch a glimpse of him in Morbius or No Way Home? That is not certain, but it would seem Rhino will return to the big screen in due time.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #41
This will always be a popular key among Spider-Man collectors, and it is one of the more affordable villain keys. While notable for being one of the first villains created during the John Romita, Sr. run, Rhino is not a top-level Spidey villain. On the plus side, that keeps the prices lower in comparison to a bigger key like ASM #14. That price tag is why this is one of the first Silver Age keys Spidey collectors tend to grab.
Early into December, we are already seeing Rhino’s first appearance trading hands online. On December 2, a 6.0 sold for $773. In October, another copy sold for a record $1,025. Between the No Way Home rumors and the Morbius Easter egg, the prices have been rising, even in the lower grades. A 2.0 was a $91 comic in 2019, and the average increased to $139 last year. Over the past 90 days, it has a $304 fair market value; the last copy sold for $214 in November.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #42
ASM #42 is the second appearance of Rhino, but his cameo in the issue is vastly overshadowed by Mary Jane.
MJ had been teased prior, but her face was always obscured. Then in ASM #42, readers finally got to see her face, and she delivered her classic line, “Face it, Tiger…you just hit the jackpot.” With so much attention on Zendaya as MJ in No Way Home, that is the primary driving factor behind ASM #42’s FMVs, though having Rhino’s second appearance is not a bad bonus prize.
Mary Jane’s first appearance may boost the values for ASM #42, but it is still a cheaper alternative to Rhino’s debut. For the same 90-day average of the ASM #41, you can nearly own a 5.5, which currently averages $320.
INCREDIBLE HULK #104
If we get a proper Rhino as a monster of a man wearing a rhino costume/mech suit or possibly some kind of human-rhino hybrid, then this could be a fight destined for the big screen. Granted, it’s not on par with, say, Hulk versus Juggernaut. Still, seeing the Green Goliath battle Rhino in the MCU would be worth the price of admission.
Along with this being the first encounter between two of Marvel’s heavyweights, the classic cover art from legendary Hulk artist Marie Severin is worth the price of admission for Rhino fans. Between those two factors, Hulk #104 will remain a gem among collectors; prices are generally affordable.
In April, a 9.6 brought records when it sold for $900. For those of us with smaller budgets, there is the 9.2, which sold for $380 in August. More recently, a 7.5 earned $180 in November.
CHARGING UP
Unless Rhino suddenly becomes a primary villain in the MCU or Sony’s Spider-verse, there is a cap to these FMVS. However, we won’t reach that ceiling until he is confirmed for his next onscreen appearance. I doubt we will see him in either No Way Home or Morbius, but he could be used in the oft-rumored Black Cat movie, especially since she was named beside him in the Morbius trailer.
