It began with the success of the latest Halloween franchise. Next, Child’s Play returned in both a movie reboot and a new series. Now Stranger Things 4 is inspiring a new generation of viewers to discover Freddy Krueger thanks to the latest season’s A Nightmare on Elm Street roots. Of course, ST is a tribute to basically every ‘80s sci-fi and horror franchise to reach mainstream audiences. It’s only a matter of time before the Duffer Brothers dip their toes into some old-fashioned Jason Vorhees zombie slashing.
The horror retreads don’t stop with Stranger Things, Halloween, and Child’s Play. There are rumors that HBO Max will reboot A Nightmare on Elm Street as a streaming show. While a reboot didn’t work for Netflix’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Freddy Krueger could have better results. Of course, with all the attention on those ‘70s and 80’s horror franchises, it’s only a matter of time before Friday the 13th joins the conversation. When that happens, it could pay dividends to invest in these Jason Vorhees firsts.
JASON GOES TO HELL: THE FINAL FRIDAY #1
There’s much debate on Jason’s first comic book appearance. Beginning with the unofficial and unlicensed cameo in 1987’s Samurai Funnies #2, the trademarked hockey mask-loving zombie slasher wouldn’t make his official debut until 1993. He would be featured in two comics published nearly simultaneously in July of that year.
The first of a two-part limited series adapting the movie, Jason Goes to Hell, what sets this comic apart from the competition is the interior story. JGTH #1 marked the first time the movie monster starred in his very own comic.
Need a copy to put under your pillow on Friday the 13th in case Jason visits you? Last September, a 9.8 sold for $260, though there haven’t been any recent transactions on record. Too much for you? Try eBay, where you can find raw copies for $10-$20.
SATAN’S SIX #4
There is a tie for Jason’s first official comic book appearance. Hitting shelves at the same time in ‘93 as Jason Goes to Hell #1, the slasher icon would also set foot in Satan’s Six #4. This series was meant as tongue-in-cheek humor centered on a team of demonic agents of Satan. When Jason is summoned to become part of the team, violent hilarity ensues with him going to work on the devil’s underlings with his classic machete. Ah, good times.
It’s been three years since a graded 9.8 traded hands online for $100. However, a 9.2 brought a respectable $130 on May 22, so the indication the next 9.8 will bring a record. Don’t like those prices? You can score raw copies for about $10 or less.
FRIDAY THE 13TH: PAMELA’S TALE #1
With all things ‘80s nostalgia en vogue, it’s only a matter of time before we get yet another Friday the 13th reboot. Since the 2009 version fell flat, it may be time for a streaming series. At first glance, it wouldn’t seem there is much material to mine for a full Friday the 13th show, but that is where this comic comes into play.
This limited series focused on the franchise’s original villain, Jason’s mom, Pamela. It gives an origin story for both she, Jason, and the curse surrounding Camp Crystal Lake. A prequel could be an excellent way to reintroduce the property to a new generation while preserving all that fans adore about the original franchise.
There are no records of any graded copies being sold online, but raw copies were selling in the $15-$20 range last month.
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