Business is about to pick up for Marvel Spotlight #32 now that Sony is eyeing a Spider-Woman movie.
It’s like 2018 all over again. After Into the Spider-Verse’s overwhelming success, Sony announced it would be working on a female-centric sequel, and the rumors swept across the comic community. That stirred the pot and led many to believe that the first character in line for a starring role would be Spider-Woman. That led to Jessica Drew’s first appearance in Marvel Spotlight #32 gaining a head of steam entering 2019.
When it comes to movie rumors, Sony has a tendency to leave fans hanging, and that kept prices at bay.
For years now, Sony has talked about a Silver Sable/Black Cat team-up flick. Here we are in 2020, and it’s no closer to seeing the light of day than it was three years ago. Then there’s the talk of solo movies for both Silk and, of all characters, Madame Web. That leaves a big question mark when it comes to the Spider-Woman movie. Will it pan out? Who knows, but in the meantime, let’s check the fair market values.
MARVEL SPOTLIGHT #32
As I’ve detailed before, Marvel’s editorial team used Marvel Spotlight as a means to test the market with various characters. The series featured debuts and early appearances from the likes of Ghost Rider, a revamped Red Wolf, and Son of Satan among others. In issue #32, Marvel introduced Spider-Woman mainly because the company didn’t want to lose the rights to the name.
Initially, a villain, Jessica Drew’s origin was that she was a spider that evolved into a human being. I can’t see this being used for a movie, but it is nonetheless her comic debut, and it is the most sought after Spider-Woman key to own.
Although it was one of the more popular Bronze Age titles in 2019, prices didn't skyrocket, and the rumors of an onscreen Spider-Woman quieted. In fact, most grades have slowed over the past 90 days. With Sony reportedly having a director and star in mind for the movie, this comic will jump in a hurry. At the moment, you can add anything up to a graded 9.0 for $150 or less, which makes it a good time to buy.
MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #30
Beginning with this issue, legendary comic writer Marv Wolfman ret-conned Jessica’s history. As the story goes, Marvel Spotlight #32 was an unexpected hit, and he felt she needed a more plausible origin. In Wolfman’s take, the evolved-spider angle was a false memory implanted by HYDRA agents (“false memories” explains everything, right?).
If you’re looking to collect Jessica Drew’s key issues, you can’t go without this one. Since it’s her second appearance, it will be easier on your budget than Marvel Spotlight #32, which is always good news. You can have a graded 9.8 for less than $200. If that's too much, opt for the 9.6, which is currently selling for under $100.
SPIDER-WOMAN #1
Starting in the late-1970s, Spider-Woman gained a respectable following. She earned her own self-titled series, which ran for 50 issues, and she even starred in her own cartoon show. During this time, she came into her own as a character and truly separated from her namesake, Spider-Man.
This is another key issue that any Spider-Woman collector must have. A graded 9.8 has a 90-day FMV of $200, and a 9.6 is bringing $78 at the moment.
Which Spider-Woman keys will you be adding to your collection?
