I believe everyone needs to include some Star Wars keys in their PC for the upside potential that is their long-term. In this blog, I want to compare two Star Wars books: The 2015 key issue of Darth Vader #3 which introduced the breakout character of Doctor Aphra to the Star Wars Universe, to a more recent publication--High Republic #1. Let's explore the similarities and differences between the two issues so we can decide about High Republic #1 as a long-term upside spec possibility.
Darth Vader #3 (2015)
Doctor Aphra's debut was in this issue. At the time the book was released, the hype was: "The most sought-after book on the planet," which was touted on several comic books' sites. There was a definite buzz around this book and character. There were an estimated 85,000 copies printed, which put this issue as #8 in sales for March 2015.
When the issue came out, I went to a comic book shop and found seven copies there. I promptly bought all seven, got them graded (they were all 9.8's), and then happily sold them later for around $75 apiece. (I know, I know...)
Currently, the FMV on GoCollect for a graded 9.8 is $475. The variant, third and fourth printing of this issue are north of the $475 price tag for a 9.8.
Interestingly, from 2015 to 2019, Darth Vader #3 and Doctor Aphra stayed around the same value--about $75 for a 9.8. But in 2020 everything changed and Darth Vader #3 jumped up in value to current levels. Why?
There are several possible reasons: (1) "The Star Wars effect"--it is real and it has a big impact on values. (2) The publication of her own titled run in 2016 and 2020. The first series went a healthy 40 issues and the current Doctor Aphra series is ongoing. (3) New canon material in the Star Wars Universe around this character. (4) A strong female character that was described as an "Indiana Jones-type".
Star Wars: High Republic #1
High Republic #1 introduced us to the first comic appearance of Padawan Keeve Trennis and a whole new unexplored Star Wars timeline. This book was touted as "the future of Star Wars". There were an estimated 100,000+ copies printed, which put this issue as #2 in sales in January 2021.
At the time of this writing, the FMV for a 9.8 High Republic #1 on GoCollect is $110, though on the Sale History Analyzer we see a -22.1% trend. There are currently six variants that are north of the $110 price tag for a 9.8.
So, will this issue be a great buy and hold?
The Bottom Line
- High Republic #1 is definitely not a buy and flip. Values are trending down and will probably settle below $100 for a 9.8 for a period of time.
- I believe High Republic #1 definitely is a buy-and-hold. The similarities between Darth Vader #3 and High Republic #1 seem to be clearly present. There are great strong female characters and unexplored storylines to be developed. Especially with High Republic.
- A key question is: What is the investor's tolerance for how long it is worth holding this issue? Darth Vader #3 took over 4 years to jump up in value to present levels. I would estimate the same time frame would be true for High Republic #1. Obviously, a television show or film could change all that.
- Conclusion: Star Wars: High Republic #1 is a great possibility to grab now and hold for returns in the future.