Clone Wars #1 Special Edition Dark Horse 100
This is one of the holy grails of modern Star Wars comics. First off, it features the first appearance of Ahsoka Tano, the Padawan of Anakin Skywalker who will soon be headlining her own live-action series. Second, this book is VERY rare and hard to find. Only 1000 copies of this book exist, all of which were distributed in packs of 10 to 100 retailers chosen at random via a lottery.
The low print run of the book, combined with the unique distribution method and halcyon status of Ahsoka in the fandom, gives this book an incredibly high-value floor and a tremendous amount of potential (especially if the Ahsoka show is a hit with fans).
Graded Analysis: Grades 9.6 and 9.8 represent 68% of the Universal series census and the price history for both of them is very similar. Both are up MASSIVELY at all-time and saw their values skyrocket during the covid-era. Furthermore, prices have been trending down over the last year or so, presumably due to inflationary concerns and a general market correction.
Long term, this book still feels like a safe bet, but contemporary buyers should exercise caution before pulling the trigger. Since 2021, 9.8s have lost more than two-thirds of their value.
Darth Vader #3 1:25 Larroca Variant
Darth Vader #3 contains the first appearance of Dr. Chelli Aphra, an archeologist who eventually runs afoul of Vader and finds herself on the run from the Empire. In the Disney era of Star Wars, no character who first appeared in a Star Wars comic has enjoyed more success than Aphra. She is the only comics first character to receive her own ongoing series and has started to develop her own cult following.
Given Disney's penchant for synergy, I doubt anyone would be too surprised if / when this character makes the leap to live action. Should that occur, this 1:25 variant will almost certainly be the book to own, as it is much rarer than the regular cover and, unlike the subsequent printings, has some original cover art.
Graded Analysis: 9.8s, which account for 46% of the census, are up more than 600% over the lifetime of GoCollect's data. 9.6s are up over 650%!!! Those are the kinds of numbers investors cannot and should not ignore.
Thrawn #1 Mattina Variant
There are few (non-force-wielding) legacy characters more beloved than Grand Admiral Thrawn. The character's distinct color profile and strategic brilliance made him a huge hit with fans as he menaced the heroes of the galaxy in ways nobody else ever had.
When the character was brought back into the canon and became a recurring antagonist in Star Wars: Rebels, anticipation began to build that the character could one day make the leap to live action. Well, that day appears to be upon us, making now a great time to invest in this phenomenal character. This rare variant of Thrawn's first solo series is absolutely stunning and has become quite the prize among collectors.
Graded Analysis: The book is up massively all-time in every grade with multiple sales and seems almost completely immune to the post-covid corrections that have plagued many other books. The current FMV for a Universal 9.8 is $3,000, which is almost 10x the value the book fetched with its first recorded sale in 2018. If Thrawn is successfully adapted to live action, prices could go even higher.
