Some of the earliest comics I read were "What if...?" This particular series was brilliant, you could explore new aspects of a character and never destroy existing plots or background. Why? Because they were divergent from Marvel continuity. What if the timeline were different and Hulk had been killed? What would happen to the Avengers, the Defenders, does the world at large even need this green Frankenstein? These kind of tantalizing tales are quite fun as a fan to read. In fact, my personal collection as a kid boiled down to Doctor Strange, The Defenders, Unknown Soldier, and every "What if...?" story I could get my hands on. Some of these books are valuable today, but only some. There are a few valuable "What if...?" storylines that have produced relative profit compared to their humble beginning prices.
They used to always begin the same way with The Watcher (Uatu) as narrator, "I am the Watcher! For untold Millienia it has been my task to observe the pivotal events which helped shape the reality of your world. Witness if you will one such moment!" It would go on like that with the Watcher Uatu narrating the specific instance of choices and showing the viewer how the alternate reality may have gone. The "What If...?" were fun, and very creative; as a kid, I was hooked. But can these campy Watcher stories have value today? Can speculators or for that matter even investors make money on alternative universe one-shots?
"What if...?" Comics
The What if...? series published by Marvel Comics explore fascinating key moments in history that could have gone differently from the Marvel continuity. These "Marvel comic books have been published in eleven series as well as many stand-alone issues since the 1970s (Source: Wiki)." The Watcher narrates in all the first series and part of the second volume stories as well. The Watcher's name is Uatu. But at one point this particular Uatu "Watcher was punished in Fantastic Four for killing a fellow Watcher and that made his narration implausible." Marvel did away with its framer, making the stories stand alone in the "What if...?" series.
What if Wolverine had Killed the Hulk? #31
The fight goes according to Marvel history up until a crucial combat point, then reality diverts from continuity. In this alternate Watcher's Universe, Wolverine goes berserk and takes several throat shots at the Hulk. This, of course, kills him instantly and leads Wolverine down a different path. This tragic path has Wolverine joining the X-Men as a spy for Magneto's mutant gang; later in the story Wolverine returns to his true heroic underpinning and saves Jean Grey during combat. This so enrages Magneto he uses his power to have Wolvie stab himself in the throat repeatedly. Not a good time to have metal bones when the mutant you are fighting is Magneto the Master of Magnetism.
The comic What if Wolverine had Killed the Hulk? #31 was created by Rich Margopoulos and Bill Mantlo (script) with a whole team of pencilers Bob Budiansky, Alan Kupperberg, Bill Willingham, and Chic Stone in February of 1982. The current fair market value for a mint grade (9.8) is $120. The lowest grade sold recently is (3.0) for $26 FMV. That range, especially for only a readable copy, is very significant supporting further price increases. This same grade has returned positive +53.1% over the last 62 sales for a grade (9.8). Everything from (9.0) up has shown price increases recently. The Bronze Age is increasingly more and more collectible across the board perhaps this is driving some of the more popular "What if...?" pricing. Use the GoCollect website to choose a profitable "What if...?"; after all, you don't want to end up punished like Uatu.
