The Suicide Squad is upon us, and it looks like it will be a hit for the DCEU. The question on collector’s minds is, what about those Suicide Squad keys?

Much has been said and written about the key comics for The Suicide Squad. As the hype from the movie was building, so were the prices for the early appearances of the team itself and its star players. Now that fans are getting a taste of James Gunn’s latest action-comedy, which issues should you be watching?

SUPERMAN #4

Think of Idris Elba’s Bloodsport as an upgraded version of Will Smith’s Deadshot from the 2016 Suicide Squad

Bloodsport’s video game-inspired look alone would be enough to make him a fan favorite. The helmet looks like a Xenomorph from Alien, and he has enough weaponized gadgets to make James Bond jealous. 

No surprise, Elba is the star of the movie, and it has made Superman #4 one of the hottest comics on the market. Sales have picked up exponentially this week, leading into the premiere, and the most recent sales from just yesterday saw the 9.8 averaging close to $250. Not bad for a comic that was worth $56 two years ago.

Suicide Squad keysSUICIDE SQUAD #1

Prices have actually dipped for the Squad’s first self-titled series. At the end of July, the 9.8s were selling for as much as $450. While sales were still consistent, those same high-grade slabs were earning $300.

Over on the raw side of the spectrum, buyers are getting great deals on this key issue, with recent sales in the $20 range.

Suicide Squad keysFIGHTIN’ FIVE #40

With a Peacemaker HBO Max series previously announced, this has been one of the hotter Suicide Squad keys in 2021. John Cena’s deadpan delivery made for some of the film’s most memorable lines, and that will fuel interest for the upcoming show. In turn, it will make what was once an overlooked issue an even bigger key. 

So far, the only graded copy sold this month has been a 6.5, which earned $1,149 on August 1. Three days later, a lower-grade raw copy brought $200.

Suicide Squad keysDETECTIVE COMICS #585

Gunn has worked his magic again. The writer/director famously made heroes out of zeroes with Guardians of the Galaxy, and his latest superhero story did the impossible: he made fans care about Ratcatcher. 

Granted, this is Ratcatcher Two, the daughter of the original Ratcatcher from Batman’s rogue’s gallery. Her story proves to be the heart of the movie, and after this weekend, she will likely ascend to fan-favorite status.

The newfound popularity will circle back to the debut of Ratcatcher in 1988’s DC #585. Earlier this week, a 9.6 sold for $125 after July saw values hovering below $70. The last 9.8 sold for $180 last month, so there is potential for profits here.

THE SEQUEL

With The Suicide Squad getting the seal of approval from most fans and critics, it would be hard to imagine WarnerMedia not following up with another film, possibly rechristening them Taskforce X. Hopefully, DC will have Gunn return to the director’s chair, but with him returning to Marvel Studios for GOTG 3, it is questionable. In any event, the key players from TSS will likely return for another round, and that will make the aforementioned comics even more collectible.

Which of these do you think has staying power, if any? We want to hear your thoughts in the comments!