The Black Panther movie franchise is in limbo, and there are more questions than answers at this point. Amidst the mourning of Chadwick Boseman and the uncertainty of the role of T'Challa, it has created an interesting comic collecting situation. Movie rumors have catapulted Shuri's key issues to the top of the market, including Black Panther #1, which saw her become Wakanda's mythical protector.
As the story goes, T’Challa was seriously injured during the Dark Reign crossover. The leaders of Wakanda initially wanted their Queen, the X-Men’s Storm, to assume the mantle in her husband’s place, but she rescinded the invitation. Instead, Storm suggested Shuri put on the costume.
With the speculation that Shuri will be the onscreen Black Panther in the movie's sequel, this issue has suddenly become highly collectible.
STANDARD COVER
For eight years, no one cared about this issue. Why would they? Shuri’s turn as Black Panther was short-lived and overall forgettable. Once she was cast in the Black Panther movie, the heat was turned up. In 2017, the 9.8 standard edition jumped from being a $30 comic to peaking at $132. Once the movie hit theaters a year later, that 9.8 reached a record $400. The bar was then set, but September has seen two copies surpass that mark - a September 10 sale brought $475 only to be eclipsed by a $580 sale on September 15.
WRAP-AROUND COVER VARIANT
Like practically everything else tied to Shuri, this issue was not getting much love before Boseman’s tragic death on August 28. Prior to that day, the wrap-around cover generally brought about $70 with the occasional $90-$100 for a graded 9.8. Ever since the MCU rumor mill began churning about Shuri becoming the live-action Black Panther, speculators have beefed up this issue’s fair market value.
Since August 28, there have been four sales of the 9.8 grades. The first brought $75, but after that, nothing sold for less than $133. The biggest eye-catcher was on August 29 when one went for a record-setting $270. The last sale on August 31 approached that mark when it earned $250.
SECOND PRINT
The other issue to watch closely is the Black Panther #1 (Second Print). As typical with subsequent printings, it had a smaller print run than the first print, and that is always appreciated in the collecting circles.
At the moment, the graded copies are not setting the world ablaze; there hasn’t been a 9.8 sold since May, and it brought $74. While that is a respectable number, it isn’t anything terribly exciting. That will soon change. The eBay sold listings reveal raw copies consistently selling for $85.
DJURDJEVIC VARIANT
With all the other versions of this issue taking flight, this is a cheaper alternative to its brethren.
Raw copies of the Marko Djurdjevic cover are selling for less than $10 at the moment. The graded comics are faring better, but they are not bringing especially impressive values. In fact, there have not been any recorded sales for graded copies since August 12. However, the last two sales have seen it earn $40 and $49. With the recent Shuri inflation, it is reasonable to assume this issue will gain value. For only $10 or less, it is worth the gamble.
