The new Hellboy trailer has dropped, and prices for his first appearances will undoubtedly spike as a result, which means now is a perfect time to stock up before things get out of hand.
Fans were given their first look at the "all-new, all-different" Hellboy, and it looks like the filmmakers are following the standard Marvel formula: lots of green screen, a larger-than-life hero fighting CGI monsters, and Guardians of the Galaxy-level slapstick comedy. I will even go so far as to say that David Harbour appears to be channeling his inner Star Lord in the trailer.
When it comes to comic book movies, I prefer mine leaning more towards serious, but I'm in the minority. That being said, I expect that mainstream audiences will be excited for this revamped Hellboy, and with that excitement comes escalating prices for his first appearance.
Did I say first appearance? I meant first appearances. Not to sound like a comic hipster, but Hellboy is credited with three first appearances in 1993: there's Dime Press #4, followed by SDCC Comics #2, and finally Next Men #21.
DIME PRESS #4Mike Mignola created a Hellboy prototype for the fanzine, Dime Press. The cover art is the only place Hellboy is seen, but it still serves as the character's true first appearance.
There aren't a lot of Dime Press #4 issues floating around, not in comparison with Next Men #21, and that makes this a highly collectible comic for the Hellboy fan. In the past three months, only 19 CGC-graded copies have sold, and that includes all grades and labels. Because of that relative rarity, be prepared to pay top dollar for this issue. A 9.6 sold for $769 last month, and the lowest grade to trade hands in 2017 was an 8.5, and that one brought $280.
SAN DIEGO COMIC CON COMICS #2While only a four-page, black-and-white part of the collection, SDCC Comics #2 is nonetheless credited as Hellboy's first full appearance. The story is that there were only 1,500 copies printed specifically for San Diego Comic Con, and who would have known it would someday fetch as much as $1,200 in a 9.8 grade? These days, it's far from that 2009 record high, but the 90-day average is up to $648. No grade lower than an 8.0 has sold in the past year, and the cheapest you'll get one for now is $175. As the hype for the movie builds, these prices could be steals.
Dark Horse Comics' breakout character, Next Men #21 is widely considered Hellboy's full debut as this is his initial appearance in a regularly published title.
Ever since Ron Perlman cemented Hellboy into the mainstream conscience, this has been an ever-popular issue. Last year, when the first news of a reboot began circulating, prices began to rise. For the past 90 days, only the 9.8, with a three-month fair market value of $360, and the 9.6 ($180) have shown increases over the 12-month averages. Every other grade sold in these 90 days has lost value, which is great news for investors.
In that span, the 9.4 has averaged $133. Meanwhile, the 9.2 grade has brought $106, and a 9.0 is currently bringing $99. While these are respectable numbers, you can expect the prices to get a boost from the trailer. My advice is to buy a higher grade now and hold onto it until April when the movie premieres.
