It doesn't take a Reed Richards-level rocket scientist to see where some of the MCU is headed, so all we need to do is zig while others zag to find some potential value on future heavy hitters. Let's take a look at a few.
Deadpool - New Mutants #98
After Marvel dropped both of the recently acquired Deadpool movies onto Disney+ shortly before SDCC, there was rampant speculation that some kind of news about the new Deadpool 3 movie would be announced. There has been a lot of digital ink spilled about this being the first "R" rated movie in the MCU, keeping with the original irreverent style of the first two.
Alas, there was not one word about the film during the weekend panel (as with all other mutant or X-related content), so we are left to wait for another time. Meanwhile, CGC 9.8 copies of Deadpool's first appearance are down more than $250 over the past 30 days ($1,607) compared to the one-year average ($1,872).
Some of that is clearly related to recession-level events and the cost of living, but Deadpool is a book that had been steadily rising for years. If it continues to drop, this is a tremendous buying opportunity.
Nova - Nova #1
If you want another book that has been absolutely tanking lately, look no further than Nova #1 at anything that resembles a high grade. The bottom has fallen out of this issue starting around a 9.6 grade. At just $468 over the last month, it is 17% lower than the yearly value of the book ($567). There has not been a CGC 9.8 recorded sale in the GoCollect database in more than six weeks, but with all other grades tumbling, it will be interesting to see what happens when the next NM copy sells.
We have, of course, been teased with Nova-related Easter Eggs for some time in the MCU. Remember the Spider-Man: Far From Home scene where the NOVA PBS show logo appeared, and everyone was convinced his appearance was imminent? Or how about when John C. Reilly and the Nova Corps appeared in the Guardians of the Galaxy?
There is plenty of time for these rumors to pay off, but for how it represents a buying opportunity for this solid Bronze Age book.
World War Hulk/Solo Hulk project - World War Hulk #1
We will be seeing plenty of our favorite green Hulk later this month when Mark Ruffalo dons the Professor Hulk moniker again for the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law series on Disney+. That series has evolved from being lauded for poor CGI and campiness to praised for the unique storyline and inclusion of characters like Daredevil in a matter of months. But while we will see the origin of She-Hulk and other ancillary Marvel characters, the rumors of a solo Hulk project or a World War Hulk adaptation have been quieted once SDCC came and went with no mention.
In fact, there has been only discouraging news from Marvel on that front after none of the rumors were substantiated. The World War Hulk series was lauded as a fantastic Hulk story when it debuted 15 years ago, and would seemingly translate well onto the big screen since Ruffalo has never been gifted a standalone project. But with nothing on the horizon, even the relatively cheap World War Hulk #1 copies in a 9.8 grade have been dropping.
Once at a value of $186 this year, that number is down to $171 for the past month and is still falling. If prices keep declining at this rate, this will be a book to acquire at the basement-level prices just in the hope that the MCU does something with it someday.
Ghost Rider - Marvel Spotlight #5 and Ghost Rider #1
It's hard to say that one of the most valuable books of the entire Bronze Age is currently undervalued, but for this exercise, we can use a couple Ghost Rider books as a stand-in for all things Ghost Rider. Over the years, several different actors have been tied to a new and improved Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider.
After Nicolas Cage played the role, Norman Reedus, Keanu Reeves, and Ryan Gosling, among others, have been tied to an MCU version of the character. And while there have been no official announcements, we got a first Easter Egg by way of a Johnny Blaze poster in the latest She-Hulk trailer.
We also know that one of the trademarks Marvel reserved right before SDCC was for Midnight Sons. There can be no Midnight Sons without a Ghost Rider presence (two separate Ghost Riders have been in Midnight Sons), so the clues are starting to pile up that our favorite fiery rider might be on the horizon.
Ghost Rider #1, like many high-value books in the last few months, is seeing a dip in many grades. Several grades up and down the scale are seeing falling prices due to a combination of less disposable income, no buzz around the book, and many investors trying to sell out of the market.
My personal copy is a CGC 8.5, which has been fortunate to hold steady over the last year, but a CGC 8.0 at 90-day value ($1,087) is now a dream for owners who looked to sell in the last month. On average, they got $862 for their books.
Brother/Doctor Voodoo - Strange Tales #169
Want a shot in the dark for an MCU character who presently has zero buzz or rumors surrounding it? How about Strange Tales #169 and the first appearance of Brother Voodoo (who would later become Doctor Voodoo)? Speaking of the Midnight Sons, guess who is a current member of that team? That's right - Voodoo. As we saw in Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, there is going to be a shift into some horror elements of the MCU. Blade might be the next installment under that umbrella, but that opens the door for Voodoo to commune with the rest of the MCU.
This book has absolutely dropped like a rock over the last year. Some CGC grades (9.4, 8.5, 8.0, and 7.5 for example) have lost as much as 40% of their value over the last year. An 8.5 copy that sold for $840 one year ago recently sold at Heritage Auctions for just $480 on July 26th.
It can be a dangerous games-playing speculator with a book that has absolutely no traction within the MCU or its current plans, but at some points, the value drop here will make the risk worth it.
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