New characters get everyone excited, but will those first appearances hold up in the long run? If they follow in the steps of a few of their fellow fresh faces, then those will prove to be sound investments.
Yesterday, I spotlighted three of the newest entries into the Marvel Universe: Cosmic Ghost Rider, Weapon H, and Knull. Whether or not they'll keep up the hot pace five or ten years down the road is anyone's guess at this point, but we can use some older data to make predictions. To help us, let's look at the first appearances of Miles Morales, Silk, and Amadeus Cho.
Of course, we're talking about completely different characters from the aforementioned newcomers, but it does give us a sample to work with.
AMADEUS CHO
With the return of Bruce Banner as the Immortal Hulk (which I've heard nothing but praise for although I haven't read it just yet), Amadeus Cho's future in the Marvel Universe is certainly in question. For the time being, he's still a big player as the Totally Awesome Hulk, plus he has been alluded to in the MCU, so it stands to reason that his first appearance in Amazing Fantasy (volume two, mind you) #15 would be in demand. After hovering in the $100 range for years, it hit its peak in 2015 when Marvel introduced Cho as the all-new, all-different Hulk. Even though the move had mixed reactions, it jumped to as high as $335 at a 9.8 that year. Since then, it's tapered off, but it averaged a decent $210 last year.
SILK
Silk's first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #4 (volume three) exploded when Sony reportedly cancelled the Silver Sable/Black Cat movie and was rumored to have replaced it with a Silk feature film. At a near-mint 9.8, ASM #4 is still one of the hottest comics on the market. In the past 90 days, there have been 150 sales and its current average is $154. Cindy Moon has already been introduced in the MCU in Spider-Man: Homecoming, but there's no official word on whether or not the MCU Cindy Moon will be tied to Sony's Silk or if the movie will even happen. If it does get the green light, which it just might if Venom is the hit it is stacking up to be, then ASM #4 will spike in a big way. On the flip side, if it's another cancelled Sony project, then prices will come back to normal.
MILES MORALES
The Ultimate Spider-Man has been alluded to in the Spider-Man: Homecoming, has entered the regular Marvel Universe, and is starring in the animated feature, Into the Spider-Verse, so he's making a splash these days. The 90-day average for Ultimate Fallout #4 at a 9.8 is up to $245 after averaging $221 last year. We're seeing a boom at the moment with all this exposure, and it's only going to rise as his fan base broadens. If he makes it to the MCU, then you'll really see some big numbers for his first appearance.
FINAL THOUGHTS
So what does the data tell us? Keeping a first appearance in demand depends on the character staying relevant. At the moment, Marvel is putting the spotlight on Cosmic Ghost Rider and Weapon H, both of whom have received self-titled series. Knull is still new and fresh and the main villain in one of the company's most popular titles, so he hasn't had time to cool just yet. If Marvel continues to push these three characters, then as we have seen with Silk, Miles Morales, and Amadeus Cho, their first appearances will continue to be sound investments.
