Amazing Spider-Man #300 was the first appearance of Venom (Eddie Brock's alter ego); but more importantly, it was Spider-Man returning to his origin red and blues. This comic is a huge key with even lenticular covers being used to pay homage. This was the first issue inked by Todd McFarlane and the 25th-anniversary issue of Spidey. All first appearances are valuable to some extent. This one is no exception to that rule and may very well be in the top ten modern comics in popularity. Currently, Amazing Spider-Man #300 is ranked the 2nd most popular Modern Age comic in July (GoCollect). These McFarlane spectacular covers are true eye-catchers even to people not interested in Venom. Spider-Man had never been drawn as fluid as on this cover. Not until McFarlane braved editorial wrath, and made Spidey fly out of the comics. Apparently, this book has been a good investment. But is it a cautionary tale?
This book has consistently been in the top three most popular comics for the last year. The CGC Census on this book is genuinely frightening with a total of 16,883 books in inventory. If ever there was a price bubble building it is this comic. Of this 16K, a full 3000 are Signature Series CGC, yikes! That is a Spidey-ton of autographs. The price range for ASM #300 is $2250 FMV for (9.8) and the lowest sale was in a grade (1.8) for $140. The best return over the long haul is in (9.2) which now sells on eBay for $500. The (9.2) graded ASM#300 is probably just an anomaly, as every other grade shows price declines in this comic book. These are pre-Venom movie prices.
Let's posit a lousy Venom movie outcome; (I know, unlikely, with Hardy at the helm) but let's say the critiques hate it. The Venom movie goes into the toilet and turns off the superhero fan base; perhaps, with some over the top horror motif. I know all you Venom sycophants are yelling at me: Venom is horrific! That is the point! For the purpose of this movie with a bad hypothetical outcome, let's review what exactly might happen to prices in all grades from a Venom movie dud (failure).
Hypothetical: Movie Failure Venom Shockwave
The current Venom movie bombed at the box office. Therefore, a mass of speculators is trying to sell their books on eBay, and online all in the same month. Let's just say half of the CGC Census inventory of 16,883 Amazing Spider-Man #300 gets thrown to the market for immediate sale. Everyone wants out, and hates the movie and knows their valuable books are going to fall. First, prices will drop like Venom's tongue, all the way to the floor. If only half the CGC Census books surge onto the market (8000 copies of ASM #300); this will quickly drown buyers in discounts for all grades. People will be shorting their book prices, to sell before everyone else. This will be an avalanche of descending prices to the bottom, for everyone.
Oh wait, then half of the 3,000 books that have Signature Series will start selling. Owners of the Signatures Series will move fast to avoid an extra price drop. The price hierarchy will flow in the following order: Signature Series ASM #300 will move first at reduced prices, premium Universal CGC books will move second with at least a 50 percent loss in price. Finally, with mint books going cheap the very fine to near mint will sell at extreme discounts. This will leave every grade below (8.0) with nowhere to go. They won't even be able to give away their low-grade Amazing Spider-Man #300. This will be a buyers market; if the Venom movie should flop.
Breath people, breath, it was just experiment walking through a potential loss due to mass shorting of a comic and movie hysteria run amuck. Instead, I honestly expect this movie to create more Venom fans, more Venomnistas. Once that happens; prices should surge a bit. I think the best time to sell Amazing Spider-Man #300 will be going into the sequel. In the words of Edward Brock (Venom's alter ego from Earth -616), "We can't go on like this. It's got to stop. It's got to." Perhaps this is an ill omen for the next Venom movie.
