Comic book fans and investors love Venom. Amazing Spider-Man #300, where Venom makes his first full appearance, plus Amazing Fantasy #15 (or Incredible Hulk #181) of the Modern Age. As of January 13th, nine of the top 25 Most Popular Comic Books on GoCollect all have Venom-related storylines. For such a wildly popular character, one would assume that collectors have snapped up all of his keys. However, that isn't the case. I'm going to discuss a few of those books below.
Venom's First-Ever Solo Story: First Kill
Those nine Venom-related top 25 comic books, which have been hot for years, include The Amazing Spider-Man #252 (the first appearance of Spider-Man's black symbiote costume), Amazing Spider-Man #361 (the first appearance of Carnage), and Venom: Lethal Protector #1. Even novice collectors have known about these books for years, so their popularity is not a surprise to anyone.
Savvy collectors looking for overlooked comic books know about the Venom keys that others may have missed, and there are several of them. For instance, many collectors think VLP #1 is Venom's first solo story; however, true followers know that his first solo story is actually "First Kill," a three-part back-up story that is included in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #26, The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #12, and Web of Spider-Man Annual #8, published in late 1991 and early 1992. Marvel didn't publish VLP #1 until 1993. And even though Venom isn't a part of the featured story in each of these annuals, their covers feature his face on the upper left-hand corners.
In ASM Annual #26, we witness Eddie Brock bond with the symbiote for the first time (in ASM #300, Eddie Brock tells the story as a flashback when speaking to Spider-Man). Eddie transforms into Venom for the first time and learns how to use his superpowers in SSM Annual #12. In WSM Annual #8, Venom kills for the first time. Much like the Punisher, he takes justice into his own hands by executing Mr. Markham, a man responsible for murdering Ernesto Mendez, Eddie's neighbor. At the end of the series, Eddie agrees to bond with the Symbiote permanently and they call themselves Venom for the first time. These are key moments in Venom's story as an anti-hero, and a great addition to any fan's collection.
These books cost less than cover price on eBay
Considering that these annuals tell Venom's origin story, these comics are exceptionally cheap. You can buy raw copies of these annuals in VF+ or NM for less than cover price on eBay (I bought three of the annuals for about $1 apiece). For those looking for investor grade copies, the fair market value of a CGC 9.8 copy of ASM Annual #26 is a very affordable $65, according to GoCollect. That's a very reasonable price for such an iconic book. While collectors will never view these annuals in the same light as ASM #252, ASM #300, or even VLP #1, they tell an important part of Venom's story and deserve a spot in any Venom fan's collection.
Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments below!
Do you collect concert posters? Check out GoCollect's Concert Poster Price Guide!
