Heroes are only as good as the villains they face, and with Wolverine coming to the MCU (eventually) he brings a host of new faces to the party in the form of the Weapon X program.
Keeping pace with April's X-Men theme, I can't ignore the impact that the X-Men, namely Wolverine, will have not only on their key issues, but the key issues of other related characters. Sure, the X-Men family of characters has standout villains galore, like Magneto, Juggernaut, and the Hellfire Club, but Wolverine is connected to something that could be a major boon for the MCU: Weapon X.
Wolverine has always been tied to the Weapon X program, and he was referred to as Weapon X in his cameo debut in The Incredible Hulk #180. Since then, the mythology surrounding the program has expanded into a secret Canadian project that attempted to create super soldiers, the results of which gave readers Sabretooth, Deadpool, and X-23 among others.
While Weapon X may have debuted alongside its most famous project, Marvel didn't give us an inside look at the adamantium-bonding until 1991 beginning with Marvel Comics Presents #72. Although Wolverine had been referenced as Weapon X since Hulk #180, MCP #72 is considered the first official appearance of the Weapon X program. While it may be a minor key in the grand scheme in all of Marveldom, this is an important issue for Wolverine fans. His relationship to the Weapon X program was cultivated for decades, leading up to his demise in the Death of Wolverine limited series.
As we get closer to Wolverine and his incorporation into the MCU, this is a key issue that will rise in value. Of course, it has been for the past three years already. In 2017, a graded 9.8 reached a new record-high sale at $200, which was matched with another $200 sale last year. However, 2019 is looking like an especially good year for MCP #72. At a near-mint plus, one recently sold for $170 and has a 90-day average of $111, which is higher than the fair market values for 2017 and 2018. So far this year, it has only sold below $100 four times, and one hit $190 in February.
Dropping down the ladder, the other grades aren't pushing the triple figures mark, but they are doing well for a minor key. A 9.4 is on the way up with an average close to $40 after a 2017 FMV of $29. The 9.6 has actually lost value, and it stands at a $38 FMV for the past 90 days. However, it for a record-setting $85 on March 31 and a respectable $50 on April 29. Time will tell if that is an outlier or if that is the first of a trend of higher priced 9.6s.
In any event this is a Wolverine key worth adding to your collection whether as a fan, an investor, or both. Although it was truly awful, X-Men Origins: Wolverine already touched on the Weapon X program. Like many fans of Logan, I'm hoping the MCU rectifies that abomination of a movie since there can't be Wolverine without Weapon X.
