One of the single biggest drivers of comic book speculation nowadays is the MCU.  From major characters like Spider-Man all the way down to D-listers like Frog Man, the MCU has fundamentally changed the way people look at comic books.  The goal of this article series is to provide investors of all stripes with some well-reasoned speculation opportunities so they can be one step ahead of a constantly shifting marketplace. So for this issue, let's talk about the Feline Felon, The Swiping Seductress, The Beautiful Bandit, The Black Cat!

Low-Cost Options

True Believers: King In Black - Black Cat #1

As I have said in this column many times before, reprint books can be great alternate investments for those priced out of major keys.  This book is only two years old and already routinely sells for double cover price amidst record inflation.  And it is doing all that despite an absolute dirth of movie-related news.

Graded Analysis: FMV for a 9.8 is around $50, but has reached as high as $75!!  That's a crazy good return.

Black Cat #1 (2019)

As with reprints, first solo and first ongoing titles represent great options for investors on a budget.  They represent key moments in a character's publication history.  That is especially the case for Black Cat #1, as it marks the beginning of Jed MacKay's transformative take on the character.

Few writers have written the character as many times as MacKay and fewer still have done it with the same level of grace, nuance, and emotional fidelity.  Throw in a J Scott Campbell cover and you have all the ingredients for a great long-term investment.

Graded Analysis: Current CGC 9.8 FMV is $50, making this book more of a long-term investment than a quick flip.

Medium Cost Options

Amazing Spider-Man #606 And #607

I am writing both of these books under the same entry because the reasons to buy them are the exact same.  These are two of J Scott Campbell's most famous covers and some of his earliest work with two characters he would come to draw EXTENSIVELY over the years: Mary Jane and the Black Cat.

Both #606 and #607 are highly sought after by Amazing Spider-Man collectors and J Scott Campbell collectors, two groups that are often willing to pay a premium.

Graded Analysis for #606: Current FMV for a CGC 9.8 is around $160, though there have been several sales in recent months over $225.  Be on the lookout for the newsstand edition, which has recorded sales anywhere from $510 to $1,299!!!

Graded Analysis for #607: Current FMV for a CGC 9.8 is $260, with several sales going well above that.  Like #606, this book has a valuable newsstand edition, with CGC 9.6 copies selling as high as $1,000!

High-Cost Options

Black Cat #1 Campbell Exclusive Le Chat Noir Variant

In general, I do not like to recommend store exclusive books, but this cover is just so stunning that I had to make an exception.  The incredible composition perfectly captures Felicia's essence and is an absolute feast for the eyes.

Graded Analysis: Interestingly, ~96% of this book's census count is for books graded at 9.8, which have an FMV of $1,650.  I highly doubt the book can sustain that kind of value indefinitely, but there is really no question that the book is highly sought after.

Amazing Spider-Man #194

In order for this list to have any credibility, the first appearance of the Black Cat basically has to be on it, right?  While Felicia Hardy would grow and change quite a bit over the years, this is still the book that started it all.  It was here that readers were first introduced to one of the most significant people in Peter Parker's life and one of the best original female characters in comics.

Graded Analysis: CGC 9.8 copies of the direct edition have an FMV of $4,300, with sales reaching as high as $5,500.  Meanwhile, newsstand editions graded at 9.8 have a lower FMV at $4,300, but a higher one year average and all-time high.

Out of Nowhere Pick

Spider-Girl #46

In the MC2 Universe, Felicia Hardy went on to have a child named Felicity.  Like her mother, Felicity was a big Spider-hero fan and, in this issue, first adopted the Scarlet Spider costume.  With multiversal storytelling being so popular nowadays and Sony's bizarre film and television development strategy, this obscure book has some slight potential.

Graded Analysis: There are zero copies of this book in the census, which means the first to get a graded copy can essentially set the market rate!

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*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.