Yeah, the featured comic was a dead giveaway but it is still fun to go with the original name Jack Kirby invented in 1977. After all, Mister Machine seems to fit better in our techno-wonder 21st Century mashup of wi-fi and smartphones. Perhaps Jack Kirby was simply ahead of his time. His Mister Machine is none other than Machine Man. This android superhero has been bounced all over the Marvel Universe but always seems to land upright and unlike Pinocchio, his nose doesn't grow but everything else transforms. In fact, it wouldn't be a stretch to call him the real first transformer robot. His alter ego name is Aaron Stack which has at times been a little too human for my taste; the character develops a beer fixation during one story arc. Regardless, this retro-robot has some interesting powers a cross between the Six Million Dollar Man and the Stilt-Man. But can this robot reap ROI rewards?
If you have not read Marvel Zombies#3 check it out. Mister Machine is the protagonist in that storyline. He jumps into a ton of fun in the altered zombie-verse, utilizing his powers in interesting death-defying ways. The cool thing about the altered universe scenario is the writers can do whatever they want. Watch Machine Man throw down on most of Marvel's zombified heroes. Warning: This book is not for the faint of heart, and you better have a strong stomach because the gore is on every page. But the heroic nature of Machine Man shines through. He wins you over as the superhero humanity can count on.
Did Marvel Zombies fare well as a profitable book? Not really, as there has only been one sale on GoCollect's radar back in 2016. It sold for $35 in grade (9.8) but only one sale in 2016, not a lot of data to hang your robot arm on. This is probably best as just a fun read because the zombie thing is really played out now as a speculation.
I recently picked up my second raw copy of this book. I know Machine Man could really perform well on a series or in the movie theater. People would love him, could sell a ton of toys, more comics, and movies. The first appearance of Mister Machine (Machine Man) was in 2001: A Space Odyssey #8. This comic was created almost entirely by Jack Kirby (script and pencils) in 1977 "featuring technology and concepts from the Stanley Kubrick movie" (source: Wiki). Eventually, Machine Man inspires a Kirby led series of his own.
This comic has had some depreciation over the previous ten plus years at 10,000 potential sales. But when you reduce that down to the last two years this book shows some substantial growth. The grade very fine (8.0) range has telescoping returns with a positive ROI of +42.2%. Furthermore, other grades are promising as well with the following grades in positive growth territory: mint (9.8) +10.5%, near mint (9.4) at +21.1% and don't let your telescoping neck extend into the clouds like Mister Machine but a grade (7.5) has returned a pulse-pounding positive +149%.
Retract your extremities, my robotic friend, returns and ROI are not the best news. What is most important is the low entry-level price of 2001: A Space Odyssey #8 for almost every grade. The (9.8) mint grade sold in October for $383. I see a big movie or series allowing this character to pick up the Transformer teenagers fanbase in a big way in the future. That could build quite a following for this retro-robot and telescope your returns to new heights.
