Powers of X #1 and House of X #2 have stirred collectors and investors, but keep your eyes on the bigger picture for the real jewel when it comes to these coinciding series.

On the heels of "Are First Appearances the Only Comics Worth Investments Anymore?," two issues have captured the attention of collectors, and it's based on key first appearances in Powers of X #1 and House of X #2.

Both issues are fetching decent price tags on the secondary markets, and they were both sell-outs to begin with. While they're sound investments, I would like to speak to you as one fan to another for a moment. Jonathan Hickman's X-Men titles are all worth buying simply for the read. I have no idea where he's going with his story, but I am embracing the ride as he's weaving an intriguing X-Men story. In fact, it's shaping up to be one of the better story arcs since Ed Brubaker penned 2007's opus, Messiah Complex.

 

 

 

 

THAT NEW CHARACTER APPEAL

As I explained in my last entry, it isn't hard to make a comic hot as far as Marvel and DC are concerned. All the two major publishers need to do is toss out some chum in the form of a new character, and the feeding frenzy begins. Look at Captain Marvel #8. That latest volume of Captain Marvel wasn't a top seller, but then issue #8 suddenly blistered the local comic shops because it introduced Star. Since then, a 9.8 CM #8 has sold for over $100. Will the rest of the series keep that sellout pace? It's doubtful.

Investors and collectors, more so than fans made that issue hot, and that's the case with many of the recent first appearances. That's why the modern debuts will initially bring top dollar on the secondary markets, like eBay, then taper off. Hickman's new creations - or spins on old characters in some cases - are hinting at larger implications down the proverbial road, and that will add value to POX #1 and HOX #2, but there's a bigger picture here.

GOTTA CATCH 'EM ALL

Certainly, the debut of new characters - okay, Moira MacTaggert isn't exactly new, but she's a mutant now, so that's something, right? - is making this series appealing to collectors and investors alike, but Marvel is giving readers something that hasn't been seen in an X-Men series in years: a good story. That's why the full run is what you're going to want, and that includes the upcoming Dawn of X. Like Al Ewing and Joe Bennett's Immortal Hulk, the Hickman X-run will prove to be a solid investment because it's redefining a classic.

Earlier this summer, I wrote in "Immortal Hulk's Incredible Run" when a series completely changes our expectations of an iconic character, the full run outweighs the individual issues. Look at Frank Miller's Daredevil. Certainly, Miller's debut on the title, Daredevil #158, and the first appearance of Elektra in DD #168 are both highly collectible, it's having everything from Miller's initial time on Daredevil that is true collector's gold. I'll even go so far as to say that while Amazing Spider-Man #300 will always be a darling of collectors everywhere, you have something even more special if you have each issue in Todd McFarlane's time on ASM.

FINAL THOUGHTS

When Hickman finishes redefining what we expect from an X-Men story, it's the full run that collectors are going to want. POX #1 and HOX #2 may end up being the highest-valued single issues, but it will be the complete saga that will change modern comic lore.

 

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