Sometimes I collect a comic because it is rare. Often I will buy a comic because I see value. Every once in a while, as noted in a previous article (here), I just have to have it. Whether for the reasons listed above, or for no logical reason at all, we all have buying habits that affect our collections. For me, I have had a back and forth relationship with Thor #337... now I am wondering if it is time to break-up or hold on for the long term.
Thor #337 is one of my favorite comics. When I began my collection, it was one of the first I picked up. In fact, I have bought a few copies. Here are the two main reasons. One: It is the first appearance of a very cool character... Beta Ray Bill. Two: the cover art is superb, a bit of a 4th wall breaker, and undeniably eye-catching. Over time, I have seen my number of Thor #337 fluctuate from many copies to zero and everything in-between. But why?
On the open market, Thor #337 has undeniably been a hot book. Copies in 9.8 grade have risen from the low to mid $300 range to copies pushing the $500 threshold. Although, when cross referencing the data, we have some questions that arise. The data shows 9.8 graded copies trending down by nearly 5%, and each of the top 3 grades in decline as well. By contrast grades of 9.2 and below are all showing positive traction. So why is this book so hot right now?
Books from the 1980's are gaining steam. They are still at affordable price points for a lot of collectors, where many of the Silver Age key comics have priced themselves out of the "casual collector" market. Thor #337 is a great example of this trend. Although highly abundant (over 600 copies of 9.8 grade on the census) and always listed for sale, the number of copies in the supply chain does not supersede the demand for this book. We see this with the Amazing Spider-Man #300 and other modern books. Although there are plenty of copies on the market, price trends seem to go up with every offering.
This book also has a Newsstand doppelganger...I hate to beat it into my reader's head, but Newsstand vs. Direct is a thing and will only become more prominent once everyone realizes it. I am now going to open up the debate into Canadian Newsstand Variants. There is, apparently, a Canadian Newsstand version of this book? Is a Canadian variant worth the premiums we see on the market? Are they really rarer? I have been researching this topic for a while and am slowly gathering insights into these types of books. More on Canadian Variants soon...please stand-by to stand-by!
Thor #337 should remain a desired and worthy Key moving forward. During this time of market flux, it may be prudent to move on a copy. Keep an eye open for a Newsstand variant being offered for a Direct copy price to maximize the value on this book. If you are on the sell side, this is a great book to gain value on if you are able to time the market, or you could just remain diligent and bet on this book for the long term.
What other books do you see hitting the market with high frequency? Do you believe in the Newsstand vs. Direct premium? Will Beta Ray Bill ever show up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (we have seen his likeness in Ragnarok)? Drop your comments and join in the conversation.
