What are the Coldest Comics? These are the five issues that lost the most ground over the past 10 days’ worth of eBay sales. Using the auction site’s real-time sales data, the Hottest Comics ranks the 100 best-selling issues. Contrary to the rankings’ name, the Coldest Comics spotlights the issues that are just that, cold.
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
We had a couple of regular customers making waves in the rankings. As the name “Usual Suspects” implies, that is to be expected.
For those new to the blog, the Usual Suspects are the comics that remain in perpetual motion on the Hottest Comics. One week to the next, they will rise high only to fall hard in rapid fashion. These comics have made so many appearances on either the Hottest or Coldest blogs that there’s not much left to be said.
This week, we see the newsstand edition of Carnage’s first appearance losing 45 spots to fall to the 76th position. Meanwhile, Omega Red’s debut in X-Men #4 rolled down the mountainside, dropping 37 places to land in 51st. Both issues are so popular that they will rebound in short order.
COLDEST COMICS
67. MARVEL SUPER-HEROES SECRET WARS #1 (-47)
The higher the high, the lower the low, right? The Beyonder definitely felt the brunt of the secondary market this week. Virtually every issue in the Hottest Comics index takes a tumble every now and again, but Secret Wars #1 had been a solid figure in the top 20 for months. This week, it took a huge fall by nearly 50 spots.
There’s good reason to want this issue. First and foremost, it’s the debut issue of Marvel’s famous title. Jim Shooter, who wrote the scripts for SW, has said that the entire idea behind the comics was to sell action figures. That was nothing revolutionary for Marvel since the company also published the likes of Transformers and ROM. The concept itself was meant for kids, and it worked. To this day, an entire generation of comic fans cherish Secret Wars, and that keeps the first issue in demand.
The stakes were raised when The Beyonder was added to Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. Since it’s confirmed that the cartoons exist in the MCU, Beyonder could crossover from the animated to the live-action realm. That brings us to Avengers: Secret Wars. After Kevin Feige confirmed the movie would end Phase Six, buyers were all over SW #1. That excitement will only build as the MCU gets closer to that film.
Put it together, and there are too many reasons for this issue to stay down for long. Within a few days, this one should bounce back into the top 20 if not the top 10.
93. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #4 (-39)
Buyers were not interested in Silk, apparently.
ASM #4 has been hot for years now. Sure, it had momentary stumbles, but collectors and investors were lining up for Silk’s first appearance. Of course, this began with Sony announcing that she was getting her own live-action show. The trouble was the trail went cold very quickly. As soon as fans heard the live-action news, Sony had nothing else to say for some time.
The longer the studio went without any word on the production, the more it seemed Silk was going to be axed. Fans certainly had reason to worry. Around this time, Sony had canceled the Black Cat/Silver Sable movie, so it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that Silk would go back on the shelf.
If you bought your ASM #4 at inflated prices, seeing it drop all the way to the 93rd spot might worry you. For those looking to sell, hold tight. Silk is officially in production, and it will debut on Amazon Prime. With the Hollywood strike happening, it will likely push back the premiere date, but it is coming. Once the strike is over and a trailer is released, this comic will spike once again.
97. DARTH VADER #3 (-36)
The Force was not with Darth Vader #3. Then again, this issue bounces up and down the Hottest Comics so frequently that it nearly belongs among the Usual Suspects.
Why is DV #3 almost always on the move? It’s got to do with anticipation. Buyers have targeted this one for years thanks to the first appearance of Doctor Aphra. Introduced in 2015, she is part of the Marvel era of Star Wars comics. In fact, she is arguably the most popular of Marvel’s additions to the galaxy far, far away. That alone makes this issue a prime investment.
Once The Mandalorian carried the massive franchise on its back and marched Star Wars back to prominence, speculation began. When would Aphra make her live-action debut? Many thought it would occur in The Book of Boba Fett after her accomplice, Black Krrsantan, arrived on the small screen. Once he set foot on Disney Plus, it seemed inevitable that Aphra would be there soon. When that didn’t happen, it dampened the fires for DV #3, but it didn’t extinguish the flames.
Next on the Disney Plus schedule is Ahsoka. Again, there’s no Aphra on the casting list, and that puts this issue on the back burner for many collectors. However, it will heat up at any moment as it’s been doing for years.
98. INFINITE CRISIS #5 JIM LEE EDITION (-35)
Out of all five comics on today’s list, this may be the most unexpected entry. We are only weeks away from Blue Beetle’s theatrical premiere. Typically, this is when those key issues gain the most momentum as the hype train reaches its peak. While Infinite Crisis #5 had been a hot issue only months ago, it has completely lost all momentum this week. In fact, it very nearly dropped outside the top 100 Hottest Comics altogether.
Is this a sign that Blue Beetle is doomed at the box office? Not necessarily, but the implications here are not good. After all, this had been the most popular of all the Jaime Reyes key issues from the beginning. That went double for the Jim Lee edition with Jaime in full costume on the cover. Normally, this issue would be ranking high and hauling in record prices, but that’s not what we’re seeing.
This could simply be a hiccup as we head into the Blue Beetle opening weekend. The real indication will be whether or not it can rebound. If it doesn’t, this could be the first clue that DC is on the cusp of another box office bomb.
53. WOLVERINE #88 DELUXE EDITION (-34)
Another unexpected addition to the blog, Wolverine #88 took a mighty leap down the Hottest Comics ladder. This issue marked the first meeting between Deadpool 3’s protagonists, Deadpool and Wolverine. When Ryan Reynolds first announced Hugh Jackman’s return as Logan, this issue became red hot. Since then, it’s maintained its popularity, typically falling somewhere in the top-30 best-selling comics on eBay. This week, it has dipped into the bottom half of the list.
There’s not much to worry about here. Losing more than 30 spots is eye-catching, to be sure, but it’s not uncommon. Since Deadpool 3’s release date has been pushed back, it’s taken the spotlight off what had been the most anticipated Marvel movie on the schedule. With the actors’ strike ongoing, we won’t be seeing Reynolds teasing the movie. That would likely count as promoting an upcoming movie, which is forbidden by the Screen Actors Guild. That will take attention off the Deadpool 3 keys for the time being.
Once the strike is over, expect Reynolds to post some new images and get Wolverine #88 back on the collecting wish list.
