Nothing was safe from the Coldest Comics this week, not even Wolverine's first appearance.
Think of this as the weekly physical of the comic collecting world. Here at GoCollect, we check the secondary market's temperature and see where buyers are investing their money. Utilizing eBay's daily market data as the thermometer, we are taking a closer look at the sales volume for the best-selling issues across the auction platform. You could say these particular comics have been hit with a cold.
10 DAYS
No single issue took quite the hit like The Killing Joke. This masterful tale of the Joker at his most despicable is never truly out of style. It remains one of Alan Moore's most popular works, and that is a massive statement. After all, the legendary writer has penned so many classics throughout his comics career. Next to Watchmen, The Killing Joke is arguably his most beloved work.
Whenever talk of a new Batman movie gets the internet gossiping, there comes the inevitable talk of Killing Joke being adapted for live action. Back when Ben Affleck was still under the cape and cowl, the rumor was that he and Jared Leto were looking to bring the story to life. Whether there was any truth to that is questionable, but it's fun to think about.
Certainly there will come a day when Killing Joke gets turned into a movie, and that will get those sales through the roof. Even without it, this masterpiece will rebound as far as sales.
30 DAYS
The secondary market giveth, and the secondary market taketh away. Only a couple months ago, eBayers were all over Ultimate Black Panther #1, and they catapulted it to the top of the Hottest Comics. As popular as it once was, buyers have utterly ignored the issue for the past month.
What put Ultimate Black Panther #1 on the map was the return of the Ultimate Universe. Under the direction of all-star writer Jonathan Hickman, this alternate world was resurrected in the comics. That sent collectors and investors straight to eBay for those ever-popular #1s, beginning with Ultimate Spider-Man #1 and, obviously, Ultimate Black Panther #1.
Marvel's new Ultimate Universe has made an impact on new comic sales, so there will be much more to come. That could be enough to give this issue a jolt and keep it among the Hottest Comics.
60 DAYS
Miguel O'Hara's first appearance has been sliding down the ladder quite often as of late. Just when it seems to be turning the corner, buyers lose interest and shift their gazes to better investment opportunities. It's been on a yo-yo string, being dropped as quickly as it rises for the past two months, making it the Coldest Comic in that span. In fact, it's literally barely clinging to the dreaded 100th position.
Collectors know the story behind ASM #365. After the main story, Marvel added a sneak peek of Spider-Man 2099 #1. Since it was multiple pages with a full look at Miguel, CGC has credited this as Spider-Man 2099's first appearance despite it being a preview of another comic. Still, with it getting the nod in the collecting department, it has been the go-to key for Miguel fans.
Once Across the Spider-Verse hit theaters and wowed audiences worldwide, Miguel was ushered into the mainstream consciousness. That equaled sales for his key issues, and it had ASM #365 reaching huge numbers. For months, it stayed high in the Hottest Comics until it became old news. Despite Beyond the Spider-Verse on the horizon, buyers have yet to rekindle the romance. Who can blame them? There's so many other comics making waves with movie news all around.
When Beyond reaches theaters, this issue will get a revival of sorts. Buyers will inevitably flock to eBay for Miguel's early appearances, and that begins with ASM #365. Depending on Spider-Man 2099's role in the third Spider-Verse flick, it could match the buzz from last year.
90 DAYS
What happened here? How could Wolverine's first appearance find its way on the Coldest Comics? It's proof that even the biggest keys can lose ground in the world of comic book collecting.
Of course, seeing Hulk #180 dip in sales doesn't inspire the headlines quite like Hulk #181 dropping down the ranks. At this point, the debate between the two issues is over. Wolverine's true first appearance occurred in the final panel of Hulk #180. Marvel itself has confirmed this to be the character's debut. However, since CGC distinguishes it as a cameo first, collectors tend to still think of Hulk #181 as Wolverine's comic premiere. Set aside the distinction between cameo and full appearances, and Hulk #180 is without question Logan's first appearance.
The changing mindsets toward the issue have given rise to Hulk #180, both in terms of sales and fair market values. Still, it doesn't compete with Hulk #181's prices, which is a boon for Wolverine collectors on a budget. As buyers continue to flock toward Wolverine's first cover appearance, it's given a boost to Hulk #180's sales. At least it was pushing those sales up until this week. The major key lost 33 spots over the past three months despite Deadpool & Wolverine getting massive hype in recent months.
Again, this is an issue that will bounce back. If you're a more frugal Wolverine collector, cross your fingers that the dip in sales results in a dip in FMVs.
180 DAYS
Our Coldest Comics journey ends today with another iconic issue. In a way, ASM #121's presence on today's list brings things full circle. After all, it's been a week for legendary keys taking hits in the eBay rankings. Such is the nature of the secondary market.
With major players like The Killing Joke and Hulk #180 on today's list, seeing one of the most important issues of ASM among the Coldest Comics is only fitting. This key is famous for being the death of Spider-Man's first love, Gwen Stacy. True, she's returned to the land of the living in various forms over the years, but the original Gwen remains dead - something uncommon in comics, where death is more or less a respite from the script.
What often goes understated is how ASM #121 and #122 changed Spider-Man's character. After years of Silver Age shenanigans, the Green Goblin took his villainy to a new level and emotionally broke Spidey. When the Goblin dropped Gwen from a building, Spider-Man's web caused such severe whiplash that Gwen's neck was broken on the recoil. The next issue saw Spidey lose his childish innocence as he was intent on murdering Norman Osborn. Luckily, he changed his mind in the end, but the Goblin still died, killed by his own glider.
Similar to ASM #365, this comic could be due for an upswing when Sony kicks off the marketing for Beyond the Spider-Verse or possibly the Spider-Woman flick. We could very well see a version of this story in some form in one or both of those movies, and that would definitely have investing implications.
