A couple of Spider-Verse keys were on this week’s shortlist, and it should have your attention. However, just like that itsy-bitsy spider that was washed down the drain, those issues will make their way back up the rankings. At least for now, they get the distinction of leading the charge for the Coldest Comics.
What exactly are we talking about here? These are the five issues that lost the most ground in the Hottest Comics over the past 10 days. Pulled from eBay’s sales data, the rankings are based on sales volume rather than fair market values. Essentially, the Hottest Comics boil down to sheer demand. Just as Isaac Newton theorized, what comes up must come down, and that is in full effect here. Take a look.
99. FANTASTIC FOUR #67 (-55)
With the new trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 having dropped on Super Bowl Sunday, you would think that the excitement would still be in effect. That doesn’t seem to be the case as Adam Warlock’s first appearance took a dive in the rankings. In fact, this issue was hit so hard that it came within one slot of leaving the top-100 Hottest Comics altogether. What’s the deal?
There’s a couple of possible explanations. First, it may have simply been lost in the shuffle of the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania buzz. That also connects to the other possibility for FF #67’s fall. The film is widely considered one of — if not THE — worst MCU movie to date. As rocky as the Multiverse has been for the past couple of years, it is causing fans to question if any of the future Marvel movies are worth the cost of admission. It could also have speculators and investors worried that yet another Marvel powerhouse will be played for laughs and tossed in the trash like so many other characters. That would have buyers shying away from paying the inflated rates for Warlock/HIM’s first cameo appearance.
That being said, Warlock is still one of the hottest characters in all of Marvel, at least for the moment. While Marvel may have dropped the ball on Phase Four, and Phase Five is off to a rough start, I’m not ready to give up faith on James Gunn’s final MCU project. Sure, Marvel is known for its misleading trailers, but GOTG Vol. 3 appears to be a more dramatic film than we’ve seen as of late. It’s still going to have its share of comedy, but the fact that the cast was in tears at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con could be an indicator. Who will survive? That’s the question of the moment, but I am certain Warlock will make it to Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars, and that adds value to his keys.
77. SPIDER-WOMAN #1 (-52)
Here come the Spider-Verse issues, and this one is a bit of a surprise find. Since Jessica Drew will be part of Across the Spider-Verse, and she’s even spotted in the latest trailer, you would think her key issues would be headed in the opposite direction. Let’s not forget that Sony’s Madam Web movie could feature the second Spider-Woman, Julia Carpenter, in live action, so there’s even more reason to want this issue. Yet, here it is on the Coldest Comics.
As I often write on the Coldest Comics blogs, it’s all about the latest news. We know that Across the Spider-Verse will be a huge movie when it debuts in June. On that day, the Spider-Woman keys should ride the wave toward the top of the sales charts. That will go double if Jessica Drew is a feature player in the film, and I have a feeling she will be. After all, there was talk of an all-female Spider-Verse spinoff just after the first film’s release. Across the Spider-Verse could set the stage for that movie, and Spider-Woman could be the protagonist. That would light a bonfire under her keys.
79. WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #1 (-51)
Another Spider-Verse key taking a hit in the rankings this week, this marked the premiere of Web of Spider-Man. With so many different Spidey titles on the market over the years, it’s notable that WOSM has remained one of the most iconic in his pantheon of series. However, the real selling point is the cover art with Spider-Man in his ultra-cool black suit.
What helps make this issue so collectible is its inclusion in the Black Suit Saga. Here, Peter Parker learned that the alien suit is sentient, a key moment that has established Venom as a character to this day. Since there are no major first appearances here, the prices tend to stay reasonable. However, it’s for that same reason that Web #1 isn’t in higher demand. It explains why the issue is quick to move up and down the Hottest Comics ladder from week to week.
96. IRON FIST #14 (-46)
All has been quiet on the Sabretooth front for practically years now, but things could turn around courtesy of one of Marvel’s most highly anticipated movies. That would have an immediate effect on his first appearance in Iron Fist #14.
There are so many rumors floating around Deadpool 3. The only thing we know for sure is that Wade Wilson will meet Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine from the Fox films and usher him into the MCU via the Multiverse. What shenanigans the two will get into during their trip across the dimensions is anyone’s guess; that’s leading to plenty of speculation.
Fans are crossing their fingers the pair will travel to different film timelines. At the top of the list is Ryan Reynolds’ first appearance as Deadpool in the woefully bad X-Men Origins: Wolverine. For some reason, the filmmakers chose to ignore what fans love about the Merc with a Mouth and leave out much of his comedic aspects (despite being a movie that leaned far too heavily into the slapstick for a Wolverine film). By the end of the movie, he was hardly recognizable for his comic counterpart, a fact Reynolds has poked fun at numerous times in the Deadpool solo movies.
We’ve already seen Wade invade that timeline in the mid-credits scene for Deadpool 2, but I am wagering he’ll find his way back there in the new film. That’s where Sabretooth comes in. Since he was the featured antagonist for Wolverine, it would not be a surprise to see Deadpool and Logan make a stop in that timeline and encounter Liev Schreiber’s Victor Creed. That would help this issue regain some spots and climb back up the Hottest Comics mountain.
100. GHOST RIDER #28 (-35)
Finally, we have the first appearance of the Midnight Sons, who were first known simply as The Nine. At the time, the members included Blade, Morbius, Danny Ketch, who was the official Ghost Rider at the time, former Ghost Rider Johnny Blaze, Hannibal King, Frank Drake, Sam Buchanan, Victoria Montesi, and Louise Hastings. This isn’t the most famous version of the group, which would later include Doctor Strange, Werewolf By Night, and many other famous faces.
With so many players already in the MCU (or soon to come), it has seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Midnight Sons would be coming to live action. Yet, there’s still no word on this superteam, and that could be why buyers are staying away from GR #28, at least for now. It doesn’t help matters that Blade is reportedly in the air with the script needing major revisions. Again, the backlash against Marvel after Quantumania could also be leaving buyers a bit more cautious when it comes to those spec keys, given how lacking the MCU’s product has been as of late.
