It is time for another round of Fantasy Investing. Where did your picks rank this week?
THE RECAP
One week, I’m on top; the next, I’m cleaning up the scraps. Such is the stock market that we call comic books. Such is fantasy investing.
Last time, I put most of my faith in Amazing Spider-Man #361. The logic was sound; after all, the new Venom trailer was still fresh on our minds, and we finally got a look at Woody Harrelson’s Cletus Kasady. Better yet, we were treated to a full view of Carnage in all his CGI glory. For the most part, he looked the part straight from the comics.
The trouble is ASM #361 has been selling, certainly, but it has not been turning the profits that I had hoped for. Over the past two weeks, the 9.8’s FMV has risen by just $50, and that $1,450 price tag is getting heavy on my budget.
On the other side, Hulk #180 was my saving grace. After a $650 investment, the 4.5’s FMV swelled to $1,100. That was more than enough to keep my investment in ASM #361 for at least one more round.
THIS WEEK’S RESULTS
Unfortunately, Hulk #180 had a sudden plummet, and I am still trying to figure out why. After ballooning to $1,100, that 4.5 fell flat this week and the profits went down to $875. The cornerstone of my strategy, ASM #361, showed signs of life, but $50 is just not enough to keep the $1k+ investment in Carnage’s first appearance.
My rock has been Sam Wilson’s debut in Captain America #117. That 7.0 has not set the market ablaze, but it has delivered week after week, even if for only marginal results. This week, it was pushed from $850 to $875, which was nice, but it did not make up for Hulk #180’s drop.
The one I am waiting to move forward is the standard edition of Bitter Root #1. The sales data still reflects March’s sales data, and that is why its 9.8 FMV remains at $140. Whenever the data is updated, that one should give my budget a win.
DIVERSIFYING THE PORTFOLIO
I need to turn things around, so I decided to spread the love. Goodbye, Carnage. Alas, I will miss you, but your $1,450 price tag is just too much to bear with the profit margin being so thin. Instead, I took that money and put it into the hotter symbiote book, Amazing Spider-Man #300. With an 8.0 earning $800, that left room in the budget for a 9.6 ASM #316, Venom’s first full cover appearance.
The most fun pick of the week all hinges on the latest movie news. Another Robert Kirkman property is getting the live-action treatment, and it has the potential to make huge waves. This time, Hollywood is looking to adapt Hardcore for the big screen. I decided to invest a measly $12 in the 2012 Top Cow second print of Hardcore #1, which was the character’s first full appearance.
THIS WEEK’S PICKS
INCREDIBLE HULK #180 (4.5) - CURRENT FMV: $875
CAPTAIN AMERICA #117 (7.0) - CURRENT FMV: $875
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #300 (8.0) - CURRENT FMV: $800
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #316 (9.6) - CURRENT FMV: $625BITTER ROOT #1 STANDARD EDITION (9.8)
CURRENT FMV: $140
HARDCORE #1 SECOND PRINT 2012 (9.8)
CURRENT FMV: $12
NEW BUDGET: $3,327 ($13 under budget)
MEMBER PICKS
ASM #300 9.4 = $1350/$1350 New X-Men #128 9.8 = $180/$190
Spawn #1 9.8 = $240/$250 Spawn #9 9.8 = $140/$140
ASM #344 9.8 = $300/$325 Hulk #1 (2008) 9.8 = $280/$280
ASM #238 8.5 = $500/$500
Total = $2,990
Profit = $45
Grand Total = $3,035
Brian:
Avengers #48 6.5 = $475/$800 Darth Vader #3 9.6 = $260/$240
ASM #194 7.0 = $268/$200 ASM #301 9.4 = $265/$120
ASM #201 9.2 = $177/$70 Edge of Spider-Verse #2 9.4 = $600/$625
Daredevil #7 7.0 = $925/$875
Total = $2,970
Profit = -$40
Grand Total = $2,930
Ilya from OWC
Ok…its comeback time!
New Budget: $3,200
Wolverine #1 (1982) in 9.8 = $650/$700 She-Hulk #1 in 9.8 = $900/$1350
ASM #252 in 9.8 = $1300/$1700 X-Factor #6 in 9.8 = $350/$400
Total = $3,200!
Profit = $950
Grand Total = $4,150
ASM #361 9.8 = $1450/$1450
Ultimate Fallout #4 9.4 = $850/$850
Marvel Premier #10 8.0 = $300/$300
Journey into Mystery #103 7.5 = $650/$650
Total = $3,250
Profit = 0
Grand Total = $3,250
Comicbookcollect.wordpress.com ** WINNER**
Venom vs. Carnage #1 (2004) 9.8 = $130/$140
Bitter Root #1 (2018) 9.8 = $140/$140
Venom: Lethal Protector #4 (1993) 9.8 = $110/$110
Amazing Spider-Man #55 (2021) 5.0 = $20/$16
Something is Killing the Children #1 (2019) 9.8 = $425/$425
Conan the Barbarian #23 (1973) 9.6 = $825/$875
Strange Tales #159 (1967) 9.0 = $375/$400
Sweet Tooth #1 (2009) 9.8 = $525/$825
Mighty Avengers #1 (2013) 9.8 = $170/$170
Journey into Mystery #85 (1962) 1.0 = $625/$1550
Total = $3,345
Profit = $1,306
Grand Total = $4,651
JOIN THE GAME!
Want to play? Follow the rules, and add your picks to the comments section.
- Fantasy investing is only for graded comics and their averages based on current values calculated by GoCollect.
- You can only buy one grade per comic, so no buying $3k’s worth of one hot book.
- Once you post your picks, they are locked until the following Sunday at midnight.
- You can have as many or as few comics as you like, as long as you don’t exceed the $3k budget.
- Only comics with a current GoCollect Fair Market Value can be used.
- Universal grades only; no CGC Signature Series or qualified grades.
- At the end of each week, the winner is determined by the biggest profit margin over the initial $3k budget. That will also determine your next week’s budget.
- Make moves. You have to sell at least one of your comics each week.
- Spend it or lose it. If you still have money left in your budget, it doesn’t carry over to the next round.
**All data current on the date of the writing of this post- 5/25/21