It's been a week of surprises as an unexpected Amazing Spider-Man issue was a popular pick among eBay buyers.
The Hottest Comics has returned for another week, and the rankings had a new addition: ASM #33. Meanwhile, some old favorites hung around for another week as Red Hulk and Gambit's first appearances made waves as well.
What's this blog series all about? Here at the Hottest Comics, it boils down to the sales. Certainly the fair market values are the bottom line in the collecting and investing game, but the sales' rankings paint the full market picture. Below, you will find the top-selling issues for the last 10, 30, 60, 90, and 180 days.
10 DAYS
46. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #33 (+41)
Here is a comic that seemingly came out of nowhere to claim the top spot in the 10-day category. Not only is this issue not usually found inside the Hottest Comics rankings, but it's never been among the biggest movers and shakers. Yet here it is, having gained 41 places in the past week and half to put it on the eBay map.
When it comes to Silver Age collecting, one of the most sound investments is Amazing Spider-Man. With such an enduring character as Spider-Man, his early appearances are always popular, particularly the first 100 issues of ASM. There's so many key moments that gave us the foundation for one of Marvel's single most beloved creations. Sure, the market will always wax and wane, but Silver Age ASM is as close to a constant as you'll find.
What makes this comic so popular? Besides the iconic cover art, this story was the first time readers saw Spidey use his super strength, something that would become a staple of his power set. It's easy to forget that it took 33 issues before that trait was introduced.
30 DAYS
29. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #101 (+68)
Speaking of those early ASM issues, here's another popular addition to any Spidey collector's long box: ASM #101. It's so popular, in fact, that it's managed to make a steady comeback after the atrocity known as Sony's Morbius movie. That really tells the tale of this classic comic.
There's no downplaying the impact Morbius had on the secondary market. In the weeks leading to the movie's premiere, fans were genuinely excited for Jared Leto's take on the Spider-Man villain-turned-hero. ASM #101 reached new heights in terms of sales and fair market value. Then the world saw the finished product, and it was abysmal. Investors began dumping those Morbius first appearances by the truckload. Thus, the FMV and sales volume plummeted.
Slowly but surely, ASM #101 began to recuperate. It made occasional appearances among the Hottest Comics' movers and shakers, and here we see it gaining 68 positions in the past month. Does it have anything to do with Sony's latest box office bomb of the future, Venom: The Last Dance? There could be a Morbius cameo in that movie, but considering how much audiences hated Leto's take on the character, that wouldn't exactly inspire a buying wave.
60 DAYS
37. X-MEN ANNUAL #14 (+49)
"Look like Gambit gonna make a name for himself."
Fans finally got to see Channing Tatum don a comics-accurate Gambit costume for Deadpool & Wolverine, and they were thrilled. Yes, it was as corny as you might expect with Tatum basically playing the same character as he does in most of his movies, only this time he had superpowers and a bad Cajun accent. As far as comedy, it worked. The memes have been plentiful, and it could be enough to inspire Marvel Studios to give Tatum that long-awaited solo Gambit flick.
All this attention on Tatum's Gambit is having a direct impact on the secondary market. The mainstay of the Gambit collecting world remains Uncanny X-Men #266. While Andy Kubert's impressive cover art keeps that issue as the top priority, more focus has been put on X-Men Annual #14. This is Gambit's true first appearance, given that he's featured in full and in multiple panels. If he were on the cover, this would be the bigger seller, no question. However, the fact that this is less popular in the grand scheme, it also keeps the prices down, at least compared to UXM #266. That helps boosts it in the eBay ranks like we saw in the 60 day category.
The more traction builds for a Gambit solo movie, the better X-Men Annual #14 will do on eBay and beyond. Don't forget, we've still got another season of X-Men '97 on the horizon. On the surface, it would appear that Gambit is dead and buried in the animated universe, but there's always a chance he could make a return. After all, time travel has now been introduced into the format, so that means anything is possible. If he does return to X-Men '97, that will send buyers on the move for all those Gambit keys.
90 DAYS
12. HULK #1 (+54)
Once again, Red Hulk has emerged as an eBay sales leader. Once again, Hulk #1 has taken the top spot in multiple timeframes, which is a clear testimony to fans' love for the Red Goliath.
Of course, the issue took off when the initial rumors of Red Hulk joining the MCU began to percolate across the internet. After She-Hulk dropped some hints, it received another sales boost. Then came the blockbuster announcement that Harrison Ford would take over as the MCU's Thunderbolt Ross. As much as those moments helped get buyers tossing their dollars around, there's nothing like seeing a character on the screen. When he stepped into the frame for the Captain America: Brave New World trailer, it ignited the fuse, and Hulk #1 has been climbing for months now.
Even though it didn't take the movers and shakers' crown in the 10, 30, or 60-day rankings, that doesn't mean it wasn't making waves there as well. Virtually across the board, Hulk #1 remains high in the sales departments. No doubt, we will get a better look at Red Hulk in future trailers leading to the movie's premiere, and that will keep those sales and fair market values at peak prices.
180 DAYS
21. HULK #1 (+75)
Hulk #1 kept the momentum rolling into the most popular comics of the past six months. It jumped an impressive 75 positions to nearly crack the top-20 Hottest Comics. Then again, that also means the reverse is also true. For Hulk #1 to elevate by 75 spots means it dropped all the way to 96th. However, for it to rebound in such a mighty way is a prime indicator of buyers' love for all things Red Hulk...at least at the moment.
The main thing to keep in mind here is that prices are at a premium. At this point, buyers aren't likely to find any deals on Hulk #1. Unless you can somehow score a low price, the odds of flipping it for a profit are next to nothing. Investing this late in the game won't be fruitful, especially when we consider the movie spec cycle. The hype heading toward the theatrical release is what fuels those eBay sales. Once audiences see the movie, the novelty begins to wane. That eventually brings the sales and the prices back to reality.
It's hard to imagine Marvel Studios making Red Hulk a "one-and-done" character. Then again, this is Marvel, the same studio that has wasted many great characters, whether for laughs or simply to antagonize comic book fans. Given Disney has invested a truckload of money into Harrison Ford, that should be an indicator that he'll hang around for more than one or two appearances. Hopefully we will see him resurface in Thunderbolts and eventually get to square up with the Hulk...and hopefully not the tame Professor Hulk we've seen since Endgame.
