The Young Avengers and Knull were the belles of the eBay ball this week while a couple of old favorites were picking up steam.
Welcome to the Hottest Comics, where it's all about that sales volume. Sure, we could focus on eye-catching fair market values and their enormous price tags, but that doesn't tell the full story. Let's be honest; it's not hard to manipulate those FMV averages. The sales volume is a different story, and it puts a magnifying glass over the issues buyers are targeting in their continued quest for profits and bragging rights.
The data found here is taken from eBay, the world's leading auction site and the foundation for the secondary market's FMVs. The numbers are updated daily, so take this as a snapshot for one day's check up.
10 DAYS
The Young Avengers are en vogue again. It's been months since their first comic made the Hottest Comics' movers and shakers lists. Once upon a time, this was an extremely popular commodity in collecting circles. Like so many things in the current MCU, all those Young Avengers characters and suggestions of an impending team-up streaming series have amounted to nothing. That sent buyers away from YA #1, which had amassed huge fair market values when the team appeared to be on the horizon.
After prices had time to come closer to reality, buyers apparently are giving YA #1 a second look. In the past 10 days, it's gotten a 51-position boost in the rankings, which is no small feat. There's going to be more of that to come once Marvel Studios finally turns its attention back to the team. That could be coming soon now that Hawkeye's second season is reportedly in development.
The rumor going around is that while Clint Barton will be a significant part of the show, Kate Bishop will take the lead. No one should be surprised by that news. The first season clearly established her as the heir apparent to the Hawkeye title, and the second season should solidify that standing. In turn, it should lay the groundwork for the eventual Young Avengers show. That will have collectors and investors opening their wallets for YA #1.
In the meantime, this issue will likely have the yo-yo effect through the Hottest Comics. Once something more official comes down from Kevin Feige, it will bounce up and down the index.
30 DAYS
Those Knull keys are rolling strong now that he is getting his big screen debut. It's sent buyers to the sunny shores of a not-so-old favorite, Venom #3. It was here that Knull made his first full appearance and became Venom's greatest threat. In this case, we're talking about the third print variant, which featured the character on the cover art. Between the smaller print run for a variant and the artwork, it was enough to make it the top find.
Whether or not you're excited about the new movie, Knull will be a prominent figure, at least according to the trailers. Granted, that can often be misleading, it would seem the God of the Symbiotes is ready to make a splash on the silver screen. What Sony does with the character is the real mystery. Considering the epic failures from the live-action Sony-verse, not to mention the studio's complete mishandling of Carnage in the last Venom flick, it's best to be cautiously optimistic.
Something to keep in mind, the reports making the rounds claim Knull is not the film's primary antagonist. Does that mean he's getting the Thanos treatment? Marvel Studios did a magnificent job of teasing and building the Mad Titan. When Infinity War finally rolled into theaters, fans were teeming with excitement and anticipation. That could be the case for the God of the Symbiotes. With that possibility, those Venom #3s could be due for more than a short-term spike.
60 DAYS
RDJ is on his way back to the MCU, and that has fans curious if we'll also see the return of Tony Stark in some fashion.
The big story this past summer was Disney's announcement that Robert Downey Jr. would be returning to Marvel as Doctor Doom. Clearly, he'll be a Tony Stark variant, and that raises the question, will there be an alternate-universe Iron Man who arrives in time to rescue the MCU? The potential for just such a moment is enough to have buyers grabbing those Iron Man keys. What do collectors and investors do when the first appearance is too expensive? Opt for the next best thing, the first self-titled comic.
What also helps keep Iron Man #1 a perennial favorite among the Hottest Comics is the cover art. It's an iconic image of one of Marvel's most famous characters, and that is enough to put it on the radar for many collectors. The fact that it is a fraction of the price of Tales of Suspense #39 is a huge bonus as well.
90 DAYS
40. INFINITY GAUNTLET #1 (+33)
Speaking of MCU character returns, don't count out Thanos. Sure, he was snapped away in Endgame's final battle scene, but this is the age of the Multiverse. With an all-powerful plot device at the screenwriters' disposal, not even death is permanent. For that matter, if RDJ and Chris Evans (at least in cameo form) can make MCU comebacks, so can Josh Brolin.
Although it was voice and motion-capture work, Brolin owned the Thanos role. For him to reprise the part for only a moment would be a crowd-pleaser, not doubt. Who knows? Maybe Doctor Doom will be so powerful that it will take an Iron Man/Thanos team-up to face the Latverian dictator. Considering Tony Stark and Thanos are joined not only by Endgame but also the Mad Titan's first appearance in Iron Man #55, it would be fitting for the two characters to appear together.
No matter what Marvel Studios has up its sleeve, there's been stirring on eBay for Infinity Gauntlet #1. If there is a chance Thanos could come back to the MCU, he will need to have the Infinity Gauntlet in hand. For that matter, the gauntlet could appear in the MCU without Thanos...possibly on Doctor Doom's hand. It would make sense, given Doom's comic roots as a power-hungry despot with god-level aspirations. Having the Infinity Gauntlet would do just that.
180 DAYS
29. WOLVERINE #88 DELUXE EDITION (+56)
Just when it seemed the movie effect had died down, Wolverine #88 clawed its way back into the spotlight. Given this marked the first meeting between Wolverine and Deadpool, this issue became a collecting sensation immediately after Hugh Jackman was spotted in the initial Deadpool & Wolverine teaser trailer. It didn't hurt that the duo was captured in epic fashion on the cover art, which is always a bonus for collectors and investors.
Over the months between that first announcement and the movie's theatrical premiere, Wolverine #88 has seen its share of peaks and valleys. Since D&W has finished its box office run and is about to shift to Disney Plus, you would expect the interest to wane. Last week, the numbers suggested just that as it dipped to the 85th spot. However, it made a huge turnaround and climbed into the top-30 Hottest Comics over the past six months' worth of eBay sales.
As far as FMVs, that window has closed. Prices have already reached their highest, making it difficult to find any near-mint grades cheap enough to be able to flip for a profit. Despite the popularity, the values should begin to ease down, and that will make it easier for Wolverine and Deadpool collectors to add these to their long boxes.
