Spider-Boy continues to dominate the Hottest Comics, but Adam Warlock made the most gains over the past 10 days.
There has been a shakeup in the Hottest Comics as of late. Where once issues like Spawn #1, Ultimate Fallout #4, and Amazing Spider-Man #300 dominated the top-five best-selling comics, a new king of the mountain has emerged.
Topping the list once again is the top-secret spoiler variant of Spider-Man #7. In case you missed it, this is the first appearance of the new Spider-Boy, and this particular variant showcased him front and center on the cover art. It just so happened to be drawn by the incomparable Humberto Ramos, so there’s an added bonus. How long will Spider-Man #7 rule the Hottest Comics? That remains to be seen, but it has been an impressive showing so far.
While Spider-Boy’s first appearance is ruling the roost, there’s competition on the horizon, and these issues made the biggest gains over the past 10 days. Remember, the Hottest Comics are based on the number of sales with the data taken straight from eBay. This is more or less a snapshot of buying trends as the real-time sales figures keep the rankings changing throughout the day.
Which issues were the biggest movers and shakers in this week’s Hottest Comics? I’m glad you asked.
19. MARVEL PREMIERE #1 (+49)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has reached the masses, and the general consensus is that it is the best Marvel film since Avengers: Endgame. Let’s be honest, that’s not exactly the highest of praise. In other words, it’s the best movie of Phase Four and the start of Phase Five, and there’s not too much competition for that title outside of Wakanda Forever. In the eyes of many Marvel fans, the bar was already set fairly low.
Now that the dust has settled and the GOTG of old has disbanded, it’s time for a new brand of Guardians. The centerpieces appear to be Rocket, Groot, and Adam Warlock. Sure, he may have come across like another goofy Thor knockoff, but he amassed his share of fans before the credits rolled. Judging by the post-credits scene, we’ll be seeing more of him in the future. Who knows? He might even get his own movie franchise or at least a Disney Plus series. That raises his value in the eyes of collectors and investors.
While his early appearances in Fantastic Four #67 and Thor #165 are the keys to own, HIM’s ascension to becoming Adam Warlock has been lighting up the market as of late. This week, Marvel Premiere #1 kicked in the afterburners. Given the nature of the movie keys, it will begin to cool in the coming weeks. However, there’s enough MCU potential here that his key issues should stay en vogue for quite a while, though you can expect some ebbs and flows along the way.
11. MOON KNIGHT #1 (+47)
In recent months, Kevin Feige confirmed that Moon Knight will return to the MCU. Was anyone really surprised to hear that? Sure, a second season was up in the air, but we all knew that Oscar Isaac would return as Marc Specter in some fashion. It has led to plenty of speculation surrounding his ties to the more horror-centric parts of the MCU, namely Blade. After all, Moon Knight has typically fought vampires and other undead minions in the comics. It only makes sense to pair him with the Daywalker.
The end result has been an increase in sales for all things Moon Knight. This week, his first self-titled comic was red hot. Buyers were falling over themselves to add this issue to their collections. What helps make this comic so appealing is that it’s cheap in comparison to his other firsts. Moon Knight’s debut in Werewolf by Night #32 has long been a holy grail well before his Disney Plus show was ever announced. Much of this was from it being in short supply, especially at a higher grade.
Then there’s his first solo adventure in Marvel Spotlight #28, another issue with FMVs that inflated tremendously after the show was confirmed. It led buyers to Moon Knight #1, a key that was much easier on the budget.
44. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #316 (+43)
No, this is not Venom’s first cover appearance. After his full debut in ASM #300, his disembodied, floating head was on the cover of ASM #315. Yes, that’s his face right alongside everyone’s favorite water-based villain, Hydroman. Then came ASM #316, and Todd McFarlane brought out the big guns (or pencils, in this case) for Venom’s glorious return to the Spider-Verse.
This issue flew under the radar for years. While it was a nice pickup for Venom fans, investors and speculators didn’t put much stock into it. Then one fine day when all those early Venom keys were getting too pricey for the average collector, ASM #316 began to look much more appealing. Buyers jumped on the high grades, and the 9.8 in particular hit massive figures in a short period of time. Just like that, it became a hot key that everyone wanted to get their hands on.
With a third Venom movie on the horizon, it will put a spotlight on his key issues once again. Considering that expectations are mighty low for the next entry, it’s hard to imagine any of those keys getting a huge boost from Venom 3. The real factor will be what happens with the symbiote left behind at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home. The speculation is that Marvel Studios will adapt the Black Suit Saga for the silver screen, and that has led to those pre-venom symbiote keys getting hugely popular. That should eventually trickle into the Venom spec, and it will factor into issues like ASM #316 at some point.
28. UNCANNY X-MEN #282 (+39)
At this point, it’s safe to add UXM #282 to the usual suspects. It’s constantly in flux, and buyers can’t decide if they want it or not. One week it’s up; the next week, it’s down. Who knows where it will end up in another seven days? I guess that’s part of the fun.
In case you are new to the game, UXM #282 is famous for being the first appearance of the time-traveling Bishop. As we say every time this issue creeps into the frame, the reason it stays on the collecting radar is due to the X-Men speculation. In fact, that’s what keeps many X-keys on the top-100 Hottest Comics. When it comes to Bishop, there’s a high probability he will appear in a future movie. He has gained popularity over the decades, and he’s barely been featured on the big screen. With time travel being a key component in the MCU, Bishop’s backstory in which he goes to the past to prevent an apocalyptic future fits with the Marvel narrative. Add in some wacky hijinks, and you have the recipe for a Disney-fied X-Men. What could possibly go wrong?
That possibility of Bishop being a major player on the silver screen is what keeps buyers interested in UXM #282. The only problem is there’s so little news on the X-Men front, which explains why it can drop just as quickly as it rises through the ranks.
40. FANTASTIC FOUR #49 (+31)
Pulling up the rear this week is a key that deserves so much more respect than it actually gets. Certainly, FF #48 has earned its place among the holiest of grails. After all, it’s the first appearances of both the Silver Surfer and Galactus, two characters with huge potential in the future MCU. However, FF #49 featured the first full appearance of Galactus as well as both his and the Surfer’s first cover appearances. That has helped it climb the ranks of the Silver Age FF keys.
While it has become much more expensive in recent years, it still doesn’t compete with the prices of FF #48. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
With the Fantastic Four movie on the horizon, there’s ample Silver Surfer and Galactus speculation. Over the years, rumors have spread that the Surfer would be introduced apart from the FF. At one point, there was a theory that Marvel filmed a handful of Silver Surfer scenes (yay for alliteration) for Endgame. While that has yet to be proved (or disproved, for that matter), it has led to more conspiracy theories about how the Surfer will be introduced.
Then there’s Galactus. Fans are practically begging for him to be included in the FF film, and Marvel had a little fun with that anticipation. Don’t forget the Galactus Easter egg in the lead-in to the What If…? season finale.
With so much excitement for both the Surfer and Galactus, it makes complete sense for FF #49 to stay among the Hottest Comics.
*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.