Hulk, Wolverine, and Voltron made strong cases for the Hottest Comic on eBay, but it was Spider-Man 2099 that dominated two different categories.
The secondary market is set by the online auction sites. While there are numerous places to spend your collecting dollars, the old favorite is still the top of the food chain: eBay. That's why these rankings pull data straight from eBay to give us a snapshot of where the market path is turning. Keep in mind, the index isn't based on fair market values. Rather, it's all broken down according to sales volume. Here, we spotlight the five comics that gained the most ground in the past 10, 30, 60, 90, and 180 days.
The sales figures you see on the Hottest Comics changes daily, so what you see here is a reflection of one day's transactions. That means what's listed here may not match the current numbers. Of course, that is the fun part of the secondary market - seeing all the movement in its own microcosm of a stock market.
10 DAYS
Deadpool & Wolverine may be old news as far as comic book spec is concerned, but the residual effects are still evident across eBay. The current MCU is steeped in variants, and D&W provided that in spades with plenty of content to get comic fans squealing. Among the many nods to Wolverine's comic iterations, fans saw Old Man Logan, Age of Apocalypse Wolverine, the fan-favorite brown and yellow costume, and even a Wolverine that matched his comic book height. What could be boosting sales for Wolverine #8 was a glimpse of Logan rocking a tuxedo and eyepatch. This was clearly referencing his days as the Madripoor assassin, Patch, and his most famous cover art featuring a gray-skinned Hulk.
Although the iconic cover is an homage to the Arnold Schwarzenegger/Danny DeVito film, Twins, it's the implications that could be driving it up the rankings. With Hugh Jackman returning to the MCU for future adventures, fans are ravenous for a Wolverine/Hulk meeting. Sure, we got a tease in D&W, but that's only the appetizer. Jackman had said years ago that he would only return to the Logan role if he got to face the Hulk, and that could very well be on the agenda. After all, a Hulk versus Wolverine movie would be a blockbuster that could outpace even D&W at the box office.
The other possibility for that mythical meeting is X-Men '97. Season one teased the coming of the Avengers with Rogue encountering Captain America. If we do see an animated AVX throwdown, it would be hard to imagine Hulk being left out of the mix. For that matter, having an episode set on Madripoor that follows the events of Wolverine #8.
30 DAYS
Voltron has been making a mainstream comeback in the past decade. There was the 2018 comic series, and the Netflix anime that found its niche audience. However, the much bigger news came in 2022 when the live-action movie plans were first revealed. To make things more intriguing, Henry Cavill has since attached his name to the project, which immediately added credibility to things. No doubt, a Cavill-led Voltron movie will have plenty of attention when the first trailers roll around.
In the comic book collecting circles, all roads lead to that first appearance. While Voltron was an anime character who transitioned into the world of comics, it hasn't slowed buyers from tracking down 1985's Voltron #1. For the past few months, it's been a fixture among the Hottest Comics, and Cavill's A-list status will keep it that way for the foreseeable future. Now let's cross our fingers the film doesn't get trapped in Development Hell.
60 DAYS
Spider-Man 2099 is back for yet another round of speculation. Well before he stole the show in Across the Spider-Verse, Miguel O'Hara was an investment darling. There were ample rumors of Sony bringing him to live-action for a streaming series or possibly his own movie. Then he made a cameo in the post-credits scene for Into the Spider-Verse, and his key issues blossomed. While there were ebbs and flows in the years that followed, those Spider-Man 2099 comics have been a constant in the Hottest Comics.
For the past three months, Miguel's first appearance in the backup tale of ASM #365 (which also happened to be a preview of Spider-Man 2099 #1) has been on the move. Of course, that doesn't only mean upward movement. True, it gained 37 spots this week, but that also meant it ranked 99th a short time ago. Until we have some official word on Beyond the Spider-Verse and his role in that movie, the yo-yo effect will be in full force.
90 DAYS
It has been a great three months for Miguel O'Hara collectors, and the Spider-Man 2099 spec blazed a fiery trail this week. Not only did ASM #365 gain the most positions in the 60-day category, but it was also the biggest mover among the three-month sales. It just goes to show how much faith collectors and investors have in Miguel O'Hara's big screen future.
While things may be uncertain now, there's so much promise in Spider-Man 2099. He was a major hit with fans after his breakout role in Across the Spider-Verse, and he should feature strongly in Beyond the Spider-Verse. Sony is already planning at least one Spider-Verse spinoff with Spider-Woman. What's to say there won't be an animated Spider-Man 2099 feature film? Considering how poorly the live-action Sony-Verse has performed, an animated movie could be a better option anyway.
180 DAYS
Marvel Studios just dropped another trailer for Captain America: Brave New World, and it gives the world its best look yet at Harrison Ford's Red Hulk. The moment is a culmination of years of comic book speculation for a number of investors. Now it's time to wait and see what Marvel/Disney has in store for the gamma-powered Thunderbolt Ross.
The trouble with MCU villain spec is the possibility of Red Hulk being a one-and-done character. Disney loves its A-list actors, and the corporation has no problem throwing millions of dollars to get top stars to join a Marvel cast. When it comes to heroes, there is a much bigger chance for them to make a return or lead their own franchises. Villains have a much shorter shelf life, and major talent is too often wasted on a forgettable role, such as we saw with Christian Bale in Thor: Love and Thunder and Jake Gyllenhaal in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Here's hoping Red Hulk follows his comic roots and becomes an antihero so that he can live to fight in another movie.
