The secondary market is in an upheaval after a bombardment of movie announcements. It started with the Deadpool 3 casting rumors that sent buyers into a Gambit feeding frenzy. Then Ryan Reynolds created a major stir after sharing pictures of Hugh Jackman in his new Wolverine suit. Just when collectors and investors had their work cut out for them, James Gunn added fuel to the fire.
Not long after announcing David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan as the DCU’s new Superman and Lois, Gunn confirmed three new castings: Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion as a Green Lantern, most likely Guy Gardner, and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho. No doubt the news will have collectors and speculators on a hunt for more key issues.
There are too many issues for one post, so let’s start this three-part series with one of the most anticipated additions to the DCU, Mister Terrific.
SENSATION COMICS #1
For those keeping score, the character’s first appearance dates back to the Golden Age. In 1942, the title of Mister Terrific belonged to Terry Sloane. It doesn’t help your budget that this issue also marked the second appearance of Wonder Woman and the debut of another DC staple, Wildcat.
Like so many DC debuts, getting your hands on even a low-grade copy will set you back five figures. In fact, the last time a lowly 1.0 sold online, it brought over $11,000 in 2021.
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #37
This could be one of the more popular issues to collect in the Mister Terrific buying frenzy. Since the character debuted in the ‘40s, his first appearance is too expensive for most collectors. As is the case with so many DC keys, buyers turn their attention toward those Silver Age firsts.
Just as it so happens, Mister Terrific arrived on the scene in 1965’s JLA #37. You can own a graded 9.8 for less than $1,500, which is a steal compared to Sensation Comics #1.
THE SPECTRE #54 (1997)
The more famous version of the character made his debut almost 30 years ago, and he could be on the cusp of mainstream stardom. Michael Holt took up the Mister Terrific moniker in 1997, and he has owned the role ever since. With the Superman: Legacy casting announcement, buyers will certainly be heading to the auction sites for this one as they did last year when Gunn posted the initial tease on social media.
Already, high-grade raw copies have edged into triple-figure territory. A graded 9.8 brought a whopping $999.99 on July 11, but we’ll have to wait and see if that proves to be an outlier.
THE TERRIFICS #1
James Gunn does enjoy toying with fans via Twitter. In March, he posted a picture of The Terrifics, which had comic collectors digging through their long boxes for this 2018 debut.
Could it be that the team is assembling in Superman: Legacy? Obviously it would be a slightly different cast. In addition to Mister Terrific and Metamorpho, Plastic Man and Phantom Girl were in the squad.
If either of those characters are added to the lineup, it will be a flashing neon sign pointing toward The Terrifics. At the moment, you can grab a raw copy for around $10, so there’s little risk at those prices.
