Sometimes perspective is a matter of individual circumstance. Fandom can happen at many subtle levels. If you are a DC fan, you may not know or care who Luke Cage is. Most people probably had no idea who Killmonger was prior to Black Panther being released in theaters. As a Marvel Fan, you may like the big hitters like Hulk and Iron Man but not have a ton of knowledge on Moon Knight or Squirrel Girl. But as a speculator, you have to know the entire genre you follow which can lead to finding out facts like how many Foolkillers Marvel has had (4...seriously) or even discovering that Paladin is more rare than you thought.
I could easily pick Paladin out of a Marvel character lineup. He was a character I discussed with friends at school growing up, I remember him on the cover of Amazing Spider-Man #320 rocking the Purple umpire's uniform. But as I started digging into my own past and experiences, I realized that I had some false Paladin memories. I never owned an action figure of the character...there wasn't one in a toy line growing up...nor was he in my Skybox or Impel Marvel Card sets that I remember from my youth. He wasn't in a cartoon that I remember either. So why did I know Paladin so well? Google should tell me what I am missing...nope...I have no clue how Marvel basically Inception-ed this character into my mind.
The truth was more benign. It wasn't a problem with me...it was a Paladin problem. Nobody knew much about the character. He is a guest star at best in the Marvel Universe. There is not a ton of background, not a bunch of fanfare, and not much hype about the character at all. At first, I was a bit miffed...did I have a false narrative about this character planted in my head? Or was it the fact that this character was mysterious, rare, and interesting that made him a standout I needed to focus on more?
Paladin made his debut in Daredevil #150, in 1977, and had a few issue story arc. All grades with registered sales of this book show positive pricing trends. 9.8 grades have had the most success with a 55.6% increase in value over time. There have been no recorded sales since January of this year and a Fair Market Value (FMV) of $300. This book is also an extremely rare book according to the Census. Only 84 total graded copies exists and only 10 in 9.8 grade. Each of those is an astoundingly low figure for a prominent series like daredevil and for it being a milestone issue, #150, with a character first appearance as well. Rarity equals value over time and this has all the triggers for a rare gem. If you come across a Daredevil #150 it may be a regret if you pass it up. If Paladin were to show up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) or some other offering to expand his notoriety and branding, the holder of a graded copy of Daredevil #150 should be handsomely rewarded.
Are there any other "Guest Star" characters you feel are more popular in your mind that your realize? Do you feel that a certain hero or villain is underrated or ahead of his/her time? Drop us your comments and join the conversation!
