The recent Guardians of the Galaxy 3 rumors have propelled sales for early Adam Warlock appearances. As any Warlock fan will know, there are five must-have keys, but you need to act fast as the prices are escalating.
Not surprisingly, the issues collectors are gunning for are Warlock’s initial appearances, which even in low grade are doing well at the moment. Still, keep in mind that nothing has been officially announced about GOTG 3 aside from there being a GOTG 3 in the works, so there’s no guarantee that Warlock will be in the upcoming movie. He’s already established in the MCU, and the evidence suggests that he will be coming to the big screen sooner or later, but will he make it into GOTG? We shall see. In the meantime, it’s fun to play the speculation game, which is why those rumors have the waters churning for Warlock’s major keys. Here’s your shopping list.
When you start the Warlock collection, start here. He doesn’t appear in this issue, but Stan Lee and Jack Kirby kept readers on edge with his cocoon and the teaser of what could possibly be inside it. This issue begins the origin of Him, who would later be known as Adam Warlock, and it’s definitely a comic worth putting in your collection.
After teasing readers, Lee and Kirby opened the cocoon and gave fans their first glimpse of Him. Although it is a very brief cameo, this is considered his first appearance (now let the age old “cameo versus full” first-appearance debate begin). It’s also one of the more expensive of the five comics on this list for that reason. It doesn’t hurt that it’s a classic silver-age cover.
This is my personal favorite on today’s list. For the past month, I’ve advocated for getting hold of those silver age Thor comics. After the finale to Endgame in which Thor seemingly joined the Guardians of the Galaxy (even dubbing them the Asgardians of the Galaxy in a nod to the modern title), the thunder god is poised to be the center of the MCU. He was established as a cosmic entity from his first movie, but each subsequent film as placed him there even more so. Of course, that’s the way his silver age comics play out, and that’s where much of the inspiration for the cosmic MCU is coming from.
Thor #165 is the first full appearance of Him, and it’s the first time we get to see him battle another superhero. Since the rumors of Warlock being involved in GOTG 3, this comic’s sales have been rising.
Warlock’s origin isn’t complete without adding on the second part to his confrontation with Thor. This is a likely scenario to play out in the event that Warlock is featured in GOTG 3, and it will add value to both Thor #165 and #166. Make sure you get this one if you’re looking for the home run.
One of the hottest issues in the Warlock collection, Marvel Premiere #1 from 1972 is when Him was rechristened Warlock with an updated look by Marvel legends Roy Thomas and Gil Kane. This is the most recognizable and lasting image of the character, which is why it's getting so expensive. At the moment, even the mid grades have gotten pricey; a 5.0 has a 90-day average of $123. A 6.5 recently sold for $160 after averaging $103 a year ago.
