What are the Hottest Comics? They are the top-selling comics from the past week according to eBay’s sales numbers. Here, we dig a bit deeper and see what trends are emerging and which comics made us do a double-take.
Welcome to this week’s trends and oddities.
623. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #96 (-225)
This is the first issue in the drug stories that the Comics Code Authority was none-too-happy about. That is what makes Amazing Spider-Man #96 famous. It defied the CCA by portraying illegal drug use in a comic. Because the issue depicted the narcotics usage as a warning to kids, the CCA would later take a different stance toward the comic.
629. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #99 (+370)
If you are going to collect the drug story part one, you might as well collect the rest. Along with ASM #97 and #98, the four-part tale would go down as one for the ages. The surprising part is that only Amazing Spider-Man #99 and ASM #96 made the top 1,001 comics.
628. GREEN LANTERN #85 (+371)
It makes sense that this classic Neal Adams cover would be tucked away between the Spider-Man drug stories. After all, next to perhaps Green Lantern #86, Green Lantern #85 may be the most famous comic featuring illegal drug use in all of comics. Here we have the big reveal that Speedy is, in fact, a heroin addict. Adams' artwork stole the show for these, but it also delivered a solid anti-drug message.
Is it just me or does Hal Jordan seem a bit smug about the whole thing? Anyway, here’s to a speedy recovery.
“WHO’S BUYING THESE?” ODDBALLS OF THE WEEK:
Each week as I am poring over the Hottest Comics pages, I come across titles that make me ask, "Who's buying these?" It was too hard to choose just one, so I went with two for this round. They are:
625. ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #124 (+374)
Seriously, who all bought this comic? I understand that as the comic relief of the famed “Rat Pack,” Jerry Lewis still has fans worldwide. It was surprising to see a seemingly-random title mixed in with the superheroes.
What caught my attention even more was that Adventures of Jerry Lewis #124 was one of several issues from the series that made it into the Hottest Comics index. I guess the nostalgia is worth collecting. In that case, happy hunting.
712. RICHARD DRAGON, KUNG-FU FIGHTER #1 (+287)
In an effort to keep this blog family-friendly, go ahead and insert your own Richard and dragon joke here ______. Feel better after letting out your inner-middle schooler? I know I do.
With that out of the way, who exactly is Richard Dragon? He is a Bronze Age holdover from the Bruce Lee clone epidemic that produced the likes of Shang-Chi and Iron Fist over at Marvel. Not to be outdone, DC got in the game with their own kung-fu master. When his solo stint did not work out, he became a supporting character and trainer for The Question. Someone is out there buying Richard Dragon, Kung-Fu Fighter #1. More power to 'em.
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