It’s time again to swim into the deep water of the top 100 best-selling comics on eBay to see what could be the next wave of hot comics. This round, we’ve got some unsurprising picks, but an Inhumans key has suddenly sprung back to life.
49. TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS #44 (+50)
This one may not have hit the rocket launcher in time to make the cut for this week’s Hottest Comics, but it sure ranks highest for trends. Thanks to DCU’s Chapter One, there’s ample speculation about the Bat-Family being introduced in The Brave and the Bold.
The only two characters confirmed so far have been a new Batman and Damian Wayne. However, it stands to reason that more members of Batman, Inc. will arrive in that movie. That leads to plenty of Nightwing spec, beginning with Dick Grayson’s first appearance under his new persona.
54. FANTASTIC FOUR #67 (+14)
No question, 2023 is shaping up to be the year of James Gunn. Not only is his the hottest name in the comic business thanks to the huge lineup with the DCU reboot, but he’s all over the news with his final MCU entry, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. While we may be ready for more than one death in that movie, Adam Warlock is here to stay.
It appears he will play a significant role in the upcoming film, and his being a hero definitely suggests that he’ll survive the events. My guess is that he will be a major player going forward and will be a factor in the war with Kang.
77. SPECIAL MARVEL EDITION #15 (NEW TO THE LIST)
There was a time when Shang-Chi was one of the more obscure Marvel Comics characters. A relic of the ‘70s kung-fu era and a clear ripoff of Bruce Lee’s international stardom, he was left behind when mainstream audiences moved on from martial arts movies.
In recent decades, Marvel has tried to update him with fewer racial stereotypes, but he still wasn’t recognizable to non-comic readers. Then came the MCU, and suddenly Shang-Chi is one of the studio’s top stars. With the promise of a sequel and a likely role in the upcoming Avengers films, he’s bound to steal the spotlight in short order, hence the increased sales for his first appearance.
89. FANTASTIC FOUR #45 (NEW TO THE LIST)
Cue the Obi-Wan meme because FF #45 is a comic we haven’t mentioned here in a long, long time. Of course, that’s the entire point of the Trending Comics blog, to dig deeper and find these surprise picks.
To the best of my knowledge, there are no credible reports of the Inhumans getting another shot in the MCU. After the television series bombed, the grave was dug while Blackbolt’s death in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was written on the tombstone. But it is the impending arrival of the X-Men that will be the true epitaph. Let’s face it, the only reason Marvel had been pushing the Inhumans in the comics and the MCU was because Disney didn’t have the rights to the X-Men. Since that’s now resolved, they’re about as useful as an eight-track player.
100. DEADPOOL #1 (NEW TO THE LIST)
Coming in at the bottom spot is the Merc with a Mouth himself, Deadpool. Why wouldn’t this issue be on the list? Granted, it’s not a major key, but it is his first self-titled comic, which automatically puts it on the wish list. Even better, it’s still cheap with high-grade copies available not only on eBay but at practically every local comic shop in the country. In fact, I recommend you hit up your nearest LCS to show them some love on Valentine’s Day weekend.
Not only do you help a comic shop stay in business, but you don’t have to pay shipping fees and hope that the seller packaged it correctly.
