Besides Spawn and Department of Truth, the MCU news and rumors kept the market on its toes as Black Widow’s first appearance climbed the rankings.
As always, remember that the Hottest Comics are based purely on sales volume. Just because a comic is not hauling in gargantuan fair market values doesn’t mean it is not selling in large quantities. Here, we take a closer look at the index and put a microscope over the top 100 to see what trends emerge.
1. SPAWN #1 (+4)
The expanding Spawn mythos has helped Image’s first hit comic climb back to the top of the Hottest Comics. Last week, one of the most anticipated issues of the year, Spawn’s Universe #1, hit store shelves.
The comic is meant to open up an interconnected world for Spawn and introduced three new characters. The intent is for Image to have its own universe of superhero comics all tied to Spawn. If the idea works, then it will help values for Spawn #1.
27. FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #6
Before Endgame hit theaters, Fantastic Four Annual #6 was one of the hottest issues on the secondary market. There were rumors and theories all around that a new threat even bigger than Thanos was coming to the MCU, and much of the speculation fell on Annihilus.
Of course, that did not come to fruition, and the Annihilus talk fell to the wayside. Could it be that there is new speculation for the tyrant of the Negative Zone? That would explain this issue’s sudden rise.
70. DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH #1
Independent titles are getting more popular, and they have been on the rise in recent years thanks to the return of horror comics. When it comes to horror comics, James Tynion IV has been the standout name with massive hits Something is Killing the Children and The Nice House on the Lake.
Another of his creations gaining a notable following has been The Department of Truth. This week, Department of Truth #1 pushed its way into the top 100, and I predict it will continue to climb.
72. TALES OF SUSPENSE #52
The early reviews for the long-awaited Black Widow solo movie have begun to roll in, and that attention has pushed Natasha Romanoff’s first appearance in Tales of Suspense #52 back into the top-100 Hottest Comics.
After the events of Endgame, we can assume this is the last ride for Black Widow, and she will likely be replaced by her onscreen sister, Yelena Belova. With all the time travel and variants, who knows? We may not have seen the last of Natasha.
ODDBALL OF THE WEEK
339. MELVIN MONSTER #1 (+660)
I did not expect to see Melvin Monster #1 in the Hottest Comics index. Melvin is a kids’ character who defies expectations by being a helpful monster, so clearly, these issues were marketed for a much younger crowd even in an era when comics were specifically aimed at children.
What makes this interesting is the same for all the Oddballs of the Week; they’re different, and they’re enough to make me learn about something new. That’s always a win.
