One of the single biggest drivers of comic book speculation nowadays is the MCU. From major characters like Spider-Man all the way down to D-listers like Frog Man, the MCU has fundamentally changed the way people look at comic books. The goal of this article series is to provide investors of all stripes with some well-reasoned speculation opportunities so they can be one step ahead of a constantly shifting marketplace. So for this issue, let's talk about some of the coolest comics of the copper age!
New Mutants Annual #2
This book contains the first appearance in a U.S. comic of Betsy Braddock. For much of her history, Betsy was known as the psychic ninja Psylocke. Psylocke is a beloved mutant with a really visually interesting power and a wealth of interesting stories behind her. She feels like a solid bet for adaption.
Graded Analysis: In nearly every single grade, pricing on this book is WILDLY erratic in both directions. While that means the book has an appreciable level of risk, it also means buyers can expect several prime opportunities to generate a strong return. If the book is already in an upcycle when a favorable MCU announcement or rumor starts gaining steam, the sky will be the limit.
Spectacular Spider-Man #107
Spectacular Spider-Man #107 has the very first appearance of the Sin Eater and marks the beginning of Peter David's acclaimed story The Death of Jean DeWolff (Note: please consider donating to Peter David's GoFundMe). I am a big believer that good storytelling can make for great investing and WOW is Death of Jean DeWolff a great story.
This brutal noir mystery starts with the murder of a close friend of Spider-Man and ultimately produces one of the most interesting chapters in the web slinger's history. This would definitely be a very different direction for Marvel and/or Sony to take with Spider-Man I.P., but fortunately, the growth has happened even without any movie-related heat.
Graded Analysis: Grades 9.8 and 9.6 represent over 50% of the census for Spectacular Spider-Man #107, so the analysis will be focused there. For 9.8s, there is a clear pattern of ebbs and flows in price along a generally upward trajectory. At the time of this writing, we seem to be at an ebb, meaning there could be a good opportunity to buy low.
As for 9.6s, the 1-year average is 101.18 and the standard deviation is 75.79. That is a HUGE range of values. So if you are looking to sell, be patient, you may be able to get your desired price. If you are looking to buy, hold out for a deal, you should be able to find one.
New Mutants #87
This book features the first appearance of Cable as an adult. Cable, the time-traveling son of Scott Summers and Madelyne Pryor from an apocalyptic future, is a very easy fit for the MCU and its current multiversal focus. If they really wanted to, they could even use the Josh Brolin version of Cable, totally bypassing the need to introduce a new version.
The character has been a staple of X-Men comics since his creation and has a devoted following. With so many appealing reasons for this character to be adapted, buying his first appearance seems like a solid bet.
Graded Analysis: Grades 9.2 and above, which represent 74.4% of the census, are all up over the lifetime of GoCollect's data. With 44.6% of the population coming in at 9.6 or above, there are a LOT of high-grade copies of this book out there. Consequently, grades 9.6 and 9.8 together have more sales than all other grades combined. Prices, in general, have been down of late, so investors will want to keep an eye on this one to see if they can grab it at a decent price.
*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.