Weekly MCU Spec: Daredevil

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 ol' Hornhead, the Man Without Fear, Daredevil!

Low-Cost Options

Daredevil #124

This book marks the first appearance of District Attorney Blake Tower, who made frequent appearances in the Netflix shows and various Marvel Comics.  Given Daredevil: Born Again's 18-episode count, there are plenty of opportunities for this character to show up.  As an added bonus, this book also has the first appearance of Copperhead, giving it a solid alternate path to profitability.

Graded Analysis: There is only 1 CGC 9.8 copy of this book in the census and it has never been sold, meaning the first person to sell a copy at that grade basically gets to set the market!  Given that a 9.6 last sold for #365, that could be a really good market to set.

Daredevil #181

The fact that I am able to talk about this book in the low-cost section is absurd.  The Death of Elektra is one of the most iconic Daredevil storylines of all time and represents an excellent bet for the MCU.  Granted, Elektra did die in the Netflix Defenders series, but it's not like comic book deaths have ever been permanent, especially when it comes to Elektra.  Furthermore, Marvel has been a little coy about whether or not the Netflix shows are canon, which opens up a lot of possibilities for books like this.

Graded Analysis: This is a really weird book, as it has the same FMV at nearly every grade below 9.2.  The incredibly high census count of 6220 definitely lowers the book's value ceiling, but its significance in history also gives it a really high floor.  There is very little risk associated with this book and some decent upside.

Medium Cost Options

Daredevil Vol. 2 #10

After rising to fairly meteoric heights, this first cover appearance of Maya Lopez has come crashing back down to earth.  I will admit that I was not overly impressed with the version of Echo presented in Hawkeye, but that does not mean she will always be portrayed that way.  After all, the version of Thor in Ragnarok is a far cry from the more Shakespearean version we met in his first film.

In any case, Echo is still a very compelling character with a lot of potential and her first cover appearance is a good book to own.  I have a hard time believing Marvel would have announced an entire show for Echo before audiences even met the character if they did not have some big things in mind for her.

Graded Analysis: CGC 9.8 copies have a current FMV of $100, a nearly 75% drop from its all-time high set in April.  I suspect prices may drop even more between now and when the marketing for Echo begins to ramp up.  Consequently, investors may want to wait a bit before they pull the trigger on this one.

Daredevil #170

Another book that has absolutely no business being as cheap as it is.  Daredevil #170 marks the first time the Kingpin showed up in a Daredevil comic.  That is a big deal.  Kingpin started out as a Spider-Man villain, but in many ways has come to define and be defined by Daredevil.  This book marks a significant milestone in the public histories of both characters and will surely draw interest as we get closer to the premiere of Born Again.

Graded Analysis: The book has a very clear upward trajectory in value over the last 11 years and does not have a high census count.  The current CGC 9.8 FMV is $300.

High-Cost Options

Daredevil Vol. 5 #1 1:100 Quesada Hidden Gem Variant

This book has so many of the qualities that make for great speculation: Rarity, a gorgeous cover by an excellent artist strongly tied to the character, #1 issue status, and a reference to a fan-favorite live-action incarnation.