BY MATT TUCK
Instagram @ matt.tuck.writer
The #Trending10 has returned, and your Daredevil keys are setting a blistering pace atop a boiling secondary market in the wake of Marvel’s Disney+ announcements. Welcome to the only top-10 list with the updated market data for your collecting needs.
10. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #136
The mysterious hooded figure in the latest No Way Home trailer has spurred ample debate across social media. Who is it? Other than it being someone riding a Goblin glider and tossing Gobby’s signature weapons, no one is certain who is flying into the trailer. Could it be the Hobgoblin? Maybe it’s a variation on Norman Osborn’s Green Goblin costume? Those are popular guesses, but the most persistent rumor is that the mystery man is Dane DeHaan reprising his Amazing Spider-Man 2 role as Harry Osborn. That has led to a surge for the character’s key issues.
Harry made his comic debut in ASM #31 during the Silver Age, and that makes it the most coveted of his key issues. With prices going up for that issue this year, it has led many collectors to Harry’s transition to the second Green Goblin in ASM #136. Having the hot hand, ASM #136 has been climbing the sales charts in terms of volume, but the values have not skyrocketed just yet. Mid-grade raw copies tend to stay close to $50. The last graded copy to trade hands online was an 8.5 that sold for $165 on November 15.
9. RAVENCROFT #5
Ashley Kafka has suddenly become an oft-mentioned name in the collecting world. Virtually overnight, her first appearance has rocketed through the sales charts. But why?
Marvel Comics has been teasing its latest villain, the Queen Goblin, who looks like a female version of the Norman Osborn/Carnage mashup, Red Goblin. Who is this newest addition to Spider-Man’s rogue’s gallery? Kafka, of course. Well, not exactly.
Originally, Ashley Kafka debuted in Spectacular Spider-Man #178 in 1991. Twelve years later, she was killed in Superior Spider-Man #5. How, then, is she the Queen Goblin? Remaining consistent with Spider-Man lore, Kafka was cloned, and it is the cloned Kafka who arose to become the Queen Goblin. That version of the character debuted in Ravencroft #5.
Prior to recent weeks, collectors largely ignored Ravencroft #5. The only recorded sale of a graded copy was from last year when a 9.8 was purchased for $16. While the sales volume has the momentum this month, the prices are still low. Most raw copies have been selling for less than $5.
Especially with Marvel, there’s always the possibility that the comics will shape the MCU. That should have you asking the question, will Queen Goblin arrive in a new movie or perhaps the upcoming Spider-Man: Freshman Year cartoon? If that becomes even a rumor, Ravencroft #5’s prices will accelerate dramatically.
8. ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #21
If nothing else, the huge Disney+ announcements validated several rumors and theories that had been lingering for the past year. One of those was the Marvel Zombies. Sure, they made their MCU debut in the inaugural season of What If…?, but there had been gossip of a full-length movie on the way. While that did not transpire, we are getting an animated show that should spin out of What If…?. The word is that the new show will be based more on the first volume of comics written by The Walking Dead’s Robert Kirkman. That is clearly having an impact on the first volume of Marvel Zombies, but the first appearance remains at the top of the wish list.
Lucky for buyers, the fair market values are not out of reach despite the news. Just yesterday, a graded 9.6 sold for $150. If you are searching for a copy of your own, the raw copies are still relatively cheap, and most are selling for $20 or less.
7. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #238
The expectations for Spider-Man: No Way Home are so high, it is bound to disappoint. Practically everyone and everything from the Sony-verse is rumored to be part of this movie. From Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield all the way to Venom, audiences are looking for absolutely anything to happen in this movie. Of course, one of those potential characters happens to be the Hobgoblin.
It all started with Jacob Batalon’s impressive body transformation. The Ned Leeds actor has been Peter Parker’s sidekick and the comic relief for two movies. While he appears to be overweight in the NWH footage, Batalon has been showing off his weight loss on social media for months now. The gossip is that Marvel Studios is strict on its actors’ body images, and the studio must approve any drastic changes due to potential impacts on films and shows. That being said, many theorists have made the assumption that Marvel wanted him to lose weight so that he could become a full-fledged villain.
In the comics, the original plan was for Ned to be revealed as the Hobgoblin after a lengthy mystery, but then Ned was killed offscreen in Spider-Man Versus Wolverine. That was just one wrench thrown into the works, and it resulted in Roderick Kingsley being elected as the first Hobgoblin, and there’s nothing to say he won’t arrive in the Spider-verse. At this point, most eyes are on Ned to make the evil transition.
The sales volume for ASM #238 may be elevated, but the prices are not touching the records set earlier this year. As a buyer, that is welcome news. Still, it doesn’t mean that you can score a copy for dirt cheap. On Sunday, a 9.8 sold for $2,520. While that did not rival the record high of $4,100 from June, most 9.8s tend to stay in the $2k-$3k range, so that November 21 sale was in line with those figures.
On November 18, the 9.6 dipped below $1k for the first time this month when a sale netted $921. Meanwhile, the lowest graded copy to swap owners online in November was the 5.0, and it brought a record $300 last week.
6. KANAN: THE LAST PADAWAN #1
Before the second season of The Mandalorian aired, there was talk of Sabine Wren arriving in live-action. Thus, the prices for her cameo debut in Kanan: the Last Padawan #1 immediately jumped. Of course, everything Star Wars got a massive boost from season two of Mandalorian, but anything tied to Star Wars: Rebels were hit particularly hard.
That speculation has been fueling prices for this issue for the past year. With the Mandalorian warrior herself, Sabine, confirmed for the Ahsoka live-action series, it will pour more gas on this already blazing issue. Remember that Kanan Jarus, Ezra Bridger, and Hera all made their Star Wars debuts in this issue as well, and one or all three of those characters will eventually make it to live action in the future. That puts a large bullseye on this issue.
Compared to the last 12 months, prices have been lower up to this point. On November 20, the standard edition graded at a 9.8 was selling for $300. Last year, it brought as much as $420, a record that was obliterated when a buyer spent $950 for the same grade on July 6. Of course, that could have been an outlier considering that almost every sale since then has hovered in the $200-$300 range.
5. YOUNG AVENGERS #1
This is a key issue that will only keep gaining value. Now that Kate Bishop is making her official MCU debut, it is more apparent than ever that the Young Avengers are on the way. Of course, it’s not as if anyone didn’t see it coming. Years ago, Kevin Feige said that the Young Avengers were on his wish list, and there’s no question it’s in the works. There’s already Cassie Lang, Patriot, Wiccan, and Speed, so Kate falls into place with ease.
Doubling down on the Young Avengers gossip, Kate Bishop actress Hailee Steinfeld was asked about the Young Avengers. Instead of answering the question, she turned to Feige as if anyone doesn’t already see the YA train coming from 10 miles away. Still, the excitement from the Hawkeye series and the impending Young Avengers announcement is making for an active market. Since November 12, the standard cover graded at a 9.8 has consistently earned $1,000+, which is more than three times last year’s $314 average. Not willing to shell out quadruple digits for this one? Fear not because the 9.6 has you covered. To the naked eye, the 9.6 and the 9.8 are virtually identical, but the former typically sells for a fraction of the price at $400-$500.
4. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #50
Will Echo bring Netflix’s Daredevil to a fitting close? That’s been the hot rumor for some time. Of course, that was before Disney announced that Echo would be crashing headfirst into the MCU. That has amplified those DD return rumors by 100%, and that has made for an influx for the first appearance of Kingpin.
Before there was the idea that a season four of DD would be incorporated into the first season of Echo, Vincent D’Onofrio was fanning the flames of an MCU return. His portrayal of Wilson Fisk has gone down as one of the most iconic in all of Marvel’s movies or series, and the actor has been vocal about his desire to reprise the role.
Echo could make for an easy transition to Fisk’s onscreen resurgence. In the comics, Kingpin and Echo have a history together after Fisk had her father murdered. Between the comic connection and the possibility of a DD return, it is having a direct impact on Kingpin’s first appearance in ASM #50.
On the heels of the Echo confirmation and the DD rumors, ASM #50 is earning massive price tags. On November 19, a 9.6 sold for a record $66,000, which is more than double the previous record of $30k set on September 9. For those of us without five-figure budgets for one key, there is the 9.0 that sold for $8k on November 5, though I suspect it would bounce back to its $10k+ figures if that copy were sold today. The lowest grade to sell online this month has been the 2.5, and it brought $625 on November 21.
3. X-MEN ADVENTURES #1
Out of all the Disney+ announcements, the biggest cheers came from fans of X-Men: the Animated Series. From the ashes of the 1990s, the X-Men guitar riff will be riffing again, and the people did rejoice for X-Men ‘97. Supposedly, the story will pick up where the original cartoon left off, and it will have the same animation style as the original. Hopefully it will keep the Jim Lee X-Men designs, and everyone can wear those weird half-helmet things like Jean Grey and Gambit.
As we have seen all year long, cartoon tie-in comics have become serious collectibles. For many years, aside from Transformers #1, kids show keys were not held in high regard, and only the highest of grades warranted a lofty investment. Buyers have since changed their perception on the subject, and it is evident in 1992’s X-Men Adventures #1. This issue marked the first comic adapted specifically for X-Men: the Animated Series, and collectors are on the hunt for their copies. The raw comics are generally selling for $20-$25, but remember this was a $3 comic before the Disney+ announcement. Meanwhile, a 9.8 brought a record-high $400 on November 12.
2. DAREDEVIL #9
One of the worst-kept secrets in Marvel was Echo. Well before Marvel Studios made it official that she would debut in Hawkeye, the gossip sites had reported it to the masses. There was even the persistent rumor that Echo was slated to star in her own live-action series. Lo and behold, here we are, and the table is set for the Echo series on Disney+.
Whether we will see her first as Echo or possibly Ronin remains to be seen. After all, she did take up the moniker after Clint Barton, and that could play out on the screen. In fact, it makes the most sense after Marvel confirmed the plot of Hawkeye would delve into the consequences of Barton’s time as a murderous vigilante.
Since Marvel made the Echo series official, her first appearance is on fire. Across the secondary market, raw and graded sales are through the proverbial roof with no indication of slowing down. The graded 9.8 is consistently earning $800+ this week, and the 9.6 is approaching the $400 mark for the first time since March. On the raw side of things, an advertised near-mint copy recently sold for $200.
1. DAREDEVIL #1
The number of theories and rumors for the Netflix shows’ return has stretched to the sun and back. From the first announcement that the Marvel/Netflix partnership had come to a close, fans have petitioned to bring the characters back to the MCU. At the top of the list, with a laughable amount of rumors behind it, has been the cast of Daredevil. From a revival of the show to Matt Murdock appearing as Peter’s lawyer in No Way Home, the gossip never ceases.
The Echo series announced for Disney+ has spawned a host of new rumors that Charlie Cox will return to the role of Daredevil. With the idea that Echo will serve as a fourth season of DD, that has made collectors break the bank to own the character’s first appearance in Daredevil #1. Earlier this month, a 9.4 sold for $60,000, and an 8.5 brought $22,800 over the weekend. It doesn’t stop there as a buyer spent $16,800 on November 14. That same day, a 6.5 sold for a record $10,800. The real indicator is the 0.5, which sold for $1,200 on November 7. Imagine the heights that low grade will attain if Daredevil does arrive in Echo.
Matt Tuck is the author of the novel, Lost Bones of the Dead. He is a professional writer, avid comic collector, former teacher, and an international man of mystery. You can follow him on his Facebook page, The Comic Blog, or on Instagram at matt.tuck.writer.