BY MATT TUCK
Neo has returned, and the new trailer for The Matrix: Resurrections will have collectors on the lookout for one Matrix key in particular.
It has been 18 years since the last time we saw Keanu Reeves and the gang re-enter the Matrix in December, and the Wachowskis may finally shed the albatross that is Matrix: Reloaded and Revolutions.
After setting the sci-fi world on fire with 1999’s original film, the sequels ended the trilogy on a dud. For nearly 20 years, the Matrix franchise was all but dead. Then came John Wick, and suddenly Keanu Reeves was catapulted back to A-list status, which in turn gave chances of a Matrix reboot a much-needed push.
Thanks to the public’s whirlwind love affair with the ‘90s action star, whispers of a Matrix continuation or all-out reboot were en vogue, but they didn’t seem to be going anywhere. Then the news broke that, indeed, a fourth movie was in development. As longtime fans - and the heart of Keanuation - waited for word on the plot, today marked a big day as Neo picked up his virtual sword to return to the war with the machines.
Comic collecting continues to be serious business in today’s market, and the Matrix: Resurrections trailer will certainly send a ripple through the small cross section of the one and only Matrix key. Take a look.
THE MATRIX: COMIC BOOK PREVIEW (1999)
At the top - and basically the only member - of the wish list is The Matrix comic preview. Besides being the first appearance of the Matrix franchise in a comic, this issue was surrounded by controversy. When it was published in 1999, the comic was meant as a giveaway to help promote the 1999 original film. However, the material was deemed too sensitive for most audiences, and the issue was recalled.
In the collecting world, the word “recalled” is synonymous with collectible. If you can get your hands on an issue that is recalled, then the number of copies circulating the market was reduced drastically, potentially making your comic a rarity. That translates into bigger price tags.
Already, both raw and graded copies are picking up steam. Earlier today, a high-quality, unslabbed copy brought $112 while others sold in the $65 range. At the same time, a 9.8 CBCS graded copy exchanged hands. The asking price had been $750, though it is unclear what was the final value as of the time of this writing. Before today, the last 9.8 to trade hands was a CGC slab that brought $375 in March. The aforementioned CBCS copy likely will surpass that mark once the final sales price is released.
STEP BACK INTO THE MATRIX
With John Q. Public’s obsession with all things Keanu still running strong, it should be a major help to bring back the hype for the Matrix. As we approach the release date, the marketing department will likely unleash a flood of games, toys, and comics. It will all help to propel that recalled promotional comic to new records, at least in the high grades. The real test will be if the Wachowskis are able to erase the memory of those awful sequels. Here’s hoping.
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.