This week’s top ten brings a vast variety of different comics. Comics returning to the spotlight include Dazzler, a Batman homage cover, and Professor Xavier’s evil twin sister. This week, Dazzler brings another contender to the Top Ten in the form of her first solo series. Rumors about Marvel have also created buzz around Doctor Strange 3 and Aubrey Plaza’s role in Agatha: Coven of Chaos. Speaking of media, Blue Beetle released this past weekend, causing a spike in interest for his first appearance! Arthur Adams illustrates a beautiful retailer incentive cover that has dramatically increased in price. Finally, rarely-seen books appear on our list this week. The first is that of a forgotten toxic hero who, unfortunately, was stuck in movie production hell. And lastly, an indie comic from legendary cartoonist Jay Stephens! Check out the list and see why these comics have earned their place in this week’s Top Ten!
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#10: DWELLINGS #1 – JAY STEPHENS | ONI PRESS | 2023 | Interest in horror comics has begun to resurface, and Jay Stephens is part of that movement. After nearly 20 years, the infamous cartoonist returns to the comic scene with a horror anthology book illustrated in the most jarring way possible, with art akin to old Harvey Comics or even an ’80s Saturday Morning Cartoon. The stark contrast between the dark narrative and the colorful illustration creates a sense of dissonance, which only augments the horror feel of the book. This wonderfully fresh, Hitchcockian story is making waves in the comic community, and we’ve seen interest pick up over the past couple of weeks. We tracked it at a high sale of $30 for an NM+ raw copy and a current raw NM FMV of $20.
#9: ALPHA FLIGHT #1 – ARTHUR ADAMS (1:50) | MARVEL | 2023 | Alpha Flight has been a staple of the X-Men universe since their debut in 1979. Originally, the team was meant to be a one-shot fight with the X-Men. However, John Byrne’s popularity was used to propel the team to new heights. Although it was his creation, John Byrne left the title after 28 issues. The team has reemerged in various limited series through the decades. In this iteration, Snowbird takes the stage in a dynamic and intriguing retailer incentive cover. Arthur Adams put out a stellar piece of artwork, and many collectors agree, doubling the value since its release a week ago. We tracked it at a high sale of $130 for an NM+ raw copy and a current raw NM FMV of $106.
#8: KNIGHT TERRORS #3 – CHRISTIAN DUCE – HULK #340 HOMAGE (1:25) | DC | 2023 | The INCREDIBLE HULK #340 homage continues to turn heads in the DC fandom. The KNIGHT TERRORS series has produced outstanding artwork while seeing immediate value increases in the aftermarket. Christian Duce continues to add to those cover collections with this homage variant (and retailer incentive!). If more support is needed to make it a collector’s item, this book is also the debut of The House of Horror. We tracked it at a high sale of $59 for a raw copy and a current raw NM FMV of $45.
#7: UNCANNY AVENGERS ANNUAL #1 | MARVEL | 2015 | The rumor mill hits again, this time surrounding Aubrey Plaza’s role in Agatha: Coven of Chaos. According to a Twitter leaker, Plaza will be playing the role of Rio Vidal, an enemy to both Agatha and Wanda. This would be a female version of Declan Dane, also known as the Emerald Warlock, who makes his first appearance in this issue. It’s a bit less exciting than the previous rumor, in which she was set to play the embodiment of Death in the MCU… a role she was nearly born to play. Nevertheless, fans are happy with this rumor as well. We tracked it at a high sale of $10 for a raw copy and a current raw NM FMV of $5.
#6: TOXIC AVENGER #1 | MARVEL | 1991 | Last week, a movie still, poster, and write-up were released with significant coverage. Directed by Oppenheimer actor Macon Blair, the Toxic Avenger’s film update has made this project “real” in a sea of content announcements that never seem to make it to production. We tracked it at a high sale of $230 for a CGC 9.8 and a current raw NM FMV of $23.
#5: INFINITE CRISIS #5 – JIM LEE – REGULAR | DC | 2006 | It took a flying blue scarab from space to dethrone the pink royalty that is Barbie. Blue Beetle won out the weekend, and reviews have been highly positive. However, Blue Beetle’s weekend box office is reportedly the lowest DCU opening ever and has a long way to go before becoming profitable. However, fans rejoice in James Gunn’s confirmation that Blue Beetle is part of the upcoming rebooted DCU. As collectors have been picking up Jaime Reyes’ first appearance, we hope Blue Beetle becomes a new staple in the DC Cinematic Universe! We tracked it at a high sale of $250 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a raw NM FMV of $43.
#4: NEW X-MEN #114 – DIRECT EDITION | MARVEL | 2001 | Deadpool 3 is truly pushing the limits of the multiverse. From rumors that the original X-Men will appear to visit Ben Affleck’s Daredevil universe… the movie is ripe with possibilities! One of those possibilities is the appearance of Professor Xavier’s sister, Cassandra Nova. Cassandra Nova has been rumored to be in Deadpool 3, but some rumors go as far as saying that she will also feature as a villain in Doctor Strange 3. Who knows which rumors are true or not? We know that rumors send fans into a frenzy to pick up the first appearance of a character. This week, we tracked it at a high sale of $200 for a CGC 9.8 and a current raw NM FMV of $22.
#3: X-MEN #130 – NEWSSTAND | MARVEL | 1980 | The first appearance of Dazzler rises to spot #3, with her first solo series taking 2nd place. The solo series is likely moving at a higher rate due to the ease of obtaining a copy and the lower buy-in. While there hasn’t been a firm confirmation, Dazzler’s first appearance is yet another product of the rumor mill. It is continually fueled by fan art, depicting the superstar as the glistening hero (case in point, this is a great one). As we wait for an official announcement, we tracked it at a high sale of $580 for a CGC 9.6 and a current raw NM FMV of $193.
#2: DAZZLER #1 | MARVEL | 1981 | Social media is divided on the latest rumor to come out of Deadpool 3. If you have yet to hear, Taylor Swift has been rumored to cameo in the film as the vibrant mutant, Dazzler. Why does this have the fandom divided? Most of the time, substantial rumors have many social media leakers leaning towards one side of the rumor more than the other. However, in the case of Dazzler, some leakers are stating that this rumor is false, while others are increasingly vigilant that these rumors are true. With no word from Taylor Swift, Marvel, or any other confirming party, we’ve all just been “dazzled” by this rumor and the market’s response. It’s important to note that, in the case of this being true, it would still only be a cameo appearance and not likely an extended role in the MCU (however, anything can happen if people love it). We tracked it at a high sale of $200 for a CGC 9.8 and a current raw NM FMV of $20.
#1: AVENGERS #35 | MARVEL | 2014 | While there is no clear end in sight for the Writers/Actor strike, rumors have been floating around that Doctor Strange 3 is ready to begin production once the strike ends. Alongside this rumor is how the movie’s plot will be pulled directly from the pages of a comic storyline called “Time Runs Out.” In this storyline, Doctor Strange is seen attempting to stop multiple incursions as entire universes are set on the brink of collapse. Considering that Feige mentioned that the Secret Wars would rely heavily on the 2015 version, which saw universes collide, it’s safe to say this rumor might have legs. Until we see more evidence to support it, we can only speculate. As a bonus, it is also the first cover appearance of Sam Wilson in a Captain America costume (although he doesn’t appear in the story). We tracked it at a high sale of $100 for a CGC 9.8 and a current raw NM FMV of $18.
And that’s your TOP 10 COMICS OF THE WEEK for 8/22/23! Want to know what your comic books are worth? COVRPRICE.COM offers the ULTIMATE price guide with LIVE ungraded (raw) and graded sales for today’s market trends. Manage your collection and track your portfolio’s overall value with our robust tracking systems. With a free 10-day trial and several affordable price tiers, discover the value of your comics and sign up today! CHECK OUT THE TOP 10 ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL. PLEASE LIKE & SUBSCRIBE!
