By Andrew Davis
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN (2024) #01
- Writer: Jonathan Hickman
- Artist: Marco Checchetto
For over 15 years, the Ultimate Spider-Man Universe has been testing different stories and characters that might not fit into Marvel’s mainline. The latest test has been Ultimate Spider-Man Issue 1 (2024), written by Jonathan Hickman with art by Marco Checchetto. In this version, Spider-Man has evolved from being in a timeless era to facing 21st-century problems and questions about what it means to be a hero. This modern take on Spider-Man has connected with many readers across generations, making the demand for this book exceed its supply, creating hype and desire for a first print copy.
GIANT-SIZE X-MEN (1975)
- Writer: Len Wein
It’s always Giant-Size X-Men season, but now more than ever. In recent years, Disney/Marvel has made it clear that the X-Men are the next big thing. This has officially started with Disney+ bringing back “X-Men ’97” for at least another season. It is only a matter of time before we get another X-Men live-action movie for either Phase 5 or Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Furthermore, Giant-Size X-Men is a heavily CGC-graded book, which recently had a major grading scandal, and the economy over the last several months has been weak. This creates a potential buying opportunity, as people might want to cash out of their investments at a lower price.
SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #01
- Writer: James Tynion IV
“Something is Killing the Children” came out of nowhere in 2019 and has grown into one of the best-selling monthly comics with 35 issues currently available. The series has been nominated for and has won several Eisner and Ringo Awards. In 2021, the series secured a development deal with Netflix, and in 2023, it was announced that Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese were hired to develop the adaptation. With the comic series continuing, James Tynion IV only becoming a bigger writer, and the Netflix adaptation in development, the potential value of a first print of issue 1 is extremely high.
COWBOY BEBOP #1
- Publisher: Tokyopop (2002)
“Cowboy Bebop” is an anime legend that first came to the United States in 2001. Following the success of the show, Tokyopop released the manga/comic of the same series in America in 2002. This comic is difficult to find in Near Mint (NM) or 9.4 CGC grades or above. In recent history, Netflix has done a live-action show of the series, Titan Comics released a prequel comic, and a prequel novel was also released for the Netflix series. All of this has led to increased awareness for the series, putting the original comics in further demand as collectors and fans seek to obtain them before they become even harder to find.
Andrew Davis is a traditional and alternative investor specializing in comic books, sports and non-sports trading cards, and autograph memorabilia. He also hosts a live interview show several times a week, which can be found on YouTube and Facebook, called “Conversations in Pop Culture.”