Daredevil #1

The Comic Speculator is a blog written by WorthPoint Comic Book “Worthologist” Matt Baum that takes a look at each week’s hot new comics and back issues and the comic market place in general. Prices discussed here are taken from the Overstreet Guide to Comics (OVST), Comicspriceguide.com (CPG) and current online auction sales. Sales numbers and rankings are courtesy of ICV2.com. The codes under the prices of new titles discussed are Diamond Comics order codes that can be used to help your local comic retailer in ordering the issues discussed.

Back Issue Watch:

Pedigreecomics.com‘s Grand Auction for January ended last week, leaving nerds like myself kicking the dirt because we’ll never be able to afford key issues of comics that we love. Case in point; the Daredevil #1 CGC Graded in 9.6 condition that sold for $62,000. Holy $%&#, right? True, this is the highest-graded copy of DD #1 on the planet, but $60k? In Near Mint condition DD#1 guides for $6,200. Or at least it did before this auction. If you’ve got some time to kill, make sure to check out this truly impressive auction.

New Comics Watch:

For a complete list of comics shipping this week click here.

No second printings shipping this week but plenty Marvel reprints announced for the near future. Big surprise, all of them are either Fall of the Hulks or Siege tie-ins. Stay tuned to this spot for shipping details.

Speculator Picks of the Week:

These are comics that could sellout very quickly leaving nerds who didn’t get to the comic shop on time scouring the internet and paying ridiculous prices.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #32: Dark Horse

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #32

Solicitation: Faster than a speeding—you know. More powerful than a—yeah, one of those. Able to leap tall . . . castles in a single bound. Still working on that X-ray-vision thing. In the aftermath of battle with Twilight’s army, Buffy has developed a host of new powers, but when will the other shoe drop, and will it be a cute shoe, or an ugly one? Still reeling from the losses of war, Willow goes looking for missing allies and discovers a horrifying truth about several of the Slayer army’s recent ordeals.

Series artist Georges Jeanty, acclaimed novelist and comics writer Brad Meltzer (The Book of Lies, Identity Crisis), and executive producer Joss Whedon begin the buildup to Season Eight’s climax in the storyline that finally reveals the identity of Twilight!

40 PGS
$2.99 US
DEC090047
Preview Available!
Written by Brad Meltzer; Inks by Andy Owens; Colors by Michelle Madsen; Cover by Jo Chen.

Why it’ll go fast: Spoiler Alert! Twilight is actually Angel! Ok, I’m not giving anything away here, because if you read any comic news online whatsoever there’s no way you missed the stink that was whipped up by Dark Horse announcing they would be using Angel in this story, even though there is a completely different, continuity removed series currently running over at IDW. It was a whole “thing.” So if this one isn’t on your pull-file, be prepared to go hunting for Buffy #32. It’s going to go fast. And for those who haven’t been paying attention, yes, Buffy can fly now.

Cable #23: Marvel Comics

Cable #23

Solicitation: Prelude to “X-Men: Second Coming” event! “Homecoming, Part Three” The penultimate chapter in the X-Men saga that began with “Messiah CompleX” continues here. As Cable and Hope fight their way back to the present, Bishop closes in on their trail, determined to stop them using the deadliest weapons at hand, be it a Prohibition-style tommy gun or heat-seeking brain needles of the near future. Meanwhile, a few decades from now, Cable and Hope meet an old ally who could either save them—or jeopardize everything. This is it . . . the penultimate issue of the time-hopping action thriller born in the pages of “Messiah CompleX.”

32 PGS
$2.99 US
DEC090564
Preview Available!
Written by Duane Swierczynski; Pencils by Gabriel Guzman; Inks by Array; Cover by Marko Djurdjevic.

Why it’ll go fast: Cable seems to be Marvel’s little-comic-that-could as of late, but retailers still aren’t sold on it. So, it’s canceled with issue #25. Or maybe it’s just ending with #25. Cable #21 checked in at number 75 on December’s 300 most ordered comics list and, though it hasn’t sold out at Diamond yet, is going to get harder to find as the “Second Coming” event gets closer. Let’s just call this what it is; The Return of Jean Grey. It’s gotta be Jean right? When Jean does return, fans of Marvel Girl will be looking for these Cable issues but low initial orders may make the back issues tough to find. Especially since they probably won’t be reprinted for the same reason.

Siege #2 of 4: Marvel

Siege #2 of 4

Solicitation: The blockbuster Marvel event of the year goes full-blown carnage and madness as the biggest and most brutal battle in Marvel’s history brings together heroes from all sides. Lines have been drawn, and an unlikely hero will save one Avenger, but they can’t save them all. The Siege has begun and it claims its first victim as an Avenger will die!

40 PGS
$3.99 US
DEC090432
Written by Brian Michael Bendis; Pencils and cover by Oliver Coipel; Inks by Array; Colors by Laura Martin.

Why it’ll go fast: An Avenger will die!?! And nothing sells comics like death. Now, depending on who it is, this could be a really big deal. Obviously it’s not going to be Cap or Thor or Iron Man or any of the other Avengers that have appeared in the “I am an Avenger” teaser images. But, it might be the Sentry. He is on the cover. Anyway, I really have no clue as to who will be a super-corpse by the end of this one, but it could cause a very quick sell out.

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Matt Baum is WorthPoint’s comic book Worthologist. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question below in the “comments” section below. Also, you can follow him on Twitter, where I’m always screaming about something nerd-related. Thanks to all Matt’s new followers and keep the comments coming! Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint to search its database or use its “Ask A Worthologist” feature. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price. And finally, a word to the Federal Trade Commission; all the comics discussed here are purchased solely by the writer, who receives no gifts or free merchandise from any publishers, even though he would graciously accept them.

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Dark Avengers

The Comic Speculator is a blog written by WorthPoint Comic Book “Worthologist” Matt Baum that takes a look at each week’s hot new comics and back issues and the comic market place in general. Prices discussed here are taken from the Overstreet Guide to Comics (OVST), Comicspriceguide.com (CPG) and current online auction sales. Make sure and click on the active links to learn more about the titles and creators discussed here.

Before we get started: Good news about the comic market. Click here to read a great article from the The Boston Globe about the state of the comic book market on the East Coast. It’s actually good news.

It’s Wednesday again, and there’s more than 150 new titles hitting the shelves. Some are great reads, others a waste of your time and money. I try not to point fingers and laugh here; that’s for my other comic blog, but concentrate on which titles are going to go fast. So let’s get to it, but before we do . . .

Click here to see a complete list of new comics shipping this Wednesday, Nov. 18.

Speculator Picks of the Week:

This is the part where I use my comic swami powers to peer into the future and pick out three titles that could sell out very quickly. Buy them now at cover price or pay twice as much later.

Cowboy Ninja Viking #2 of 4: Image Comics

Cowboy Ninja Viking

Solicitation: Dr. Ghislain sends C.N.V and partner Sara Nix to Tokyo to track down rogue Triplet Yashitiko Ammo (P.G.O) and things go from bad to worse, starting with the fact that sticking C.N.V in economy class on a 18-hour flight to Japan is, in the history of bad ideas, right up there with Stalin, polyester, and Axe Body Spray. Plus, we finally learn who the Scarf Guy is!

Ali vs. Frazier! Tyson vs. Holyfield! Cowboy/Ninja/Viking vs. Pirate/Gladiator/Oceanographer!

24 PGS
$3.50 US
Written by Aj Lieberman; Pencils by Riley Rossmo.

Why it’ll go fast: When I picked CNV #1 to sell out I had no idea that there would be huge shipping errors and allocations on the title across the country. I had heard that Another Dimension Comics in Alberta, Calgary was shorted its entire order on CNV, which is funny because the artist on the the title, Riley Rossmo, works there part time. Whoops! Initial orders on #1 were light, as usual for an Image title, Internet buzz was huge and shipping errors whipped the nerds into a fervor resulting in copies selling for $10 and up. I’m not predicting shipping errors on issue #2—although Diamond screwing up is becoming a safer bet every week—but there will be lighter orders than on number #1. There always is.

Dr. Horrible: Dark Horse

Dr. Horrible

Solicitation: From the Joss Whedon-helmed webmovie “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” comes the origin story of the next greatest supervillain of all time . . . Dr. Horrible!

In this one-shot comic, Zack Whedon and artist Joelle Jones (Token) establish how a young, impressionable, but brilliant Dr. Horrible was drawn into a world of crime. Readers are reacquainted with the charming, brawny, crime-fighting superhero extraordinaire Captain Hammer when Dr. Horrible crosses paths with his greatest enemy in an all-out showdown of immeasurable proportions. Special guest appearances include Dr. Horrible’s love interest, Penny; his sidekick, Moist; and a meter man. Fans of Joss Whedon and the smash-hit musical “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” will not want to miss this!

Includes two alternate covers by artist Kristian Donaldson (DMZ, Supermarket) and a pin-up from superstar artist Gene Ha (The 49ers).
40 PGS
$3.50 US
SEP090009
Written by Zack Whedon; Pencils by Joelle Jones; Cover by Dan Jackson; Variant Cover by Kristian Donaldson.

Why it’ll go fast: Never underestimate Joss Whedon fans. These are the same people who managed to keep “Dollhouse” on the Fox network for two seasons, and that’s saying something. Now, most of us who aren’t huge Whedon-nerds may not have heard of “Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.” Being a Whedon-nerd myself, I have, and recommend you check it out. I just don’t see any retailers ordering heavy on this issue making it an instant sell-out. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Doc Horrible selling for $20 by Friday. Now re-order and reprint sales might fill the market for this comics pretty quickly, as a lot of Whedon fans may not be concerned with owning a first printing. And keep in mind; Joss didn’t write this comic. If this one is hot, it’s only go to be for a few weeks.

Realm of Kings: Inhumans #1 of 5: Marvel Comics

Realm of Kings: Inhumans

Solicitation: A Realm Of Kings series! Now led by Queen Medusa, the battered and bruised Inhuman royal family struggles to maintain their grip on the reigns of power over the Kree Empire. Courtly intrigues and external threats are beginning to erode their rule–but the biggest threat may lurk within the family itself! War Of Kings’ Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning unite with Pablo Raimondi (X-Factor) for the next chapter in the lives of these classic Marvel characters!

32 PGS
$3.99 US
SEP090454
Written by Andy Lanning and Dan Abnett; Pencils by Pablo Raimondi; Inks by Andrew Hennessy; Cover by Frank Martin.

Why it’ll go fast: Realm of Kings #1 is the big news this week and it’s going to be the highest-ordered of the crossover event. The RoK Inhumans comic will probably be ordered close to the same level as the one-shot but will still sell out faster. Anyone who has been around for any of Abnett and Lanning’s cosmic crossover events knows they don’t tell worthless tie-in stories. This Inhumans tie-in will probably be the main crux of the story seeing as it deals with the disappearance of Black Bolt and how Medusa will lead her people. When readers who loved the last two Cosmic Crossovers go looking for this comic it might not be there.

Now go shopping nerds! You only have six days until next Wednesday!

Next week, in honor of the latest Marvel Cosmic Crossover, “Realm of Kings,” I’ll be taking a look at some key issues starring Marvel’s Cosmic Heroes.

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If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question below in the “comments” section below. Also, you can follow me on Twitter, where I’m always screaming about something nerd-related. Thanks to all my new followers and keep the comments coming! Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint to search its database or use its “Ask A Worthologist” feature. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price. And finally, a word to the Federal Trade Commission; all the comics discussed here are purchased solely by the writer, who receives no gifts or free merchandise from any publishers, even though he would graciously accept them.

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Marvel Comics' 70th birthday

Last Tuesday Marvel Comics celebrated their 70th birthday with an early release of Ed Brubaker’s The Marvels Project. Marvel issued a press release detailing the festivities:

To celebrate its 70th anniversary, Marvel Comics will commemorate the milestone event on Tuesday, Aug. 11th with special anniversary parties taking place around the world! Over 500 comic shop retailers will be hosting parties to celebrate the comic book giant’s 70 year history from 1939 to today. These events will be offering: early on sale release of The Marvels Project #1, an all new series detailing the origins of super heroes in the Marvel Universe by the creative team behind the worldwide sensation The Death Of Captain America; exclusive limited edition variants, a remastered version of the very first comic Marvel published, Marvel Comics #1, special sales, and more. To download a full list of retailers participating in Marvel 70th Anniversary parties, visit http://www.marvel.com/70thparty! All retailer parties begin at 9pm local time.

In addition, at 7 p.m. local time, Barnes & Noble will be hosting five in-store events in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Portland and Seattle, with appearances by some of the biggest names in the comic book world, hosting Q&A sessions and a chance to get your favorite comics autographed. Also appearing at these events are some of the most beloved characters from the Marvel Universe.

Sound’s great right? Birthday party for Marvel Comics, new comics on Tuesday, creators appearing at Barnes and Nobel… Barnes and Nobel? Who buys their comics at Barnes and Nobel? Seriously Marvel? You couldn’t get your creators to appear at some famous comic shops in New York and L.A.? I can name a couple if you need help. The thing that really burns retailers about these “parties” is that when Marvel originally marketed the idea to retailers, they did so without mentioning the B&N premieres, which would be happening the day before new comic day thereby beating the direct market to the punch. Don’t get me wrong, I understand Barnes and Nobel and Borders sell more trade-paper-backs than every comic shop in the U.S. But this is a comic premiere celebrating 70 years of Marvel COMICS. Not trades. Comic Books. Lame move, Marvel. Last I checked the Direct Market, the small comic shops, was where you were making the bulk of your money each Wednesday. Happy Birthday and all but don’t forget retailers who put you where you where you are today.

Here’s a look at the comics I’ll be picking up this Wednesday, Aug. 12. For a complete list of this week’s new comics click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

Action Comics #880
Adventure Comics #1
Amazing Spider-Man #602
Batman #689
Blackest Night #2 of 8
Blackest Night: Batman #1 of 3
B.P.R.D.: 1947 #2 of 5
Cable #17
DMZ #44
Green Lantern Corps #39
Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #5 of 8
Incredible Hercules #132
The Marvels Project #1 of 8
The Red Circle: Inferno
Red Robin #3
Ultimate Comics Avengers #1
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1
Uncanny X-Men #514
The Unwritten #4

Thoughts on the pile: Lot of first issues this week which could be a good thing or a desperate attempt by the Big Four comic companies to pad their numbers… again. Looks like I’m just the sucker they’re gunning for. Adventure Comics #1 I’m not worried about. I love what Johns does and can’t get enough of it. Blackest Night Batman, same story. Tomasi has been working side by side with Johns and does a great job doing so. The Marvel’s Project is another sure thing. Ed Brubaker does no wrong, as far as I’m concerned, and $3.99 for this one is a safe bet. Now, the new Ultimate titles; here’s where I run into trouble. I stopped buying all the Ultimate titles years ago. Not because they were bad; I had just decided that it was time to pay attention to one and only one Marvel U. And now, here I am buying two Ultimate #1′s. Like I said before; sucker in the first degree. I have to check these out. I love Bendis’ writing and never have any problem giving the guy my money. Millar writes good comics, when he finishes them. I’m still a little upset about the way he walked away from several of his recent titles, but, being a fan-boy-sucker, I’m picking up Ultimate Comics Avengers #1. The first step is to admit that you are powerless in the face of your addiction.

Speculator Picks of the Week: And there are more than a few this week. This is a look at the comics that could sell out very quickly and sell for ridiculous prices very soon. Keep in mind I’m calling my shot though my guesses are educated, at the end of the day they are just guesses.

Adventure Comics #1: DC

Adventure Comics #1

Solicitation: It’s the return of one of DC Comics’ longest running books and one of its greatest modern-day heroes—Conner Kent! In our first heroic issue, Superboy can’t wait to jump back into his life—but which life will it be? With a clarity he’s never had before, Conner makes a beeline for the greatest place on Earth… Smallville?

Plus, in the wake of FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS, Starman heads off on an all-new mission in the present. And it’s one that will not only impact Superboy, but the future of the DC Universe itself. Fortunately, the off-kilter Legionnaire won’t be dong it alone! And in the upcoming months of ADVENTURE COMICS look for Lex Luthor! Brainiac! Lightning Lad! Superboy’s pal Simple Simon! Sun Boy and Polar Boy! Ultra, the Multi Alien! Wonder Girl! Black Lantern Alexander Luthor! And many, many more new and familiar faces! Co-feature art by Clayton Henry.

40 PGS
$3.99 US
Written by Geoff Johns; Pencils by Clayton Henry and Francis Manapul; Cover byFrancis Manapul.

Why it’ll go fast: With a title like Adventure Comics you can bet that the old Golden Age guys are going to pick this title up. Whether they like it remains to be seen, but don’t be surprised to find yourself wrestling with someone old enough to be your dad for the last copy. ADV comics has a lot going for it though, besides title recognition. It’s also the return of Superboy and the Legion to a monthly title, and if I know writer Geoff Johns like I think I do, this title will be Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes in no time.

Green Lantern Corps #39: Fade to Black: DC

Green Lantern Corps #39

Solicitation:Just when things couldn’t look any darker after the death and chaos of the Sciencell riot, Blackest Night descends on Oa! The black rings tear into the planet and the Lantern Crypt causing all the dead Corps members to rise and wreak havoc as a new and deadlier battle threatens to engulf not only the Corps, but the Universe itself!

32 PGS
$2.99 US
Written by: Peter J. Tomasi; Pencils by Patrick Gleason; Inks by Rebecca Buchman and Tom Nguyen.

Why it’ll go fast: Now that Blackest Night has begun, GL Corps is selling in the Top 20 each month but is still selling out every month. Most retailers are happy to sell out of this one, making it prime eBay speculator material. I would guess the Blackest Night Batman tie-in out-sells GL Coprs #39 on initial orders but not in re-orders. Blackest Night is hot and not just because of Zombie Aquaman, although that should be more than enough to sell any comic.

The Red Circle: Inferno: DC

Solicitation: The mysterious stranger was brought into the hospital with one name on his lips: “Frank Verrano.” He has no memory of who he was, where he came from, or how he could possibly be the only survivor of a bombing attack on a cruise liner that killed hundreds of people. But as deep as that mystery runs, a violent attack on the hospital opens a deeper one. How can this man burst into flames… and survive? And why does the man who stands in those flames, the man know as the Inferno, look nothing like the one who stood in his place just seconds before? Blaze into this thrilling issue featuring art by Greg Scott (GOTHAM CENTRAL)!

32 PGS
$2.99 US
Written by J. Michael Straczynski; Pencils by Greg Scott Cover by Jesus Saiz.

Why it’ll go fast: The general public does not seem to understand that the Red Circle characters are being introduced into the mainstream DCU. Maybe it’s because I’m the only one that reads the comic news sites, I don’t know. But as more and more DC readers realize that characters like Inferno and the Hangman are going to begin popping up in their DC titles, they’re going to come looking for these one-shots. But they won’t be around. Numbers aren’t available for the first Red Circle one-shot, The Hangman, but I can’t see them being very high. I blame DC’s Marketing of the titles as nobody seems to know much about the Red Circle titles, currently. One of two things happen from here, DC redoubles their efforts in supporting the Red Circle titles and the titles flourish, or it’s smothered under the next line of titles DC throws against the wall. Here’s to hoping they wait to see if this one sticks first.

Nerdy Question of the Week:

J. Michael Straczynski; love him or hate him? JMS has been very successful with his last Thor run, but at the same time, has taken a lot of abuse for long gaps between issues and not finishing his other titles, The Twelve and Squadron Supreme. There’s been some talk of not even checking out his new DC titles for fear they won’t be timely. So, JMS, love him or hate him?

Thanks again for your continued input and keep the answers to the comic nerd questions coming. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question below in the “Leave a Reply” section below. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint and post your comics in the “Ask a Worthologist” section. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price.

This Week in Geek is a weekly blog about new comics written by WorthPoint comic book Worthologist Matt Baum. Every Wednesday, Matt takes a look at the week’s new comics from a collector’s point-of-view and discusses which books may be hard to find in the near future and why. Make sure to click on the hot links for previews and more information on the comics, characters, story-lines and creators discussed here. Also, feel free to post your comments in the new “comments” section below.

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

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This Week in Geek is a weekly blog about new comics written by WorthPoint Comic book Worthologist Matt Baum. Every Wednesday Matt takes a look at the week’s new comics from a collector’s point-of-view and discusses which books may be hard to find in the near future and why. Make sure to click on the hot links for previews and more information on the comics, characters, story-lines and creators discussed here.

Welcome to a very special X-mas Eve/3rd day of Hanuka edition of This Week in Geek. I just wanted to take a moment to wish you all a happy holiday of your choice and remind you that with the end of the year upon us it’s time to start discussing the best and worse of 2008. Also, as of January, this blog is officially 1-year-old. Please email me your birthday wishes or feel free to respond to the blog below in the new “add a comment section.” I’ve been begging for this feature for about a year now and finally the WorthPoint programming overlords have listened. So use it, nerds! Tell me what you think, what you’re reading, how stupid I am or how smart you are. All feedback is appreciated.

Before we get into this week’s comics, I should mention that I will be available for most of the day tomorrow if you need any last minute gift ideas for your nerd. My email will be forwarded to my phone until about 4:00 pm Central Time and you can contact me here.

Here’s my pile if comics for the week of Wednesday, Dec. 24. As always, I welcome your criticism, praise or threats of bodily harm based on what I am or am not reading/collecting. You may have noticed a new section below where you can respond to this article, it’s the perfect place to agree with or lash out at me for all to see! For a complete list of this week’s new comics click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

Batman #683
Daredevil #114
Guerillas #3 of 8
Hulk #9
Immortal Iron Fist #21
Mister X: Condemned #1 of 4
New Avengers #48
Nova #20
Punisher: War Zone #3 of 6
Thor #12
The Umbrella Academy: Dallas #2 of 6
Vigilante #1
Wonder Woman #27

Now let’s talk speculation. As you may or may not know, the purpose of this part of This Week in Geek is to arm the comic nerd with the information he or she needs to make an informed and quality new comic purchase every week. While they might not be worth piles of money, these issues may be pretty hard to find in the near future.

BATMAN #683; DC Comics; Written By Grant Morrison; Art by Lee Garbet; Covers by Alex Ross and Tony Daniel (1:25 variant).$2.99.

Why it’ll go fast: THIS IS THE ISSUE WHEN WE WILL FINALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED IN BATMAN RIP. I think. I do know that this is Grant Morrison’s final issue on Batman until after the upcoming “Battle for the Cowl” storyline. In true Morrison fashion the whole patchwork of his Batman story should (let me stress the word “should”) come together to form a large and involved quilt that will answer all our questions. Namely questions like, “So is he dead?”, “Was this all in Bat’s head?”, “Am I too stupid to understand a Batman comic?” All should be answered. If not, then you can come throw rocks through my windows and tell me to go live in Scotland with my drunk boyfriend Grant Morrison. I talking to you specifically, Ryan.

HULK #9 Santa Hulk Variants; Marvel Comics; Written by Jeph Loeb; Art by Arthur Adams and Frank Cho, Covers by Adams and Cho (50:50 variant) Santa Variants and Santa wraparound variant (1:100) by Ed Mcguinnes; $2.99.

Why it’ll go fast: I don’t know what the deal is but it seems when Marvel puts a character on the cover in a Santa-Suit comic collectors eat it up. How will you find the Hulk Santa Variants? Well it could be difficult. Retailers needed to exceed their orders on Hulk #4 with their orders of #Hulk #9 to be eligible to order the Santa-Hulk-variants. So say your local shop ordered 50 copies of Hulk #4. If they order 51 copies of Hulk #9 they can then order all the Hulk-Santa variants they want. However, it’s unclear if the variants, there’s two of them (a red Hulk and a green Hulk cover), will ship at a 50:50 ratio or not. What happens if a store only orders one? We’ll find out for certain tomorrow. What does this mean? Some shops will have stacks of the variants while others will have none. Start calling your local shops now if you’re interested. The Black and White wraparound Santa-Hulk variant is a 1:100 incentive cover, meaning retailers will receive one Santa-Hulk-Wraparound cover for every 100 of the regular comics ordered. I have no idea if the regular, color Santa-Hulk-variants count toward the 100 order mark or not. Could this be anymore complicated? I’ll bet covering international money markets isn’t this confusing.

MS MARVEL #34; Marvel Comics; Written by Brian Reed; Art by Paulo Siqueira; Cover by David Yardin; $2.99.

Why it’ll go fast: The “Dark Reign” sellouts start here. For the most part it seems that Marvel fans are excited for the new “Dark Reign” storyline. No doubt this week’s New Avengers #48 will be one of the top selling comics for December but I expect DR tie-ins like Ms Marvel to move back up in sales from 84th on the top selling comics for November to the lower 50′s as it did during the “Secret Invasion” storyline. Series artist Siqueira reminds me of a young Tony Harris with his heavy-lined-realism and interesting point-of-view. Pair the excellent artwork with the writing talent of Brian Reed setting up the first stages of “Dark Reign,” along with retailers cutting back their orders after “Secret Invasion,” and you have a sellout at the comic stands.

Indy Comic of the Week:I

MISTER X: CONDEMDED #1; Dark Horse Comics; Written and Drawn by Dean Motter; $3.50.

I’ve been a fan of Motter’s since I first read his work on the DC/Vertigo series Terminal City. Motter’s Mr. X character first appeared in the 1980′s and became a cult sensation. Mr. X is a radical architect living in Radiant City, a city of the future inspired by Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. The original Mr. X series is still considered to be one of the most influential comics of the 80′s along side Watchmen and the Dark Knight Returns. I highly recommend checking out Motter’s latest offering. Here’s the solicitation from Dark Horse.com

“Twenty-five years ago, Mister X debuted with a concept so clever and a character so captivating that it influenced an entire generation of comics fans and creators. Today, Motter reclaims the reins and sets out to inspire a whole new generation with Mister X: Condemned, a completely fresh introduction to the elusive Mister X and his dystopian home—Somnopolis, the City of Nightmares.

With influences from Film Noir to German Expressionism, this story of a city gone mad and the never-sleeping man who’s obsessed with saving it will amaze anyone interested in masterpiece storytelling born from the vision of a single iconoclastic creator.

One of the most iconic characters of alternative comics—Mister X—is reborn in a new four-part series by his original creator, legendary designer Dean Motter!

“Perhaps the first legitimate combination of science fiction and German Expressionism seen in comics.” —Frank Miller

“A sharp mixture of Raymond Chandler, Blade Runner, Peyton Place, and a post-punk Dante’s Inferno.” —Blitz magazine

That’s all for this week true believers. I truly hope this blog has inspired you to pick up at least one comic book you may have passed on otherwise. If not, email me and tell me what I’m doing wrong. I love criticism, both creative and purely insulting. Also, the end of the year is almost upon us and I want to know your favorite comic of 2008. It can be a single issue, new series, or one-shot. Email me and let me know. Until next week, keep the questions coming. Also, check out my other blog The Comic Speculator, where I discuss classic yet still affordable back-issue comics. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price.

This Week in Geek is a weekly blog about new comics written by WorthPoint comic book Worthologist Matt Baum. Every Wednesday, Matt takes a look at the week’s new comics from a collector’s point of view and discusses which books may be hard to find in the near future and why. Make sure to click on the hot links for previews and more information on the comics, characters, story-lines and creators discussed here.

First, a public service announcement: For those of you who, like myself, saw the Punisher: War Zone movie trailer and got excited to see a Punisher movie done right, I say to you, save your eight dollars. Sadly, the latest Punisher film from Lionsgate pictures is utterly terrible. I hated it more than Daredevil, Elektra and both Fantastic Four movies combined. To be quite honest, I felt both the Dolph Lundgren and Thomas Jane Punisher films were far superior to War Zone by far. Do yourself a favor and skip this one. Don’t get me wrong, Ray Stevenson looked great as Frank Castle, and when he was killing criminals the film was at its best. Unfortunately, there was a terrible story and some of the worst acting in recent memory that spelled War Zone’s ultimate demise, and the probable and unfortunate demise of any future Punisher films. All I can say is, why Lionsgate? Why would you hold on to the rights to The Punisher only to put out this steaming pile when Marvel studios probably could have given us the Punisher film that fans have been waiting for? Was it spite? Was it worth the $35 million you spent to make War Zone, which debuted at number 6 this weekend, pulling in an estimated $4 million? Perhaps a better question is, did you learn your lesson? Please leave all further Marvel Comics films in the capable hands of Marvel Studios.

Sincerely;

Comics fans everywhere.

Christmas is a mere two weeks away and I can’t think of a better gift than the Black Canary 13-inch Deluxe Collector Figure. That is, if you are a DC-nerd who has been collecting all the 13-inch DC Deluxe Collector Figures. I’m still kicking myself for not buying the Martian Manhunter figure. All of the figures in this collection have been amazing, and the latest Black Canary figure will make a perfect addition to the previous Green Arrow 13-inch figure. They’re married after all.

Here’s my pile if comics for the week of Wednesday, Dec. 10. As always, I welcome your criticism, praise or threats of bodily harm based on what I am or am not reading/collecting. For a complete list of this week’s new comics click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

Action Comics #872
Astonishing X-Men: Ghost Boxes #2 of 2
B.P.R.D.: War On Frogs #2 of 4
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #20
Captain Britain and MI: 13 #8
Detective Comics #851
DMZ #37
Final Crisis #5 of 7
Green Lantern Corps #31
House of Mystery #8
Justice League Of America #27
Nightwing #151
Punisher: War Zone #1 of 6
Secret Invasion: Dark Reign
Secret Six #4
X-Men/Spider-Man #2 of 4

Now let’s talk speculation. As you may or may not know, the purpose of this part of This Week in Geek is to arm the comic nerd with the information he or she needs to make an informed and quality new comic purchase every week. While they might not be worth piles of money, these issues may be pretty hard to find in the near future.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz #1 of 8; Marvel Comics; Written by Eric Shanower; Art and Cover by Skott Young; $3.99.

Why it’s hot: It seems impossible, but somehow until today there has been no complete comic book adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. J.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Stephen King’s The Dark Tower and even Homer’s Odyssey were all adapted to comics, but for some reason the beloved L. Frank Baum story of Dorothy and her little dog Toto’s adventures never made the cut. There was a one-shot from Marvel in 1975 based on the movie, drawn by comic’s legend John Buscema, and even a loosely-based-dark-gritty series, titled Oz from Caliber comics in 1995, but no true adaptation of Baum’s book to date. Until today.

Why it’ll go fast: I’m guessing retailers are going to order this issue the same way they order other family friendly comics, very lightly. Kids don’t read comics anymore. Ask any comic shop owner and they’ll tell you their demographic is 18- to 35-year-old males. So why order heavy on the Wizard of Oz? The story is timeless and every comic reader with kids is going to pick up this first issue hoping their kids will love this story as much as they did when they were young. Hell, I don’t even have kids and I’m going to pick up the first issue. I’ll read it to my pugs after my fiancée has fallen asleep. It’s pathetic, I know, but they’re as close as I want to get to having real children.

Secret Invasion: Dark Reign; Marvel Comics; Written by Brian Michael Bendis; Art and cover by Alex Maleev; $3.99

Why it’s hot: If you’ve just finished reading Secret Invasion #8 then you know exactly why the “Dark Reign” storyline is going to be hot. Click here for the official “Dark Reign” trailer. Marvel is positioning Norman Osborne as their very own Lex Luthor and the fans, me included, love it. Osborne, who had been running the Thunderbolts, a team of villains working for the U.S. govt., is being celebrated as the hero after repelling the Skrull invasion, and Tony Stark (Iron Man) is the fall guy. After all it was his own Stark-Tech that failed and his Avengers that not only killed Captain America, but led to the heroes fighting amongst themselves while the Skrulls silently infiltrated their ranks.

Why it’ll go fast: Secret Invasion was a huge hit with each issue as the number #1 selling title for the month it was released. The exact sales numbers for #8 aren’t available yet, but I think it’s safe to say it will outsell Final Crisis #5, due out this Wednesday. The end of Secret Invasion #8 leads directly into the “Dark Reign” storyline and the solicits for the new Marvel Avengers comics look so good that I’m guessing no self respecting Marvel comics fan will pass on this one-shot. Retailers, who may have not known how Secret Invasion would end and whether or not fans would be exhausted by the storyline at this point, may have ordered lower numbers on the Dark Reign one-shot. As a Marvel fan I couldn’t be more excited for the “Dark Reign” storyline and can’t wait to read what Bendis has in store for us.

Detective Comics #851; DC; Written by Dennis O’Neil; Art by Guillem March; Covers by Guillem March, Tony Daniel and Ian Hannin; $2.99.

Why it’s hot: “Batman RIP” was a wild ride that arguably didn’t have a very satisfying ending. Fans are still arguing as to whether or not the main villain, Doctor Hurt, was the devil or not. Regardless of whether you think Batman was tormented by the devil or hooked up to a machine and imagining the RIP storyline it’s safe to say we all want to know what happens to Gotham City in the absence of its Dark Knight.

Why it’ll go fast: Legendary Bat-writer Dennis O’Neil returns to Detective Comics after a 28-years. He’s written some other Bat titles during that time, but not Detective. Regardless of fan backlash over what exactly was happening in the Bat-books, sales remained very strong on both Batman and Detective Comics. Now that Batman appears to be dead, fans are frothing at the mouth as to what happens next. Especially fans of the first Robin-turned-Nightwing, Dick Grayson who looks to play a large part in O’Neil’s two-part story.

It has been brought to my attention that for the life of this blog I have tended to only espouse the value, both collectible and entertainment-based, of comics produced by the largest comic companies. Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse; Corporate Comics. While sadly, the fact is that the most purchased and talked about titles will inevitably be those that have the most collectible value in the future, that does not mean that their shouldn’t be room in your collection for smaller press independent comics. In response to an email I received from an angry-indy-comic-nerd (not an insult) I am adding a new section to this blog called “The Indy Comic of the Week.” This section will be a quick look at a great independent or underground comic hitting the stands each week that you, they loyal and curious reader, might otherwise overlook.

Indy Comic of the Week

Time Management for Anarchists; IDW; Written by Jim Munroe; Art and cover by Marc Ngui; $3.99

When you hate being a boss and you hate being an employee, you have to quit your job before it kills you. The modern reincarnations of Emma Goldman and Mikhail Bakunin begin their journey of self-motivation in a steampunk-tinted world, uncovering productivity tips for creative malcontents. Written by ‘pop culture provocateur’ (Austin Chronicle) and ‘independent press icon’ (Time Out Chicago) Jim Munroe (Therefore Repent!) and drawn by underground comix talent Marc Ngui (Enter Avariz). From the Diamond solicitation.

Sound’s great right? The idea for the comic was borne from a presentation Munroe has been giving on how to be a productive anarchist. You can check out a short flash presentation here.

Well that’s all for this week true believers. I truly hope this blog has inspired you to pick up at least one comic book you may have passed on otherwise. If not, email me and tell me what I’m doing wrong. I love criticism, both creative and purely insulting. Also, the end of the year is almost upon us and I want to know your favorite comic of 2008. It can be a single issue, new series, or one shot. Email me and let me know. Until next week, keep the questions coming. Also, check out my other blog The Comic Speculator, where I discuss classic yet still affordable back-issue comics. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price.

Wednesday is here again but unfortunately it’s not new comic day for everyone. The flooding in the midwest has screwed up shipping schedules, pushed books back, and in some extreme cases has wiped out whole comic shops altogether. If your head is above water then count yourself lucky. I’ll be keeping tabs on the flooding and relief efforts for comic shop owners that have suffered from the rising waters. Keep your eyes on this space for info on how you can help. In other news, the DC editorial offices have taken a beating this past week from some of their top writers and, according to Diamond comics estimated sales for May, have lost even more of the comic market share to Marvel. If heads aren’t rolling out of that office soon we’re going to have to form a mob and do this ourselves. Good old fashioned vigilante justice folks, that’s what we need. We’ll get us a riled-up group of surly nerds with pitch forks and torches and march on the DC offices. Who’s with me…

OK, we’ll try this again next week.

Lets look at some new comics you’ve gotta pick up before they disappear and remember you can click on the links for previews and other information.

”Charlatan Ball”, Image Comics, Written by Joe Casey with art by Andy Suriano
If you haven’t been reading Joe Casey’s other Image book,Godland, you should be. It’s excellent and all the other kids are making fun of you behind your back. With Godland and his latest offering Charlatan Ball Casey has established himself as the “wildman” of modern comics. These are stories that couldn’t be told at Marvel or DC. Casey’s psychedelic science fiction hearkens back to the genius of creators like Jack Kirby while keeping a decided modern and twisted sense of humor. I can’t recommend his Image books enough. Charlatan Ball has been referred to as graphic fiction on shrooms and nothing could be closer to the truth. Paired with the amazingly original art of Andy Suriano, who has worked on The Powerpuff Girls, Samurai Jack, and the animated Star Wars Clone Wars, Casey weaves a magically weird tale that you don’t want to miss. However, don’t be surprised to see retailers turn up their nose and order this one at lower numbers than Casey’s Godland which checked in at #295 on the 300 most ordered comics list for April shipping a whopping 3072 copies nationwide.

”The Incredible Hercules”Written by Fred Van Lente and Greg Pak with art by Rafa Sandoval
Again I find myself screaming. WHY AREN’T YOU READING THIS BOOK? Last Thursday I threatened to beat a guy over the head with an Issue of The Incredible Hercules, thereby destroying it’s condition, unless he read it. Sure enough the guy loved it and bought the entire run. This is just an example of one of the lives that I have touched with my geek knowledge but that’s not the point. The point is Herc continues to sell out every month and is not going to reprints. These issues are going to be hot and I don’t mean until the Secret Invasion storyline ends. I’m talking about hot for the foreseeable future. It certainly doesn’t hurt that this issue is a Secret Invasion tie-in, a fact that will make this issue sell out even quicker. If you haven’t been reading the Incredible Herc and can’t find the issues you’re in luck. This week Marvel Comics released a Hardcover edition titled ”The Incredible Hercules: Against the World” that collects Herc’s saga so far. Issue #118 pits Herc and a rag tag group of earthly gods against the Skrull’s pantheon of gods. If there’s a better superhero comic on the new self this week I’ll eat it.

”Willaim Katt’s Sparks #1”, Catastrophic Comics, Written by Christopher Folino with art by J.M. Ringuet
Now if you are like me then right now your saying “who is William Katt”. I’m ashamed to admit I forgot him but William Katt was the guy with the curly-blond-afro that starred in The Greatest American Hero. A show that I more than loved as a child in 1981… I just dated the heck outta myself didn’t I. Anyway, William can sleep well tonight knowing that putting his name on a comic book (not writing mind you, Will just came up with the idea) is enough to make Matt Baum subjugate his own morals and pick said comic to be hot that week. That and the fact that I’m betting 90% of the comic retailers out there either had no idea who William Katt was or didn’t take the time to dig through the independent section of their Diamond Comics catalog long enough to even look at the modest Catastrophic Comics section. I’m not saying this one is going to be worth millions someday, just that it’ll be hard to find this week. By the way, my retailer not only knew who Katt was but also ordered his book. Nice job Jase.

So that’s it for now kiddies. Get out there and get your funny books. I’m sending good vibes to all you nerds underwater at the moment. Like I said as soon as I hear of a relief effort for flooded comic shops you can count me in. If any of you guys are above water but cut off from your local comic shop drop me a line and I’ll hook you up with some quality retailers that will get you your issues by mail. Until next week feel free to post to the forum topics in the comic books community and tell me what you’re reading/collecting. Also check out my other blog, The Comic Speculator, where I discuss classic yet still affordable back-issue comics. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join Worthpoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section.

This week new comics day comes on the eve of the premiere of the new Hulk movie and the and man-oh-man the fanboys are rumbling. There seems to be two schools of thought on Hulk; “I’m excited” or “I’m scarred”. Count me in the second school. What worries me is that Marvel has already leaked every cool moment of the film in the multiple trailers. They went as far as to leak the footage of Tony Stark’s appearance in the latest trailer which seems like a desperate bid to attract moviegoers at best. Although I thought we had seen everything that Iron Man had to offer in the multiple trailers. Obviously I was wrong and Iron Man turned out to be arguably the best superhero film to date. So I guess I’ll go into the Hulk cautiously excited. After all, it can’t be any worse than the first Hulk movie.

I see we have a few new subscribers. Welcome aboard y’all. Make sure to introduce yourselves in the comic books forums so’s I can get to know you’s. If you’re a seasoned loyal reader feel free to skip to the next section…
OK, I think they’re gone. So here’s the poop on this blog for all you newbs. Each week I pick a few books from that week’s new comics that are going to sell like hot cakes. This does not necessarily mean that these comics will be worth millions some day but in the near future they could be hard to find and see some ridiculous price tags before the smoke clears. You can click on any of the Hyperlinks for more info on any of comics I discuss. My info is gathered using Diamond comics shipping numbers, Comic Book Resources sales ranks, historical price guide data and good old fashioned magcik. I toss some chicken bones into a mystical circle in my back yard and then, provided my pugs don’t get them before I do, I can divine the future of said weeks comics. Pretty cool right? So that’s what happens here. Now buckle up bonehead cause were going for a ride.
This weeks hot seller picks are GO!

Eternals #1, Marvel Comics, Written by Charles and Daniel Knauf with art by Daniel Acuna and 50/50 variant cover by Oliver Copiel. 1/25 White Acuna variant cover
Long story short. After seeing his ”Fourth World” idea canceled at DC comics, Jack Kirby took his cosmic ideas to Marvel and gave readers the ”Eternals. The Eternals made their debut in 1976 and would be canceled 19 issues later. For more on Kirby’s Eternals check out this weeks Comic Speculator. Flash forward past several mini-series and guest appearances and now the Eternals are back in what promises to be psychedelic-cosmos-spanning tale in true Kriby fashion. Daniel Acuna’s art is gorgeous and I expect it to compliment the Knauf’s intelligent writing style perfectly. The Knaufs are fresh off their run on Iron Man: Director of Shield and I’m excited to read more of their work. After the sky high orders and less than stellar sales of the last Eternals series by ” Gaiman” and ”Romita Jr” it wouldn’t surprise me to see this latest series sell out from stores quickly due to lighter orders. The previous Eternals series is only currently booking at slightly above cover price mainly due to the fact that retailers still have piles of the issues. Without big names like Gaiman and Romita Jr on the book I’d expect initial orders on issue #1 of Eternals to be pretty conservative.

Skaar: Son of Hulk, Marvel Comics, Written by Greg Pak with art by Ron Garney. 50/50 Variant Cover by Carlo Pagulayan. 1/25 Variant Cover by Julie Bell
Skaar picks up where last year’s ”Planet Hulk” storyline left off, sort of… As fate would have it, or perhaps the promise of cashing in on Planet Hulk one more time, Hulk Jr survived the nuclear blast that leveled Planet Hulk, even though he wasn’t born yet… Only in comic books folks. Any way, Skaar looks like good Conan-in-space fun and if it’s more quality writing from Greg Pak then count me in. Skaar has one major strike against it. There’s no big name characters in the book. No Hulk, no Thor, no Wolvie, just Skaar and a bunch of aliens, for now. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited for Skaar and planning on picking it up but retailers may be skiddish when ordering a comic that only has Hulk in the title especially after disappointing sales on Hulk: Warbound (the tale of Hulk’s alien buddies that came back to Earth with him). Warbound #5 checked in at #91 on CBR’s estimated sales figures for April selling a paltry 24,529 copies nationwide. Mark my words, Skaar is going to be hot and by the time issue #3 hits #1 will be long gone. Watch for the Julie Bell Variant cover of issue #1 to heat up as well.

Red Mass for Mars #1, Image Comics, Written by Johnathan Hickman with art by Ryan Bodenheim
Here’s a challenge for you. Go out and try and find a number #1 issue of any of Hickman’s other comic series. Nightly News, Pax Romana, Transhuman, any of them. You can’t. Why you ask? The answer is two-fold. One, Hickman is an underground phenom that writes great comics and two, retailers don’t know he’s hot yet because they are content to order five issues and let his books sell out. Close minded “good riddance” ordering is exactly what is going to make this comic, like his other number ones, impossible to find in the near future. Do yourself a favor and check out Red Mass for Mars while you can still find it. Hickman very much reminds me of a young Bendis, not in writing style but in the sense that he has been putting out high quality books under the radar for a couple of years now and when he does break into the mainstream, much like Bendis’ Jinx and Torso series, Hickman’s early works will be impossible to find.

That’s all for now kids. I’m sure I’ll see you all at the theater this wearing your official Hulk hands. I’ve been wearing mine all week to prepare which can be hard to explain to my girlfriend at bed time. She’s been very understanding so far. Until next week feel free to post to the forum topics in the comic books community and tell me what you’re reading/collecting. Also check out my other blog, The Comic Speculator, where I discuss classic yet still affordable back-issue comics. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join Worthpoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section.

Earlier last week it was reported that comics legend Gene Colan’s liver was failing him. His wife, Adrienne sent a an email to Ohdannyboy.com, a comic blog on blogspot.com, detailing her husband’s failing health.
“My darling, sweet, handsome and brilliantly gifted husband’s liver is failing. The complications are very nasty. This week it’s fluid retention and encephalitis. He’s on powerful meds now to diminish the symptoms. He sleeps a lot and has very little energy”

As of yet there have been no further reports on Mr Colan’s condition but his wife has asked that his fans take the time to write him a short message of encouragement and appreciation for his incredible body of work. All messages can be sent to:

Gene Colan
2 Sea Cliff Avenue
Sea Cliff, NY 11579
USA

After serving two years in the Philippines with the Army Air Corps during WWII Gene Colan returned to his home city of New York where he began his comics carrier in 1944 drawing “Wings Comics” (1945, Fiction House, $340 in Near Mint). After a long stint working on War comics for both Timely (who would become Marvel Comics) and National (who would become DC) Colan’s first superhero work would be for Marvel Comics under the pseudonym Adam Austin in “Tales to Astonish” #70 (1965, $200 in Near Mint condition) where he penciled the Submariner back up story. While Colan’s bibliography of work is far to long to list here he is perhaps best remembered for his work on Marvel Comics “Daredevil”, “Tomb of Dracula” and my favorite cover of all time, “Iron man” #1.

Colan began his run on Daredevil with issue #20 (1966, $115 in Near Mint condition) and would stay on the book until issue #100 (1973, $40 in Near mint) penciling all but three issues in that time. Colan’s art on Daredevil changed the tone of the book adding a gritty crime-noir element that would define the character of Matt Murdock as we know him today.

It was Colan’s use of shading in layers of blacks and grays that gave each of his books a distinctive feel. While interviewing Colan for “Alter Ego” Magazine Inker Roy Thomas recalls having to wash his hands several times due to the sheer amount of graphite left on the page. Colan was also one of the first Silver-Age pencilers to defy the strict paneling of classic comics and allow his fight scenes to spill over the pages free of borders which further accentuated his kinetic art-style.

Colan’s Silver-Age comic art showed a depth and realism unparalleled by his peers and nothing better illustrated his raw penciling talents than his work on Marvel’s “Tomb of Dracula”. Years after being turned down by EC editor-in-chief Harvey Kurtzman who published comics like “Tales from the Crypt” and “Vault of Horror”, Colan illustrated 70 issues of TOD that would later be considered one of the most influential horror comic runs in comic book history. Tomb of Dracula #1 (1972) was the first appearance of Dracula in Marvel Comics and currently guides for $200 in Near Mint condition. Colan, along with writer Marv Wolfman also created Blade the Vampire Slayer and introduced the character in “Tomb of Dracula” #10 (1973, $325 in Near Mint condition). To truly appreciate Colan’s work on T.O.D. I would recommend picking up the “Essential Tomb of Dracula”, a black and white reprint series that highlights his amazing black work and use of shading.

I’m ashamed to admit that the only Colan work I own is a few issues of his “Daredevil” and even fewer of his “Tomb of Dracula” in recent years fans of Marvel Silver-Age books have been hording Colan’s work on both these titles making next to impossible to complete a run without spending considerable amounts of money. And not without good reason. Gene Colan is a giant of the comics industry who’s name will become legendary along side greats like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko as more and more and more fans learn who inspired their current favorite artists. Here’s to your health and an amazing body of work Mr. Colan. No matter what happens next your legendary art will live on in the collections of your fans.

You can visit Gene Colan’s Website “here” to read more about one of comics most beloved creators.

Continuing my theme of Hispanic Superheroes, today we’ll be looking at a few of Marvel Comics famous Latinas. While the list of Marvel’s Hispanic heroes is slightly longer than DC’s I was a little shocked to notice that there were no major-first tier characters on it. I’m not pointing any fingers here, just making an observation. The only character on the list that had their own on-going series was Arana (pronounced A-ron-ya).

Arana’s book, now canceled, followed the adventures of Anya Corozon, a Latina of Puerto Rican and Mexican descent who works as the agent of the mysterious Spider Clan. The Idea of the Spider Clan was first introduced during J. Michael Straczynski’s controversial run on Amazing Spider-Map. Arana, which translated means “heart of the spider”, has abilities similar to Spider-Man but can also create a blue exo-skeleton to protect her. Her ablilites come from a mystic tattoo given to her by the Spider Clan during her initiation. Anya’s first appearance was in “Amazing Fantasy” v2 #1, Marvel Comics 2004, which currently guides for $4.00 in Near Mint condition. Arana can be seen monthly in the pages of the current Ms Marvel series.

Angel Salvador was introduced during Grant Morrison’s run on X-men as student at the Xavier institute who sprouted insect wings after emerging from a cocoon she created shortly after her mutant powers manifested. Currently Angel is de-powered, after the events of “M” Day when the majority of the mutants in the Marvel Universe lost their powers (see the “House of M” storyline) but she continues to fight crime under the code name Tempest with the latest incarnation of the New Warriors. Angel wears armor that gives her fire, ice, wind, and flight abilities. When Angel first appeared in the X-men she was black but with her reappearance in the New Warriors she is now a Latina. As of yet this racial change has not been explained. Hey, it’s just a comic book. Angel’s first appearance was in New X-Men 118, Marvel Comics 2001, which guides for $3.00 in Near Mint condition. Angel can currently be seen monthly in the pages of New Warriors. For More on Angel Salvador check out this complete bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_Salvadore

For the first several issues of “New Avengers” the group had a mystery member who went by the name of Ronin. Ronin was sent to the Avengers by Daredevil because he could not accept their invitation to join. Trusting Daredevil, the group allowed Ronin to join the team only to later find out that Ronin was actually Maya Lopez, the Hispanic-Native American daughter of a close former business partner of the King Pin (Daredevil’s arch-nemesis). Lopez is deaf but has the ability to perfectly mimic any physical action she witnesses thus making her an amazing martial-artist. Before becoming Ronin and attempting to clean up the Yakuza crime ring that was partnered with the Hand, a Japanese group of mystical Ninja terrorists, Lopez went by the moniker of Echo and had vowed revenge on Daredevil for the death of her father. Later she would discover that the King Pin killed her father and thus became a hero and ally of Daredevil. Echo’s first appearance was in “Daredevil” v2 #9, Marvel Comics 1999, which guides at $3.00 in Near Mint Condition. Echo can be seen monthly in the pages of “New Avengers”. For a complete bio on Maya Lopez click here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echo_%28comics%29

Again,this is just a partial list of the actively appearing Hispanic heroes in the Marvel and DC universes. There are many more worthy of discussion so feel free to post your favorite Hispanic heroes here. Don’t forget pics if you can find them.

I’ve been lurking here and enjoying Matt’s articles over the past few weeks. He has a wealth of information to share but so far its mainly been a one-sided conversation. In the hopes of opening up participation I figured an introduction thread would be in order.

My name is Marc Benton and I’m the Director of Product Development at WorthPoint…and I’m also hopelessly addicted to DC comics (ok maybe a few Marvel heroes too). Since I was a kid I’ve been hooked on the mainline heroes such as Superman, Flash, Green Lantern and many of the lesser popular ones like Dr Fate and The Phantom Stranger. My all-time favorites, the ones I’ll drop whatever I’m doing if I hear the names, are Batman and the Justice League.

Over the years my collection has similarities to the Atom, it grows and shrinks and grows and shrinks. Right now I have about two collector boxes full in the basement. Hopefully I can pull them out and scan some covers in to build a WorthPoint collection (and maybe get some advice from Matt :-) ).

If you’re a collector of comics, even Marvel comics ;-), let us know who you are. I look forward to hearing from you.

Marc…

For 38 years the Overstreet Comic Book price guide has been the standard price guide of the comic book back issue market.

During it’s tenure as the most used price guide in the industry, Overstreet has kept a careful eye on the ever-changing comic back issue market. With each new edition (released annually in March), Overstreet prints several different lists of top comics through different ages and how much they are expected to appreciate in value for the coming year. The first list collectors scan is the Top 100 Golden Age Books. All collectors dream of finding a title on this list in their grandparents’ attic or while shuffling through boxes at a garage sale. The Top 100 Golden Age Books list represents the most expensive and highly treasured books in the comic collecting hobby. The Golden started with the first appearance of Superman in Action Comics #1 (1938) – this issue historically has been in the number one spot on this list every year and 2008 is no exception. Here’s a look at the top ten comics on Overstreet’s Top 100 Golden age comics and how much they are expected to increase in value this year.

Title 2008 Rank 2008 NM Price 2007 NM Price %Increase
Action Comics #1 1 $675,000 $600,000 13%
Detective Comics #27 2 $525,000 $485,000 8%
Marvel Comics #1 3 $440,000 $420,000 5%
Superman #1 4 $400,000 $360,000 11% All-American Comics#16 5 $245,000 $220,000 11%
Batman #1 6 $185,000 $165,000 12%
Captain America Comics#1 7 $175,000 $160,000 9%
Flash Comics #1 8 $130,000 $125,000 4%
More Fun Comics #52 9 $115,000 $105,000 10%
Adventure Comics #40 10 $95,000 $85,000 12%

With fewer than 100 copies of Action Comics #1 known to exist there is little or no chance of it losing the number one spot in the future. Ironically there are only 20 known issues of Detective Comics #27 (1939), the second rarest Golden Age comic, however the first appearance of Batman guides $150,000 less than Superman’s first appearance. The only change to the top ten this year was Adventure Comics #40 (first appearance of Golden-age Sandman) bumping Whiz Comics #2 (first appearance of Shazam) from the number ten spot.

Welcome back to This Week in Geek, your weekly guide to the wilds of a new comic day and where I try to give you a little insight into what nerds, like myself, are reading and collecting.

This week feels like the calm before the storm. As loyal readers may recall, Marvel’s summer crossover event, “Secret Invasion” began two weeks ago and nothing will ever be the same for the Marvel heroes. Countdown #2 hits this week and that means only two weeks until DC ships their summer event “Final Crisis.” For now it’s quiet….the sun is slowly rising on another Wednesday, the NHL playoffs are playing out on some fifth tier cable network, the Cubs are off to a shaky start, the Pope is in the States and… its new comics day yet again.

Annihilation: Conquest #6, Marvel Comics, Written by Abnett and Lanning; art by Wellington Alves and Tom Raney.
For the past few months I have been ranting about Marvel space comics, which is odd for me. I’ve never cared about Marvel’s cosmic heroes until Keith Giffen, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning created the Annihilation storyline. After Annihilation Book 1, Giffen left Marvel to return to DC but Abnett and Lanning continued the Annihilation storyline with Annihilation: Conquest. After the Fantastic Four villain Annihilis failed in his conquest of the universe, the Phalanx, a techno-organic race similar to Star Trek’s Borg, decided to take a shot at conquest with the help of Avenger’s foe Ultron. Issue #6 is the final installment of Conquest and has been more good cosmic fun starring all of your favorite Marvel Space heroes. Well, all of them but ROM the Space Knight. How is it we can get a good Rocket Raccoon storyline but Marvel can’t figure out a way to bring ROM back?

Worlds of Dungeons and Dragons, Devil’s Due, Written by R.A.Salvatore, Margret Weis and Tracy Hickman; art by Nick Sehley and Neil Klied.
Not to be confused with the “World of Warcraft” but having a conspicuously similar title, Salvatore’s new DnD comic should follow in the footsteps of his previous Dragonlace and Forgotten Realms stories and sell out immediately. I have never read Salvatore’s stuff, but have sold past issues to fans for entirely too much money mere months after the comics release. For some reason, even though they sell very well, retailers are hesitant to order big numbers of DnD comics. Consequently, a smaller company like Devil’s Due prints smaller runs of their comics leading to quick sellouts and instant collector’s items. Salvatore’s status as being both a New York Times bestselling author and one of the most successful fantasy authors working today has made his transition to comics a smooth one and brought a lot of his novel-reading fans to comic shops.

Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files, Welcome to the Jungle, Dabel Bros, Written by Jim Butcher; art by Adrian Syaif.
Another NY Times Bestselling author throws his hat into the ring as Jim Butcher brings Harry Dreseden, the star of his novels and the Sci-Fi Network hit “The Dresden Files”, to comics. Welcome to the Jungle follows the adventures of Dresden, a detective and magician that specializes in paranormal cases, as he investigates a death at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Think Kolchak the Night Stalker, only sexier and with magic powers. “The Dresden Files” is another comic that will be woefully under-ordered and a lot of fun to read. Watch for this comic to disappear very quickly. Usually I don’t get excited about comic adaptations of TV shows with a couple of exceptions (“Buffy” and “Serenity” most notably.) The reason I’m excited for “Dresden” is because, like “Buffy” the comic is written by the series creator.

Great posts in the forums last week! Keep them coming. Here’s hoping my Cubbies can turn it around tonight in Cincinnati. In the meantime feel free to post to the forum topics in the comic books community and tell me what you’re reading/collecting.

Also check out my other blog, The Comic Speculator, where I discuss classic yet still affordable back-issue comics. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join Worthpoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section.

Last Sunday was perfect. The weather was beautiful and so my niece, my two dogs and myself were on our way to the dog park when I received a phone call. It was my friend Mike and he sounded desperate; “What are you doing?” he asked, “I’m on my to the dog-” “Never mind,” he interrupted me,”there’s a guy on north 93rd st having a huge comic sale” My eyes widened as he continued, “he’s got a some old stuff some new stuff and almost all of it is .25 cents.” I was skeptical. “Is it garbage?” I asked. “Would I be calling you if it was garbage?” Mike shot back. I looked at my niece and then at the two whimpering Pugs in the backseat and made a decision. “I’ll be there in five minutes.” It didn’t take much to convince my niece, who at 6-years-old is already a voracious reader, that digging for comics in a strange house would be a good time. I told her she could have as many as she wanted and the deal was sealed.

Upon arriving it was exactly as Mike had reported, approximately 20,000 comics, some new, some old and all in very decent condition. The best part was they were for the most part, alphabetical and sorted by company. So I began digging as fast as possible knowing that I had about a 15 minute window before I became a bad uncle and pet owner. Without my want list I was firing blind, grabbing boxes and hoping something jumped out at me. And then something did. An almost complete run of Walt Simonson’s Thor in excellent condition for .25 cents a piece. Like I said, last Sunday was perfect.

Walt Simonson took over the writing and art duties on Thor in 1983 with issue #337 and remained on the book until #382. Simonson’s run is considered by many to be one of the best written and drawn story arcs on Thor since the legendary Jack Kiby’s run which ended in 1970. Simonson’s Thor stories brought the character back to his Norse mythology roots while hanging on to Kirby’s psychedelic-cosmic cosmic feel. In his first issue, Simonson introduced readers to Beta-Ray Bill, an alien that would replace Thor as the Thunder God of Asgard after besting him in combat. I still remember seeing the cover of Thor #337 as a child, which pictured a horse-headed alien holding Thor’s hammer, and thinking “I’ve gotta know what the hell this is about.”. After the first Issue I was hooked and have been a Thor fan ever since. It was Simon’s distinct, angular art style that drew me to the book and to this day I will argue that no one draws a better Thor.

Simonson’s Thor run is not yet collector’s gold but is getting harder and harder to find in great condition. Marvel Comics was printing well over 100,000 comics an issue at the time so 1980′s Thor Comics are by no means rare, but they were printed on very cheap newsprint at the time which degrades very quickly if not properly stored. Currently Simonson’s first issue, #337, guides the highest at $9.00 in Near Mint condition but watch for that price to increase as collectors begin snatching up Thor back issues with rumors of an upcoming Thor film.

Other key Simonson issues include:

Thor #374, a tie-in to the X-Men Mutant Massacre storyline guest starring
X-Factor. $4.00 Near Mint

Thor #382, Simonson’s last issue, 300th anniversary issue. $4.00 Near Mint

While Jack Kirby’s Thor-run guides for hundreds of dollars an issue Walt Simonson’s Thor run is much more accessible, equally enjoyable and affordable for collectors.

As for my niece, she was thrilled with the short run of Marvel’s Robocop and assorted issues of Casper and Spooky she found. My brother however was not and accused me of trying to indoctrinate his daughter into my cult of nerdy-ness. And the circle of comic collecting life continues. Until next time free to post to the forum topics in the comic books community and tell me what you’re reading/collecting. Also check out my other blog, This Week in Geek where I discuss the new comics of the week that could be tomorrow’s collectibles. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join Worthpoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section.

Last Wednesday the Skrull Invasion of the Marvel Universe kicked off in the pages of “Secret Invasion” #1 where we found that many of the Marvel characters we love may not be who we think they are.

In other words…how long have these heroes been Skrulls?

This question is exactly what will make every Skrull appearance in Marvel history hot back-issue material. Now is a great time to pick up these moderately priced bronze-age to modern-age comics. If the current trend of online sales for these books continues they will not be affordable for long.

The first appearance of the Skrulls, in “Fantastic Four vol. 1 #2 (1961), guides at $9000 in Near Mint condition and may be out of your price range. But there are plenty of other Skrull appearances that are very affordable…for the moment.

Here’s some key Skrull appearances to look for before “Secret Invasion”-mania pushes their prices to new heights:

- “Avengers” v1 #93-#97 (1971), the Kree Skrull War storyline. This was the first time the Marvel Super Heroes learned of the 1000-year-old conflict. #93 is the big one guiding at $210 in Near Mint. #94-#97 can usually be found for between $65-$95. Watch for these prices to skyrocket very soon.

-”Fantastic Four” v1 Annual #18 (1988). In this issue the Kree and Skrull races
decide to let their greatest champions settle the war. The battle between
the two, like the war, ultimately ends in a stalemate. Currently FF
Annual #18 guides for $3.00 but look for that to change soon as characters
like the Young Avengers member Hulkling, whose parents met in this issue,
play a large part in the “Secret Invasion” storyline.

-”Fantastic Four” #256-#257 (1983). Galactus destroys the Skrull Throne world, Tarnax IV. “Secret Invasion” writer Brian Bendis has stated in a number of interviews that the destruction of the Skrull capitol is a huge part of why the Skrulls want Earth. Currently FF #256-#257 guides for $5.00. FF annual #18 and issues #256-#257 were part of legendary artist John Byrne’s FF run which is just now starting to garner the attention it deserves from collectors.

-”Uncanny X-Men” #375. Back in 1999 Wolverine was impersonated by a Skrull who was killed by the actual Wolverine while he was serving as one
of Apocalypse’s Horsemen. If it turns out that Wolvie is currently a Skrull look
for this issue to be a key. X-Men #375 currently guides for $4.00. Issue #375 also had an Another Universe variant cover, pictured above, that is very hard to find and currently guides for $12.00.

As the “Secret Invasion” storyline continues I will post more key Skrull appearances in the forum section of the Comic Book Community, so be sure to check for updates.

Until next time free to post to the forum topics in the comic books community and tell me what you’re reading/collecting. Also check out my other blog, This Week in Geek where I discuss the new comics of the week that could be tomorrow’s collectibles. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join Worthpoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section.

This week Marvel Entertainment premiered their trailer for the new Incredible Hulk movie starring Edward Norton as the Hulk. This latest Hulk movie pits Bruce Banner, the Hulk’s alter ego, against the Abomination, another Hulk-type monster with more psychotic tendencies. Although the evil character will not be named the Abomination in the film the creature’s alter-ego is the same, Emil Blonski, but has a different back story. The original Blonski character was a KGB agent that exposed himself to gamma radiation which transformed him into reptilian monster with strength that exceeded that of the Hulk. Unlike the Hulk however the Abomination could not transform back to Emil Blonski.

In this issue of the Comic Speculator I thought this would be the perfect time to take a look at some key Abomination appearances before their value gets out of hand due to Hulk movie hype.

The Abomination’s first appearance was in the pages of Tales to Astonish starring the Hulk, which would be retitled to The Incredible Hulk with issue #102. While the early issues of TOA from the late 1950′s guide around $1500.00 to $2000.00 later issues are much more affordable. Issue #90 of TOA, the first appearance of the Abomination currently guides at $60.00 in very-good/near-mint condition but watch for that price spike as the Hulk movie premier draws closer.

The Abomination would later appear in issue #12 of the first Silver Surfer series of the late 60′s after being kidnapped by a cosmic being known as the Stranger and then summoned back to earth by a coven of witches. Silver Surfer issue #12 currently guides between $60-$70 in very-good/near-mint but could spike in value soon with the news of yet another Fantastic Four film and possibly a Silver Surfer solo film. Before the 2nd Fantastic Four film, in which the Silver Surfer made his big screen debut, issue #1 of Silver Surfer, Marvel Comics 1968, was selling for $200-$300. After last summer’s FF2 release Silver Surfer #1 is now selling for upwards of $600.00.

After his defeat by the Surfer the Abomination was recaptured by the Stranger and used as defense against Thor in Issue #178 of Thor. Thor issue #178 currently guides in the $50-70 range and was not only a key early Abomination appearance but also the penultimate issue on legendary comic artist Jack “the King” Kirby’s Thor run. Jack Kirby comics of the late 60′s and early 70′s Marvel Bronze-age continue to become more and more popular with collectors and harder to find every year.

For more on the Abomination check out :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abomination_%28comics%29

Until next time free to post to the forum topics in the comic books community and tell me what you’re reading/collecting. Also check out my other blog, This Week in Geek where I discuss the new comics of the week that could be tomorrow’s collectibles. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join Worthpoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section.

Hey hey, it’s new comic Wednesday… Well actually it’s Thursday and I’m a little late. I was busy ok! Please don’t tell my Worthpoint bosses, the beatings… Oh the beatings, and my wrists are so sore from the chains that hold me at my desk. Please send help…

Any way, lets get right to it! This week was another huge one and yet again no one at the editorial offices of any of the comic companies I’ve contacted will send me free comics. Come on guys, I’m dying here! Every week I say such nice things about your books! What’s a brother got to do to get some free schwag!
If you’re not a higher up at DC, Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, Dynamite, Oni, or any other comic company then please excuse my begging. If you are someone of any importance to any comic publishing company then I say to you sir or madam; send me something to review!

Enough pandering for free comics, lets talk about this weeks new issues. Remember Wednesday’s new comics are tomorrow’s collectibles. Get them while they’re still cover price!

X-Men Legacy #206, Marvel Comics, Written by Mike Carey, Art by Scott Eaton, and John Romita JR
The book formerly known as the adjective-less “X-men” is now X-Men Legacy and the Divided We Stand storyline rolls on. Fan-favorite-comics-legend John Romita JR helps pencil this X-story that explains what really happened after the supposed “death” of Professor X. The X universe is in a great place for new readers to jump in with all the titles beginning new storylines and new titles written and illustrated by top notch talent.

Freddy vs. Jason. Vs. Ash #5, Wildstorm Comics, Written by James Kuhoric; Art by Jason Craig
After disappointing sales on the Army of Darkness comics from Devils Due and Dynamite Entertainment retailers found themselves sheepishly ordering issue 1 of this series. As the book sold steadily reorders came pouring in and now the first issue of Freddy, Jason, Ash is long sold out and selling for $10.00 and up. Newsarama.com is reporting that this trend is continuing as issue 4 sold out at the printers last week. If you can find 1st printings of these comics count yourself lucky, they’re disappearing quick . As for the story, not my cup of tea, but the fans have spoken and this series is hot.

Rasl, #1, Cartoon Books, Written and Art by Jeff Smith
The creator of one of my favorite series, Bone, is back with a story of a dimension hopping art thief. If you haven’t read Bone don’t bother looking for a 1st print of issue #1, they are nearly impossible to find and sell for upwards of $100.00. However, in 2004 Cartoon Books reprinted the entire series in one 3.8 pound 1300 page volume that is still available at most comic book stores. I can’t recommend Bone enough! This issue of Rasl ships with 1:24 variant cover (an incentive cover that ships free to retailers for every 24 issues they order) by Jeff Smith and judging by the relatively low ordering of the book it could be a high dollar item if Rasl is as big a hit with fans as Bone was.

Here’s a brief list of other books that have sold out at the printers recently and are sure to raise in value in coming weeks:

Hulk #2, Marvel Comics; USA Today and CNN coverage of the new red Hulk have certainly helped sales.

Ultimates 3 #1, Marvel Comics; The return of 90’s penciling-phenom Joe Maduriea.

Lock and Key #1, IDW; Stephen King’s son Joe Hill launched this new horror series last week and issue #1 sold out in one day. 2nd printings coming soon.

Well that’s all for now, as always if you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join Worthpoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section.

Make sure to check out this week’s edition of The Comic Speculator where I’ll be talking about classic zombie and vampire comics.

If you’re a nerd in your late 20’s to early 30’s like me then you probably spent last Sunday night watching the American Gladiator finals (hosted by Hulk Hogan) and the premiere of Knight Rider. Now when I first heard that NBC was bringing back American Gladiators I thought to myself “dear god, what new horrors will the writer strike unleash next?”. However upon hearing that Hulk Hogan would be hosting the Gladiators re-launch I was ecstatic. Hulk Hogan wearing a cut-off tuxedo shirt and cheering for everyday joes as they do battle with steroid enhanced freaks, now that makes for good writer’s strike TV. The Knight Rider movie was a wholly different story. It was like a two-hour Ford commercial starring every variation of the Mustang you could think of while the super-car transformed into every variation and color available for the new 2008 model using, the misunderstood science of the moment in Hollywood, nano-technology. Val Kilmer is the new and awful voice of the car which is driven by a good-looking-dopey-unshaven Army Ranger who gets a little help from a smoking-hot-lesbian FBI agent and his girlfriend who’s dad, of course, invented the car. Oh, and the main character’s name is Michael and he’s Hasselfhoff’s character from the original Knight Rider’s son. No I’m not making this up and no you don’t need to watch this garbage.

NBC isn’t the only place giving old characters another chance this week. This new comic day sees the re-launch of one of comics first Masked avengers…

Zorro, Dynamite Comics, by Matt Wagner and Francesco Francavilla:
Grendel creator, comics legend, and my friend Joel’s personal favorite comic writer/artist Matt Wagner revives the iconic Spanish Swashbuckler in the latest retelling of Zorro’s origin. Those of you who jumped on last years hit The Lone Ranger, from Dynamite Comics will once again not be disappointed as two modern comic masters breath new life into one of the golden-age’s most beloved pulp heroes. For more on both Matt Wagner and Zorro comics of the past see this weeks The Comic Speculator.

The Immortal Iron Fist: Orson Randall and the Green Mist of Death, Marvel Comics, By Matt Fraction and a horde of artists:
Continuing on the heroes of old theme, this latest Iron Fist story focuses on Orson Randall, the former and now deceased Iron Fist of Marvel Comics silver-age past. While Randall is a new character created by Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction the two writers do an excellent job in giving this book the look and feel of the Marvel Comics of the late 60’s while maintaining their modern, cinematic story-telling style.

The Umbrella Academy, Dark Horse Comics, by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba
It’s the final issue of the first adventure of the Umbrella Academy and possibly the last time you will be able to afford issues 1-5 if you still haven’t picked them up. This is the second time I’ve written about this series, see This Week in Geek 1/16/08, and I can’t stress enough how great The Umbrella Academy is. The first appearance of the Umbrella Academy was in the Dark Horse Free Comic Book Day give away of last year and that issue is now selling for $4-$5 dollars at most comic shops. As of now issues #1-#6 of the Umbrella Academy are still readily available but expect to see their value spike with the announcement of the next mini-series.

Well that’s all for now Hulk-a-maniacs. Hope this Wednesday finds you warmer than me, it was -5 this morning where I am. Tune in next week for more new comic talk and a note on one of my favorite subjects, Zombies.

For more on Matt Wagner and Zorro check out my blog “The Comic Speculator” where I discuss older yet still affordable collector comics that are gaining attention on the comic back-issue market.

As always, if you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join Worthpoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section.

No you’re not confused or in the wrong place, I just changed the name. The Nerdy Speculator is now “The Comic Speculator”! I mean that’s what I do here, speculate on back issue comics right? So here we go…

This week in the Comic Speculator we’ll be taking a look at Marvel’s favorite Kree warrior Captain Marvel, (the Kree are warlike alien race in the Marvel Universe similar to the Klingons of the Star Trek mythos for more on the Kree and Captain Marvel check out his bio at http://www.marvel.com/universe/Captain_Marvel_(Mar-Vell)).

Recently, during the Marvel Civil War storyline, the original Captain Marvel returned from the dead when Tony Stark (Iron Man), Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) and Hank Pym (Giant Man/Ant Man/Yellowjacket) accidentally plucked him from the time stream while building a prison to hold unlicensed heroes in the negative zone. With Captain Marvel’s return came a resurgence of the characters popularity which has only been fed by the latest Captain Marvel limited series by Brian Reed and Lee Weeks (See my blog, This Week in Geek, for more on the latest Cap Marvel series). With the upcoming Secret Invasion storyline ready to hit the shelves this April, in which it seems Cap will be a major player, now is a great time to pick up some of late 60’s, early 70’s issues of Captain Marvel while they are still affordable.

In the past year since the return of Captain Marvel in the pages of Civil War: The Return back issues of Marvel’s favorite space avenger have seen a steady increase in value. Captain Marvel #1, Marvel Comics 1968 is currently guiding at $200-$250 in near mint condition and is still fairly easy to find in poorer conditions for very affordable prices. However the 1st appearance of Cap seems to be a well kept secret. Marvel Super-Heroes #12 ,1967, currently guiding at $125.00 in near-mint condition was the first time Stan Lee and Gene Colan introduced us to Captain Marvel. The challenge will not be finding a copy of Marvel Super-Heroes #12, at the time Marvel and DC were averaging print-runs of just under 300,000 per issue, but finding one in good condition. If you do happen to stumble across any of the old Captain Marvel from the 60’s-70’s now would be the time to make an investment on these undervalued collector’s books.

Well here we are on another thrilling New Comic Wednesday for yet another edition of This Week In Geek! It’s days like today that make me glad to be a nerd and not a professional baseball player. Did you see Clemens on CNN this morning? The guy looked like he was going to cry. What have I learned from the MLB steroid scandal? I’m done with sports heroes. From now on all my hero’s will wear spandex, fly, have razor-sharp claws, fight crime, aliens and or zombies, time-travel, die (only to come back to life in 6 months) and, most importantly, exist in the pages of comic books where heroes don’t need steroids to punch a Cyclops into orbit! Put that in your pipe and smoke it Barry Bonds!
But I digress… It’s New Comic Day!

X Force #1, Marvel Comics, By Craig Kyle Christ Yost and Clayton Crain
The writing team behind New X-Men Mutant Academy and the artist of Ghost Rider bring you the latest new X-book as a part of the “Divided We Stand” storyline, X-force. Led by Wolverine, the busiest character in the Marvel Universe, X-force handles the X-men’s dirty work, think of them of as the Jack Bauers of the X-Men. X-men, as a rule don’t kill, that’s X-Force’s job. This book also comes with a bloody variant cover you might not even notice. In the past these slight cover variants have disappeared quickly and sky-rocketed in price. I’ve heard some comic shops are already selling the bloody variant for $5.00 so if you can get one for cover price, you’re lucky. X-Force #1 was undoubtedly over-ordered by most shops so don’t expect to se it go up in value very quickly, the Bloody Variant could be a very different story though.

Wolverine #62, Marvel Comics, By Jason Aaron and Ron Garney
Jason Aaron, writer of the critically acclaimed Scalped from DC Vertigo takes over the writing duties on Wolvie for a four issue storyline called “Get Mystique”. Aaron brings his hard-edged crime fiction style to the pages of Wolverine as Logan hunts down the woman that betrayed the X-men during the “Messiah Complex” storyline. Judging by Aaron’s work in the pages of Scalped, I don’t think he’s going to have Wolvie bring Mystique to the proper authorities when he does find her

Captain Marvel #3, Marvel Comics, by Brian Reed and Lee Weeks
Newsarama.com is reporting that this book has already sold out at the printers even before it hit the stores. Why you ask? It’s all about the last page. Here’s a hint, it may have major ramifications for the upcoming Secret Invasion storyline. Is Cap a Skrull? I’m not telling. The hype on this book pared with how under-ordered the series has been so far could make issue #3 the book to watch in this latest Captain Marvel series.

Well that’s all for now. I’ve gotta go check to see if the Congressional Investigative Committee has crucified Clemens on national TV yet. Remember when Mark McGuire cried while being interviewed about his steroid usage? I hated Mark McGuire but seeing him cry on TV even upset me a little. Maybe it’s typical macho garbage but I hate seeing big tuff sports guys cry. I loved Roger Clemens when I was a kid, if he get’s misty on camera I bet I’ll sob like a little girl. That’s it! I gotta read some comics to take my mind off the death of my childhood baseball memories.

For more on the key classic appearances of Captain Marvel check out my blog “The Nerdy Speculator” where I discuss older yet still affordable collector comics that are gaining attention on the comic back-issue market.

As always, if you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join Worthpoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section.

Welcome to the Nerdy Speculator where I’ll be taking a look at some older comics that are or will soon be hot items on the comic book back issue market. For news on newer books that are soon to be collector’s items be sure to check out my other blog, This Week in Geek, every Wednesday.

In the past few years Hollywood summer blockbuster films have been dominated by Super Heroes and this summer looks to be no exception. Batman, Iron Man and the Hulk are just a few Heroes that will be smashing their way onto the big screen starting this May but the box office won’t be the only place these characters will be cashing in.

Guiding around $400,000.00 the first appearance of Batman in Detective Comics #27, DC Comics 1939, might be a little out of your price range, however the first issue of Iron Man from Marvel comics is still very affordable. The Invincible Iron Man #1, Marvel Comics 1968, has sold for around $400-$500 in very fine to near mint conditions for several years now. However, with the Iron Man movie coming this summer look for that price tag to change drastically. In fact this may be the last time Iron Man #1 guides for under $1000.00 ever again. Already, Iron Man number #1 has jumped from an average of $490.00 in near-mint condition in most back-issue value guides to just under $700.00. As the Summer approaches and buzz for the Iron Man movie increases the value of this book is only going to go up. Just looking at auction activity on the web in the last two weeks you can see a steady increase in price on early Iron Man issues in all conditions.

Collectors on a budget in search of good yet affordable investment books are starting to look more and more to the undervalued comics of the 1960’s Marvel silver-age. As characters like Iron Man and the Hulk become more popular all the key issues of their comics will continue to increase in value. If you have been thinking about investing in a good looking Iron Man #1 now is the time.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to drop $500.00 to pick up a great collectible comic book. Every Wednesday you can pick up a new and potentially valuable comic book from your local comic shop for less than $5.00. Check back this Wednesday for This Week in Geek where you can read about the collectible comics of the future.