Undervalued Comics #39 – Community Recommendations 2020 #5
This is the final article, wrapping up the series on community recommendations. Here are the links to the previous articles:
- Community recommendations #1
- Community recommendations #2
- Community recommendations #3
- Community recommendations #4
Punisher Vol 2, #218 Bernthal Variant
Date of Publication: 2017
Sale number: No Information
Profit Potential: $51 – $100
Key strengths of this book
1. First cover Of John Bernthal as the Punisher
This pick is an interesting one as it doesn’t play to the usual first appearance rules. As such, I do not know how to properly valued it yet and so will leave to the member to tell you its positive attributes.
“This variant routinely sells for $20-$40 raw or more. It features the first cover Of John Bernthal as the Punisher. It’s already a fan favorite for signings. It may have been a store variant, so I’m not sure if that alters your opinion of it. If Bernthal were to join the MCU this book would skyrocket. It’s an interesting variant to watch and I think it could really pay off.”
Savage Dragon
Date of Publication:
Sale number:
Key strengths of this book
This community member did not recommended any particular issue. Instead, he is drawing parallels between Spawn and Savage Dragon. In particular, what is happening now to Spawn books might happen to Savage Dragon books in the near future.
Below is what he has to say:
“This more of a gut feeling than any hard sales figures. I am comparing thus to Spawn. I was on the Spawn train as long as 5 years a go. Before the absolute explosion they are receiving today. I see some similarities with Savage Dragon.”
- First appearance is way beyond most of means fetching around 2-5,000 (graphic fantasy 1)
- Low print runs. People are shocked at 16-17,000 on Spawn issues. Several of the Savage Dragon Issues have less than 4,000. One or 2 I believe have than than Chew 1 or TWD 1. I fully understand to drive value you need demand. Well with these small of numbers you need very little demand to create Fomo.
- Nostalgia factor Larsen may not be the most recognized artist/creator. But he did take over ASM from McFarlane and is a founding member of Image. Not to mention Savage Dragon and Spawn are the only 2 day one series still in production.
- There are more and more people showing Savage Dragon books in haul vids. I watch a ton of YouTube vids lol”
Overall, it is a very interesting perspective and one I will like to investigate deeper to dig out any key issues or covers.
Marvel Team Up #100
Date of Publication: 1980
Sale number: 185,000
Profit potential: Less than $50
Key strengths of this book
1. First appearance of Karma
Karma,and her first appearance, has always been a forgotten child of the New Mutants brand. Collectors know Marvel Graphic Novel #4, New Mutants #14 and even #8 but Karma has always been left out.
Undervalued relative to importance
Karma is pretty well known but not well collected. She has made over 100 appearances in comics, and is now part of the current Dawn of X New Mutants series. Being such a long history, her first appearance do feel under appreciated.
Below is what the member said about this book:
“The Asian train is coming and with New Mutants, I feel we’ll see Karma eventually. I’ve been picking up these issues for a year now at $10 and under. Per CGC census, 25% of the books graded are 9.8.”
Undervalued relative to peers
I am comparing Karma with her New Mutants friends to see if she is undervalued.
| 9.8 Copies | 9.8 Ratio | Price of 9.8 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marvel Team Up #100 (1980) | 79 | 38% | USD 120 |
| New Mutants #14 (1984) | 350 | 30% | USD 350 |
| New Mutants #8 (1983) | 70 | 55% | USD 100 |
The table above actually is pretty insightful if we read it the right way. Currently, Marvel Team Up #100 is pretty much on part with New Mutants #8 and so is correctly valued.
However, New Mutants #14 represents what potentially can happen if a character breaks out. Magik has received quite a bit of attention from the movie and is already a fan favorite. If the rest of the New Mutants catch up with Magik in the years to come, her current book value might be what others can get to.
By that time, Magik will probably be further ahead though.
Four color 596
Date of Publication: 1954
Sale number: No Information
Key strengths of this book
1. First appearance of Turok
This is probably the first golden age comic being featured on this blog. I intentionally stayed away from this age due to the high price. If I am hooked onto to golden age books, I worry for my wallet.
Anyway, this member makes a pretty good point about why this book is undervalued despite not being a cheap book
“First appearance of Turok. Buy in is steeper than most specs. A decent copy will run you $200-300. But that’s a bargain for a golden age 1st appearance. Great painted cover. Hard to find above mid grade.
The Turok property persists. A long running original series. Part of the valiant universe in the 90s. Multiple video games over many decades. The N64 is a classic. Dinosaurs are always in fashion. No movie plans but it sure would make a good one. New dynamite comic series escapes the valiant brand.”
Conclusion
To round up this series, below is a chart showing the different proportion of books being recommended and their profit potential.
Most members like to invest in books with bigger profit potential as books with more than $100 potential took up almost 62% of all the recommendations.
An interesting fact is that, despite having 30 entries, there was no repeat for any book. This means no single member has the same thought pattern as another.
Let me conclude by saying a big thank you to all the members who contributed their valuable time and ideas. Reading through the whole series has opened up my eyes on different kinds of investment opportunities that I might not pay attention to.
I agree about Savage Dragon undervalued. 102 (Invincible preview) 137 1st print first Barack Obama variant cover RARE (Between 500-1000 printed) 2nd print also low. Both may become hot like Miles Morales covers. 225 rude cover ETC