2020 Comics That Heated Up

Comics Comics Heating Up
#1

I was thinking about the trash heap that was 2020, and started thinking about the hot books of the year. The ones that got us all worked up and frantic. I was going to make this a main site topic with Anthony’s help, but thought this location would be better to keep the conversation going

This list is 25 deep, but this isn’t necessarily the best spec of 2020 list. Some of these were hot and faded. Some started slow and ramped up. Basically, it’s the books that got us talking.

Here are a few rules to keep this in list from exploding.

  1. The books had to be released in 2020.
  2. The books had to be an open order book. No limited run exclusive covers, no secret variants, no one-per-store variants, and no incentives.
  3. These are in alpha order, not a ranked order.

Here we go!

Batgirl 50 - First appearance new Batgirl
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Batman 89 - First cameo of Punchline
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Batman 90 - First app the Designer
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Captain Marvel 18 - First app Lauri-Ell, half sister of Carol Danvers
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Champions 1 2nd print - very low print
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Daredevil 25 - First appearance of Elektra as Daredevil
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Dark Nights Death Metal: Legends of the Dark Knights #1 - First full Robin King
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Fantastic Four: Antithesis 2 - First full appearance of Antithesis
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Legion of Superheroes 6 - First Gold Lantern, Monster Boy
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Shang-Chi 1 Ruan variant - first cover of the Five Weapons Society
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Something is killing 5 A - low print
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Something is killing 5 B - low print
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Something is killing 6 B - low print
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Spawn 309 - C cover - McFarlane Gunslinger cover
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Star Wars Darth Vader 6 - First app Ochi
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Strange Academy 1 A - Bunch of firsts
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Strange Academy 1 B - Bunch of firsts
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Strange Academy 2 B - Bunch of firsts
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Last Ronin 1 - allocation madness
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Thor 2 - First reference of Black Winter
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Thor 5 - First appearance of Black Winter
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Venom 25 - First cameo of Codex and Virus
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X-Men 2 - First app. High Summoner
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X-Men 12 - First cover High Summoner
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Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen #3 - First full punchline
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OK. That’s my list. What did I miss? A handful of smaller books got briefly hot, then faded fast. Some had a lot of chatter, but never materialized as spec (We Only Find Them When They’re Dead). A couple rare titles went nuclear and basically stayed there (Strange Academy, SIKTC) and could fill this list on their own. But, variety is the spice of life.

And, how many of the 25 do you have?

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2021 Comics That Heated Up
#2

Thor 4 2nd print

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#3

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Batman: The Adventures Continue #2 was a slow heater.

I’ll also mention Star Wars: Rise of Kylo Ren #3.

I got just over half of loverjw’s list. I don’t think Antithesis will go anywhere, but at some point I do want that Alex Ross Silver Surfer cover. Was late to the Thor train and didn’t catch the first prints. Also was asleep at the wheel for Hell Arisen. I don’t care about SIKTC; it’s not my bag reading-wise or spec-wise.

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#4

21/25 Not too bad.

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#5

For sure. I wrote this a couple weeks back, and that book just got hot, but definitely yes.

I only got back into the game during the second half of the year, so I missed some of the first half books. I still don’t have a Hell Arisen first print (have three 3rds), and I think Punchline is quite possibly the best new character introduced to DC/Marvel this year. Even more so when you look at some of the competition above. Strange Academy was red hot, but has cooled a bit.

Also, 21 is pretty damn good.

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#6

Strange Academy is a fun book, might be my favorite new Marvel/DC title. I like that Tynion is shaking up Gotham and trying some new things. One of the books I dont have is Hell Arisen.

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#7

Would add Strange Academy #2A to the list, goes for 10x cover price

Captain Marvel: The End - couple first appearances

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#8

I’d argue that Spawn 306 is more valuable than 309 due to lower print run and the ebay prices clearly reflect this.

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#9

strange academy is probably book of the year. book is gonna be a monster when marvel start putting it in scholastic book fairs

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#10

Love the list. I was thinking about doing a 2020 recap type of post for the main site as well before you even posted this. :slight_smile:

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#11

Wolverine #6 and X-Force #13 - First Solem Appearances I’d throw on the list.

X-Men #2 First Summoner has fallen flat though now. I sold a #1 and #2 set on my big so long eBay auctions and it only sold for a whopping $1.25, I call that Snickers funds…

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#12

I would also add:

Darth Vader #1 and #2 on this list. Darth Vader #1 is an easy $20 book on average last time I checked and I sold over a dozen copies of Darth Vader #2 from $12 to $16.

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#13

And Wolverine #6 is now back down to cover price, if what they were hyping about Solem is true and that he will be the new arch rival to wolverine in the future, I think it’s a good time to stock up on them. (I did not read any of x of swords, so not sure how Solem played out in the event)

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#14

Yeah, those dropped pretty quick. Seems X-Men firsts are quick flips and then long term holds… they just don’t seem to have the same staying power as Marvel’s other titles and teams, etc.

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#15

How about that Marvel Action Avengers #10 Yellow Hulk book? I think it was this year. Not a fan of it…but was definitely red hot and still has some value well above cover?

#16

Great book list. Just curious if you had to choose for a long term investment which one would want to have a 9.8 graded copy of?

Strange Academy 1 is my choice so many 1st appearances. The Skottie Young store variant 3k print I think they said in 9.8 selling for under $100 no love for this version. I tucked away some of them cause I liked the cover.

Close second is the Last Ronin Ashcan book. Just because most were damaged and so many Turtle fans dropping big cash on key Turtle books.

Spiderman 55LR last hot book of 2020 release?

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#17

I’m with you, Strange Academy #1 for sure.

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#18

I don’t know if it will be good spec, but AWA’s Year Zero #1 got a little love from readers and is now 3x-4x cover price.

I agree that Strange Academy will be the book for spec.

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#19

Mine didn’t sell for so much in my recent auctions. I had this one listed for around $15 for about 3 months with no nibbles. Didn’t sell it until I dropped the price to $6.99. But yes, I’d still put it on the list of hot books for the year as it did reach the $20-$25 range at one point.

#20

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night. Still sells for $20.

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