Comics You Need to Own: Sinestro Corps Special #1

Sinestro Corp #1 first printing

It seems like it has been an eternity since any type of Green Lantern comic made it onto the hot lists around the hobby world. Over the last few weeks the character with the power ring has been heating up want lists and rumor mills like crazy.

With Green Lantern Vol. 4 #25 and #28 heating up tremendously thanks to the first appearances of Atrocitus, the Geoff Johns run on this famed superhero is spawning a number of hot issues. Because rumors and other media appearances has become something of a driving force in the comic book world, the latest word that the Sinestro Corps will making a significant appearance in an upcoming movie another GL book is breaking into the hot sheet.

Sinestro Corps #1 fourth printing

Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special #1 is the first appearance of the Sinestro Corps and the book has started to make big secondary market gains. Printed in 2007, with four printings with different characters on the cover to boot, the book has proved to be scarce enough to send prices into the $15 range for nice copies. Not too bad for a book that pops up in the dollar bin of many comic book shops.

Over the past few years, the comic book collecting crowd has seen many books receive bumps in price as collectors try to find key issues on existing properties that really start to increase in popularity. It is this popularity spike that drives these books to new heights, both in price and in scarcity. What was once thought of as an easy-to-find comic becomes nearly impossible.

That being said jumping on a Sinestro Corps Special #1, and just about any printing, at a reasonable price seems like a good idea for the long-haul. Once trailers for the GL movie, which isn’t due until 2020, start to hit the Internet, all bets are off if the Yellow Lanterns and Atrocitus make appearances in those few minutes of footage. This is one of those comic books you’ll wish you bought low four years from now.

Sinestro Corps #1 third printing

DC Comics Riding a Wave of Rebirth Success

To say it has been a busy week for DC Comics would be something of a pretty serious understatement. One half of the big two has experienced a flurry of activity in book stores and comic book shops across the country. Everyone seems to want to get in on the trend of a newer universe that is bringing a number of interesting events to light, new storylines reveled, and new characters introduced. Hey, you can’t blame collectors and fans alike for jumping all over it.

DC Universe Rebirth has been a pretty serious success. Batman Rebirth sold out in pretty much record time, the return of the originalnumbering in Detective Comics and Action Comics has sold out. So has Green Arrow Rebirth, Wonder Woman Rebirth, Flash Rebirth, and every other Rebirth related title. In short, the stuff is smoking hot. If DC manages to carry that momentum forward, these issues will be sought after for years to come.

Does that mean all of the Rebirth stuff is a safe and sound investment? Hold on there speculators, let’s take a deeper look. The first printing of the New 52 #1’s are pretty desirable, but there is only serious value (read: over $50 retail) in a few of the books. That being said, the other books are pretty much about twice cover price. That’s pretty good, but still nothing to really jump all over with both feet. After all, on the secondary market a copy of New 52 Justice League #1 manages only about $5-7 actual confirmed sale price.

So while Rebirth is hot right now, the long-term ramifications will take a year or more to play out. Personally, the Flash Rebirth and the introduction of Godspeed will probably have legs, Batman is always a safe investment, and Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, and Aquaman tend to fluctuate in price (if they move at all long-term). Most of the team at Let Your Geek Show is in hoarding mode with Rebirth, but a few of us are in unload mode—Get them, Read Them, and Get Rid of Them, as fast as possible while the iron is hot. So we can not even decide what to do.

In the end, with Batman #1 and Superman #1 set to drop next week, it merits a second glance or two on those one-shot Rebirth issues. The #1 and the original numbering pick up are probably the best investments for speculators and investors. Provided DC Comics does not implode or ret-con the whole thing, which is always a chance. Who knows how this is going to shape up, but either way, it is a lot of fun watching the trends develop and the curves turn into spikes.

Comic Books You Need to Own: Iron Man #282 First Appearance of War Machine

Iron Man 282

There are thousands upon thousands of comic books published each and every year, which makes finding the ones that are going to be valuable a little tricky. First appearances are almost always a good investment for collectors of any age. This week in the Comic Books You Need to Own segment, we are highlighting what has become a must-have for any collection—the first appearance of War Machine.

While James Rhodes (the man inside the armor) would make his comic book debut in Iron Man #118, which is a book that approaches the $50-60 level, according to Comic Book Realm, he wouldn’t don the War Machine armor until Iron Man #281 (maybe a ten dollar book, but a better buy at $5). Of course, the first full appearance of War Machine is in Iron Man #282, which can fetch around $35 to the right buyer.  In CGC cases, the value can be well over $100.

Of course, Iron Man and Marvel geeks like us also know that Rhodes puts on the Iron Man armor in #170, which is also a ten dollar book. Basically, there is a lot going on with appearances relating to Rhodes. Still, most fans are after the slick cover of #282 that features War Machine in all his grandeur.

Marvel for some reason has a lot of characters that make cameos in issues before their actual debut. Wolverine does it, Cable does it, War Machine does it, and the list goes on and on. It’s interesting because while the cameos draw a little bit of attention, I don’t remember the last time anyone came in looking for a New Mutants #86. They are always after #87 (the first Cable for those that are just starting out in the hobby).

Oh, and if you are a Rhodes completer, you might want to add Gambit #13, which is the first time Rhodes  is seen in the Iron Patriot armor. Hey, if you are going to get ‘em, get ‘em all. Basically, for around a $100 you can pick up pretty much every one of the issues. The one with the most upside is probably #282, just because it has some room to grow. Of course, that stipulation only stays valid if War Machine continues to make regular appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. More fans equal more people chasing the same book, which drives the price. It’s a commodity man, and those are the rules.

That being said, Iron Man #282 does not pop up on the Hot List of many comic book sellers, and many folks that were buying Iron Man in the early 1980s gave this book a pass. In error lies opportunity, because there is always a chance of finding this gem in the dollar section. Still, this is a comic book you need to own at some point.

Are Variant Covers Worth Investing In?

Spider-Man 1990 #1

It's a question that has been on every comic book collector's mind for years, and it still is as complicated to answer as any query in existence: Are variant comic book covers worth investing in?

Variant covers have been around a lot longer than many folks realize. There are several early Marvel printings and releases with 35-cent cover price variants, and everyone remembers the variant filled early 1990s of Spider-Man #1 and X-Men #1. Plus, don't forget the different cards inserted into every X-Force #1 (those bagged copies everyone loves).

X-Force Vol. 1 #1

That being said, variants are more prevalent today than they every were in the past. One pretty clear line that can be drawn comes from the sports card industry and insert cards. Seeding one in twenty five, one in one hundred, or even one in one thousand packs, those special cards draw the attention of collectors pretty quickly and the chase is on. The limited supply causes a shortage that drives prices up because demand is so high, especially for hot players.

The line gets drawn to comic books for the same reasons. Hot characters can really drive variant prices through the roof for a short period of time. However, comic books are a commodity, and prices vary~often wildly. Those one in twenty-five covers can be tough to find, those convention variants can be difficult to get, and those one in one hundred covers can be downright impossible. However, are they worth buying?

The short answer is probably a big "NO" for comic book flippers and speculators. Variants almost (note the use of the all-powerful "almost") never hold their value long-term. The market is finicky and because new comics are released every week, collectors simply can not afford (both in attention and money) to chase every variant that gets released. This creates a glut of variant inventory that has a chance to appeal beyond cover price, but often not the value paid. Basically, variants are hot for a week or so, and then they drop off fifty percent (or more) in secondary market value. Yes, the book price can remain high, simply because of dollars invested, but finding a buyer at that price is often an exercise in futility.

Secret Wars #1 Skottie Young Var

The other answer is a big fat "YES," variants are worth every penny if you want them or like them. You should collect what you like--that's really the bottom line. If a snazzy variant cover catches your eye, you should pick it up. The other aspect is that a variant cover with a key appearance, reveal, or event will likely hold value for the long-term and grow at a faster clip. However, the same rules apply to the general comic book world in general. Not every book is a Hulk #181, it's just a simple fact of life.

Take a look at the Grim Fairy Tales Jessica Nigri Cover from Phoenix Comic-Con, it has done wonders on the secondary market. Other variants, like the Skottie Young covers are legendary, but tend to cool off after a few weeks.

The answer is that there is really no clear indicator in the short term over the regular cover versus the variant. I think DC Comics does a great job of offering up two covers (or more) for the same cover price and lets collectors decide which one gets chased and which one simply hangs around.

If the book is going to be a wall book that looks great on your Deadpool shelf and you can afford it, why not spend $50 on it? If you are buying a $75 variant to flip in a month, you are likely going to find yourself disappointed or waiting a long time. It's the nature of the hobby, and it's as simple as that.