15 Aug Are Bad Guys a Bad Investment?

While film adaptations remain the biggest catalyst of pricing spikes and long-term value, the short-lived reign of villains in comic book movies seems to showcase that bad guys are a bad investment –or does it?

We see it in this hobby a few times a year now. First, we get a rumor, then we get a kind of confirmation, then we get a trailer, then we get a movie. If you are a villain in the MCU, that tends to be your entire life cycle: One and Done. With the exception of Thanos and Kang the Conqueror, the only repeat performances tend to be flashbacks –and those don’t generate the kind of buzz that the first screen appearances do. And without buzz, the prices tend to fall. Some spec villains never materialize at all: how many of you bought into the Mephisto hype and overpaid for Silver Surfer #3?

Of course, not all villains are created equal, and so we must address a caveat: If a villain transitions into an Anti-Hero (like Loki or Venom) they transcend the bad guy curse, and the values of their key issues can continue to rise and fall in a more homogenous manner. While ASM #300 has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride, it remains an important Copper Age key. Despite a post-sequel dip, it is, nonetheless, an evergreen, blue-chip book. We know there will be another Venom film, and with prices at a 16-month low, this might be the time to buy again.

This may also prove to be true for the first appearances of Abomination, John Walker (U.S. Agent), and even Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine –all of whom are connected to an upcoming Thunderbolts project.  Even that aforementioned Silver Surfer #3 is mostly rising in value even though there is a very slim chance that Disney is going to bring The Devil into their wholesome family-friendly franchise…

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