Hottest Comics: Year in Review '22

As New Year’s Day approaches, we check out the Hottest Comics of 2022 – and Jane Foster is bringing the thunder.

We’ve been watching the Hottest Comics like a hawk all yr lengthy. From one week to the following, we’ve seen the newest live-action tendencies ship an assortment of keys from the highest to the underside of the rankings at lightning pace. As we get able to welcome 2023, it’s time to mirror on the comics that made essentially the most positive aspects all year long.

As all the time, let’s take a second to recollect what the Hottest Comics are all about in the primary place. Before anybody factors out that different points have made greater leaps in phrases of gross sales costs, that’s not what the main target is right here. Instead, we’re trying on the gross sales quantity. And these 5 points have been those that made essentially the most noise, which is unquestionably price noting.

Considering the huge fallout from all issues related to Thor: Love and Thunder, it might be arduous to consider that the Thunder Goddess’ first cowl look was the largest comedian of the complete yr. Of course, having Jane Foster star in a significant Marvel Studios manufacturing didn’t damage issues in the slightest. The solely drawback was that it fell so flat with audiences, however that doesn’t erase the large volumes of copies that have been being purchased and bought on eBay as much as the film’s opening weekend.

What will come of this subject in the longer term? The prognosis is adverse, not less than at this level. On the floor, it might seem that Lady Thor bit the proverbial mud in less-than-epic vogue on the conclusion of Love and Thunder. Then once more, virtually all the things in regards to the fourth Thor film didn’t sit properly with audiences. Still, with the Multiverse in impact, something is feasible. For now, the spec is mainly lifeless.

Again, that’s why Thor #1’s inclusion on as we speak’s listing—to not point out it’s outperforming all of the competitors—is so spectacular. In the phrases of the Silver Age Thor, verily it did hit all-time low quickly after the movie’s launch, however what a couple of months it was. Here we’re on the finish of the yr, and Thor #1 has outshone all of them.

After the usual version graded at a 9.8 averaged $286 with a report excessive of $516 in 2021, this yr has seen that determine deflate to $239. However, that’s principally because of the giant figures it was incomes previous to Love and Thunder. More not too long ago, it’s stayed in the $100 space.

If you’re a common follower of the Hottest Comics blogs, then you’ll have seen this one coming. All yr lengthy, these 1991 X-Men #1s have been littered throughout the eBay gross sales index. There’s hardly per week that goes by with out one cowl or extra not less than being in the operating for both the Hottest or Coldest comedian. Now that we’re on the tail finish of 2022, it’s solely becoming that the Magneto cowl ranked simply behind Thor #1 for the yr’s greatest mover and shaker.

Practically each Nineteen Nineties Marvel collector has a trove of the X-Men #1s. It holds the report for essentially the most copies ever printed, and I might think about it additionally bought essentially the most copies as properly, although I haven’t been capable of affirm that. There have been quite a few cowl choices that match collectively to type what many really feel is Jim Lee’s greatest work. That alone makes it price proudly owning for his followers and X-Men followers in normal.

Since virtually everybody already owns a replica, it’s shocking that the 12-month common is $104. However, the previous month has seen that determine come all the way down to $76.

Falling in line behind X-Men #1 is…X-Men #1. Only this time, we swap the Magneto cowl artwork for Wolverine and Cyclops on the Collector’s Edition. This specific variant has been gaining loads of traction over the previous yr, as evidenced by its inclusion in the year-end movers and shakers. With so many copies accessible, why has it been such a sizzling commodity in 2022?

It’s no shock that the principle offender is Marvel Studios. We’re getting nearer to the X-Men’s long-awaited arrival in the MCU, and followers can’t comprise their pleasure to see Hugh Jackman return as Wolverine. In truth, that may be a contributing issue for 3 of the 5 entries on as we speak’s listing. However, on the subject of each the X-Men #1s, the animated universe could also be extra influential.

Earlier this yr, Marvel revealed that it might be resurrecting the beloved X-Men: The Animated Series from the Nineteen Nineties. In truth, it might retain all its ‘90s glory and aesthetic and be named X-Men ‘97. The original cartoon took its art cues straight from Lee’s early-’90s look, which is an enormous purpose why the present was such an enormous hit (though all of us secretly needed to see Wolverine’s yellow and brown ‘80s apparel). Naturally, as collectors goal key points tied to the brand new cartoon, they lean towards the penultimate ‘90s X-Men comedian.

Collector’s Edition or not, this isn’t a comic book that can promote for ridiculous quantities. With so many copies accessible, getting a 9.8 is pretty straightforward. Still, the truth that it has averaged $97 for the yr is spectacular in itself.

Here’s one other subject that was pink sizzling in 2022 because of the Wolverine buzz.

Let’s not neglect that it began properly earlier than Jackman was confirmed for Deadpool 3. In truth, it began a yr prior starting with WandaVision. Sure, the joke was on us when Evan Peters’ character was not Quicksilver afterall, however Marvel needed us to consider he was the primary of many arrivals from the Fox-verse. That led to Wolverine hypothesis, naturally. After that fell by, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier had our backs with clear allusions towards Logan with Madripoor and The Princess Bar, each of that are instantly tied to him.

Those Easter eggs paved the way in which for a rumor that Marvel was trying to forged a brand new Wolverine for presumably an anthology collection. Any present coping with Logan’s historical past will inevitably be related to the Weapon X program, and that’s what sparked the fires beneath Marvel Comics Presents #72. Here you may have the total historical past of Canada’s super-soldier program and the way it remodeled Logan into the adamantium-clawed Weapon X. If that’s not sufficient to get consumers on the bandwagon, Barry Windsor-Smith’s magnificent paintings will reel you in.

The improve in recognition has instantly impacted the truthful market values as you may think. Two years in the past, the graded 9.8 averaged $123. Last yr is proving to be an anomaly of kinds since mainly each key spiked with report highs throughout. MCP #72, for one, jumped to an FMV over $500. After 2022, it’s come again to regular, comparatively talking, and this subject will finish the yr with a 12-month FMV or $301.

We will shut out the yr with one other subject that’s certain to achieve some traction heading into 2023, The Sandman #1.

Despite persistent rumors that DC and Netflix have been canceling the live-action collection, the preliminary trailer blew minds and lit the beacons for Neil Gaiman’s well-known work. No one knew what to anticipate from the present, although most followers have been cautiously optimistic. Then got here the primary season, and minds have been blown. It was true to the comics with simply sufficient deviation from the supply materials to present the collection its personal character. With that overwhelmingly constructive reception got here a soar in recognition for Dream’s first look in The Sandman #1.

Then got here the anxiety-inducing query of whether or not or not Netflix would renew Sandman for a second season. At final, the information we had waited impatiently to listen to got here down from the mountaintop, and Morpheus will return for an additional spherical of adventures. As we method that forthcoming launch date, which has but to be introduced, it ought to hold The Sandman #1 in the accumulating highlight.

Throughout the yr, the graded 9.8 has averaged over $800. As the passion for season one started to wane, these costs started to dip. For the previous 90 days, it’s earned $648, and the month of December has seen it maintain near that at $636.