Key Collector Comics

2023 Hottest 20

This year's dominant Key Issues that appeared on the Hot 10 more than other issues

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Iron Man #1

Marvel ⋅ 1968

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Iron Man #1
 
Low
$225
Mid
$810
High
$2.2k

Key Facts

First ongoing title series featuring Iron Man

Origin of Iron Man

Identity of Big M revealed to be Whitney Frost, later known as Madame Masque, the daughter of Count Nefaria

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #1

Marvel ⋅ 1982

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G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #1
 
Low
$18
Mid
$60
High
$180

Key Facts

1st team appearance of G.I. Joe

1st appearance of Snake-Eyes, an Arashikage-trained ninja (G.I. Joe)

1st appearance of Scarlett, an intel officer (G.I. Joe)

1st appearance of Grunt, an infantry trooper (G.I. Joe)

1st appearance of Breaker, a communications officer (G.I. Joe)

1st appearance of Rock 'N Roll, a machine gunner (G.I. Joe)

1st appearance of Stalker, a ranger (G.I. Joe)

1st appearance of Zap, a bazooka soldier (G.I. Joe)

1st appearance of Short-Fuze, a mortar soldier (G.I. Joe)

1st appearance of Clutch, a Vamp operator (G.I. Joe)

1st appearance of Laser, a rifle trooper (G.I. Joe)

1st appearance of Steeler, a tank commander (G.I. Joe)

1st appearance of Hawk, a field commander (G.I. Joe)

1st appearance of Grand Slam, an artillery specialist (G.I. Joe)

1st team appearance of Cobra, a terrorist organization

1st appearance of Cobra Commander, leader and founder of Cobra

1st appearance of Baroness, an intel officer (Cobra)

Writer and Vietnam veteran Larry Hama intended to create a Nick Fury series but after being approached by Hasbro to launch their 3.75-inch action figures, the Fury Force concept was applied to G.I. Joe

Amazing Spider-Man #41

Marvel ⋅ 1966

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Amazing Spider-Man #41
 
Low
$150
Mid
$500
High
$1.5k

Key Facts

1st appearance of Rhino

Amazing Spider-Man #361

Marvel ⋅ 1992

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Amazing Spider-Man #361
 
Low
$10
Mid
$30
High
$100

Key Facts

1st full appearance of Carnage, spawned from the extraterrestrial parasite known as the Venom symbiote

House of Secrets #92

DC ⋅ 1971

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House of Secrets #92
 
Low
$425
Mid
$1.2k
High
$4.8k

Key Facts

1st appearance of the Swamp Thing, Alex Olsen

[January 2023 - a Swamp Thing horror film is in development at DC Studios]

Amazing Spider-Man #78

Marvel ⋅ 1969

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Amazing Spider-Man #78
 
Low
$60
Mid
$180
High
$600

Key Facts

1st appearance of the Prowler, Hobie Brown

Conan the Barbarian #1

Marvel ⋅ 1970

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Conan the Barbarian #1
 
Low
$100
Mid
$300
High
$1k

Key Facts

1st appearance of Conan the Barbarian

1st cameo appearance of King Kull

Spider-Man 2099 #1

Marvel ⋅ 1992

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Spider-Man 2099 #1
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$20

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of Spider-Man 2099

5-page preview in Amazing Spider-Man #365 and an advertisement in Web of Spider-Man #90

⚠️ Debatable Firsts: many sources cite Amazing Spider-Man #365 as the first appearance of Spider-Man 2099 despite text on the cover of the issue that refers to it as a five-page preview promoting Spider-Man 2099 #1

Swamp Thing #1

DC ⋅ 1972

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Swamp Thing #1
 
Low
$40
Mid
$120
High
$400

Key Facts

1st appearance and origin of the second Swamp Thing, Alec Holland

1st cameo appearance of Anton Arcane

1st appearance of Matt Cable, later becomes the Sandman's raven

1st cameo appearance of the Un-Men

1st appearance of Nathan Ellery, the man who caused the explosion that created Swamp Thing

First ongoing Swamp Thing solo title

Star Wars: The Clone Wars #1

Dark Horse ⋅ 2008

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Star Wars: The Clone Wars #1
 
Price Trend
Low
$50
Mid
$150
High
$500

Key Facts

1st appearance Ahsoka Tano, a Togruta Jedi

1st appearance of Captain Rex

Copies ordered by retailers: 24,508

All-Star Comics #58

DC ⋅ 1976

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All-Star Comics #58
 
Low
$40
Mid
$120
High
$400

Key Facts

1st appearance of Power Girl, a Kryptonian cousin of Earth-2 Superman

Batman Adventures #12

DC ⋅ 1993

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Batman Adventures #12
 
Low
$120
Mid
$400
High
$1.2k

Key Facts

1st appearance of Harley Quinn in a standard comic

[August 2022 - Lady Gaga confirmed to star opposite Joaquin Phoenix in the Joker movie sequel as Harley Quinn / March 2023 - a set photo from the Joker sequel provides a first look at Lady Gaga as Harley]

The Last of Us: American Dreams #1

Dark Horse ⋅ 2013

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The Last of Us: American Dreams #1
 
Low
$15
Mid
$50
High
$150

Key Facts

Prequel comic book series released two months prior to the video game launch

Copies ordered by retailers: 6,032

Star Wars: Heir to the Empire #1

Dark Horse ⋅ 1995

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Star Wars: Heir to the Empire #1
 
Price Trend
Low
$5
Mid
$15
High
$70

Key Facts

1st appearance of Admiral Thrawn

1st appearance of Mara Jade, the wife of Luke Skywalker

1st appearance of Joruus C'baoth, a clone of Palpatine

1st appearance of Gilad Pallaeon, a commander under Thrawn

Ultimate Fallout #4

Marvel ⋅ 2011

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Ultimate Fallout #4
 
Low
$30
Mid
$100
High
$375

Key Facts

1st appearance of Miles Morales, Spider-Man from an alternate reality

Distributed in a polybag

[May 2023 - Sony Spider-Verse producer Amy Pascal tells Variety a live-action Miles Morales movie is in the works]

Star Wars #1

Marvel ⋅ 1977

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Star Wars #1
 
Low
$30
Mid
$90
High
$300

Key Facts

Issues #1 - #6 are an adaptation of 'Star Wars: A New Hope'

1st appearance of Darth Vader

1st appearance of Luke Skywalker

1st appearance of Princess Leia

1st appearance of C-3PO and R2-D2

1st appearance of Grand Moff Tarkin

1st appearance of Beru and Owen Lars

Introduction of Stormtroopers

1st cover appearance of Obi Wan Kenobi and Han Solo (not in story)

📖 Reading Order: read Star Wars (1977) #1 - #6, then Princess Leia #1

Uncanny X-Men #130

Marvel ⋅ 1980

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Uncanny X-Men #130
 
Low
$12
Mid
$40
High
$130

Key Facts

The Dark Phoenix Saga Part 2

1st appearance of Dazzler

2nd appearance of Kitty Pryde

2nd appearance of Emma Frost

1st full appearance of Sebastian Shaw, the Black King

Jean Grey becomes the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club

Omega Men #3

DC ⋅ 1983

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Omega Men #3
 
Low
$8
Mid
$20
High
$85

Key Facts

1st appearance of Lobo, an intergalactic bounty hunter

[January 2023 - Jason Momoa speculated to play Lobo in James Gunn's DC films]

New Mutants #98

Marvel ⋅ 1991

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New Mutants #98
 
Low
$40
Mid
$120
High
$400

Key Facts

1st appearance of Deadpool, a subject of the Weapon X program

1st appearance of Copycat, impersonating Domino

1st appearance of Gideon, a member of The Externals

Wolverine #1

Marvel ⋅ 1982

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Wolverine #1
 
Price Trend
Low
$12
Mid
$40
High
$130

Key Facts

First solo Wolverine title

1st cameo appearance of Yukio

First use of the phrase, 'I'm the best there is at what I do'

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