All New Marvel Now! Point One #1, Marvel Comics, March 2014 and Captain Marvel #17, Marvel Comics, February 2014.
We had a big sale at the shop this past weekend and I was stationed in the back, in the old comics section. It was a busy area of the store with lots of back issue fans pouring in to scoop up some deals. The best part of working “old man alley”, as the others at the shop like to call it, is that I get to talk comics with lots of knowledgeable comic collectors.
I got into a conversation with one very savvy buyer about the future direction of collecting, we shared our opinions on what will wax and what will wane. My friend was very high on Ms. Marvel, the new Ms. Marvel to be more specific and he pleaded a very strong case, strong enough to convince me to feature All New Marvel Now! Point One #1 and Captain Marvel #17 (2nd print) as this week’s Undervalued Spotlight(s).
All New Marvel Now! Point One #1 previewed some upcoming new Marvel series including Loki, Surfer, Black Widow and the reason for this Spotlight Ms. Marvel.
I’m gonna be honest and tell you I forgot most of the details of our discussion, the issue numbers he was high on escaped me when I went to start this Spotlight so I had to go online and dig for what info I could get to best inform myself and pick the book or books I thought most of. The task wasn’t as straightforward as I thought, there was no “Hulk #1 is the 1st appearance of the Hulk” scenario.
All New Marvel Now! Point One #1 is featured on the Spotlight this week because it contains the 1st full appearance of Kamala Khan as Ms. Marvel.
Much press has been given to Marvel’s socially conscious push to update their stable of established characters by changing them into females or visible minorities. Debates and arguments erupted on line between traditional fans that preferred Marvel stick to tradition and newer fans ready to embrace change.
The thing was that the traditional fans were dropping off quicker than new fans were jumping on and sales suffered, they suffered so much Marvel had to publicly renounce much of the change and promise a more traditional line up. The re-focus is going on now as I type this so we shall see how it all plays out.
My point in picking Point One #1 this week is that this change Marvel started is inevitable, it’s healthy and though it may have been pushed too fast and too soon it is a change for the better. The funny thing is that not all the changes will work and that is a normal thing, we’ll vote with our interest and with our wallets as to which changes will work and which won’t.
I’m betting on Kamala Khan as Ms. Marvel to be one of the changes that works, I’m betting on her becoming an importance character in the Marvel Universe.
I added Captain Marvel #17 Second Print because it is the 1st depiction of Kamala Khan as Ms. Marvel. Covers are becoming such a driving force in market value that I had to add this issue in, I may not have 4 or 5 years ago. The fact that it is a second print offers some scarcity protection as well. This is not an easy book, I saw 3 9.8s available on line as of this post.
The Original Ms. Marvel was Carol Danvers and investors in this Ms. Marvel were putting their money into 3 comics. Marvel Super-Heroes #13 which featured the 1st Ms. Marvel, Captain Marvel #18 (the 1968 series) which featured Carol Danvers receiving her powers and Ms. Marvel #1 which featured the 1st appearance of Ms. Marvel.
Fans, collectors and investors in Kamala Khan as Ms. Marvel also must choose between several comics that represent 1sts for the character.
When I look up 1st appearance of Kamala Khan I’m directed to Captain Marvel #14 (the 2012 series). I jumped on comics.org to get the skinny on the issue and there is no mention of Kamala in the story outline. I did a bit more digging and realized she just appears in one panel as an anonymous bystander admiring the exploits of Captain Marvel. I’m thinking lame and I don’t like it, there is not enough there to hang your toque on. A few issues later in Captain Marvel #17 we see Kamala in her apartment getting inspired by Captain Marvel and flexing some muscle, so this is Marvel pushing forward what they started in issue #14 and leading us to the eventual introduction of Kamala Khan as Ms. Marvel in All New Marvel Now! Point One #1. Again, a bit bigger cameo but not the book I’m looking for.
Here’s where the twist comes in, Marvel did a second print for Captain Marvel #17 featuring Kamala Khan dressed as Ms. Marvel on the cover. No mention to the character was made inside though. As I mentioned above, I think this book belongs in the pile.
I looked at the markets for Captain Marvel #14, #17 and for Point One #1. Cap #14 and Point One #1 have both retreated from the highs they enjoyed a year ago. Captain Marvel #14 enjoyed a 12 month average of $183 in 9.8 but has been dropping fast with a last sale reported at $113. I agree with this drop off as there isn’t enough there with this book. Point One #1 has dropped a bit but is holding steady with a 12 month average of $154 at 9.8 and a last sale at $143. The market darling seems to be the Captain Marvel #17 with 2nd print Cover, last 13 sales have averaged $657 with the last sale at $675.
The fundamentals are there in Point One #1, when the character really latches on to popular culture this will be a book to own and I just can’t ignore the power of the cover to the second print or Captain Marvel #17. With CGC encapsulation relegating comics to just covers I feel this is a good one to add beside the Point One.
The 47th Overstreet price break for Point One #1 is $6 in the 9.2 grade split.
The 47th Overstreet price break for Captain Marvel #17, Second Print is $54/$102/$150 in the 8.0/9.0/9.2 grade split.
Reasons to buy these comic books as an investment.
- 1st full appearance Kamala Khan as the new Ms. Marvel
- 1st cover appearance of Kamala Khan as the new Ms. Marvel
Back in May of 2015, our good friend, the Dakoit did an excellent write up on these books:
http://comicbookspeculation.blogspot.ca/2015/05/136-dakoit-special-curious-case-of.html?q=captain+marvel
At the time, there was a lot of talk about Kamala Khan on the CGC boards as speculators tried to figure out which book to place their bet on. In the end, the Dakoit summarized the sequence of her appearance and rank their importance as follows:
1. Captain Marvel #14 (Sept 2013):
One panel 1st app.cameo Kamala Khan.
(Collectible rank #3 tied)
2. Captain Marvel #17 1st print (Jan 2014):
2nd cameo Kamala Khan (back/shadowy)
(Collectible rank #3 tied)
3. Captain Marvel #17 2nd print (Feb 2014):
1st appearance Ms. Marvel (on cover only).
(Collectible rank #1)
4. All- New Marvel Now! Point One #1 (Mar 2014):
1st full mention Kamala Khan and 2nd app. Ms.Marvel.
(note: CGC is also starting to mention this book as the 1st appearance of Ms. Marvel)
(Collectible rank #2)
5. All-New Marvel Now! ‘February 2014’ (Mar 2014):
3rd cameo of Kamala Khan.
(Collectible rank #4)
Soon afterwards, I came across a VF copy of Point One in the bins. Having gotten all excited from Dakoit’s write up, I decided to pick it up, thinking maybe I can flip it. It’s been over 2 years and it’s still sitting in my box. What I found interesting was, despite all the talk and excitement online, not a single person was interest in Point One at any of the shows that I was set up at. Nobody pulled it out of my box to look even look at it.
So… if the person you had the conversation with was Dakoit, can you tell him he owes me $30 bucks. Thanks!
A 2nd print Captain Marvel issue is going for nearly $700 bucks? Seriously? Listen, I have most of that run as well as the first year of the Miss Marvel title and enjoyed the hell out of it, but come on…when is this market going to come crashing down? There is no way newer books going for that much are sustainable over the long run. For that, you can have a decent copy of an early issue of Action, Detective or Wonder Woman, or a nice run of Lee/Ditko ASM or Kirbry/Lee FF…
This is just crazy.
Good critiques guys.
Print runs are low on these books and demand can potentially be high. If the 2nd printing has less print run and it has the cover everybody want then yeah it can be a desirable collectible. Hey Charlie, it wasn’t Dakoit but maybe they know each other… ?
Knowing nothing about this other than Walter’s recommendation, I picked up one Point One in Baltimore on Friday. These were plentiful but the cheapest one I saw was $10. I didn’t see any of the second print of Captain Marvel #17 second print in the lower-end boxes I was looking at in line with the comments about scarcity; I didn’t see it on the wall anywhere either. So I’m guessing that’s the one to own and it’s a long shot that the Point One will do much…
Hey Chris, I think Point One has a chance if Kamala turns out the way I think she will. You are right though 2nd print #17 seems the book to have for this character.
I think the Marvel Point One book that wasn’t discussed in your write-up but should have been is the Steve McNiven 1:75 Variant. This books is a true under-appreciated ghost and rarely comes available whether raw or graded. It’s even more difficult to find in high grade (9.8). I personally own 3-9.8 Captain Marvel 2nd prints but don’t own a single McNiven variant and have been looking to get my hands on a 9.8 if and when I can find one. I think the book has a lot going for it… low print run (1:75 variant), true first appearance of Kamala Khan, a character many are touting as the “Peter Parker / Spider-Man” of this generation.
Reiterating what X3 said, the McNiven variant for Marvel Point One is the one to get. I managed to snag a slabbed 9.8 a couple months back for about $225. If you even see them on eBay they are listed for $400-$500.
4.5