Collector Keys Corner — Collectible Comics To Look Out For This Week

Welcome back to Collector Keys Corner! There are basically two kinds of people buying comics. Those who read them, and those who collect them. There is quite a bit of overlap between the two groups, but comics consumers generally lean hard one way or the other. This column is aimed at the collectors, highlighting this week’s comics keys.

Spider-Man Noir #1

Brush up on the coolest Spider-Man before he hits the small screen! It’s the 1930s and Peter Parker is a private detective by day, vigilante Spider-Man by night. Things were going well until a certain dame walked into his office to ask Peter to solve the case of her father’s murder. The dame’s name? GWEN STACY! This case may not only break George Stacy’s police department, but Spider-Man himself!

This issue kicks off a 5-issue mini, with a possible 1st cameo of Hard Boil. Great cover, except… why isn’t this in black and white? Isn’t that kind of Spider-Man Noir’s thing? I hope the interior pages stick to the gimmick. 

Spider-Man Noir #1 1:100 David Mack Virgin Variant

Another great cover for this title. The negative space design is giving West African and Caribbean shapeshifting spider trickster Anansi vibes. Same complaint as above. It should be a black and white presentation. Still cool, but could have been much cooler.

Spirits of Violence #1

Johnny Blaze, Danny Ketch, Robbie Reyes, Kushala, Fantasma, Hellverine and more!

Ghost Riders unite! When a strange group of new villains set their sinister plan in motion, Ghost Riders past, present and future must combine forces to save the world. But just who is the Spirit of Violence, and what horrors do they bring from Johnny Blaze’s and Danny Ketch’s pasts? Forget everything you thought you knew about Ghost Rider! The most climactic ride in history starts here!

Spirits of Violence, first mentioned in Spirits of Vengeance #3, make their first appearance. Great cover. Loads of space for autos and remarques.

Spirits of Violence #1- Kyle Hotz Marvel Zombies Variant

With zero foreknowledge of this series, I would snap this cover up in a heartbeat. A little bit Stokoe, a little bit Garbage Pail Kids, this is a masterpiece of cover art.

Rook: Exodus #7

The quest to save BLOODHOUND begins. Once the most respected of the Wardens, the father of Dire Wolf has disappeared — vanished off the Wildlife Grid, with whispers of madness following in his wake. Now, the remaining Wardens must band together to find him — or stop him — and the fate of Exodus is at stake. Also: meet STAG, the mysterious deer warden with knowledge that could shake the very roots of the Wild.

First full appearances of Bloodhound, Matterhorn, and Stag. I don’t hate this cover, but I don’t love it either. The black frame gives depth to the image, keeping the attacking wolves in the foreground and pushing the characters to the background, but it kind of feels like it was added in for just that purpose.

Absolute Evil #1

Without heroes… without protection… without restraint… there is only ABSOLUTE EVIL.

The emergence of superheroes has caught the attention of the world… and it’s certainly caught the attention of the people who run it. Ra’s al Ghul, Veronica Cale, Elenore Thawne, Hector Hammond, and the mysterious Joker have worked at cross-purposes until now, but this growing threat requires new ways of thinking… and new partnerships. 

Superstars Al Ewing and Giuseppe Camuncoli join forces to kickstart the next era of Absolute Universe stories… with several shocking new character reveals, and one big unmissable twist!

Introduction of Absolute Green Arrow and the team up of Ra’s al Ghul, Veronica Cale, Elenore Thawne, Hector Hammond, and Joker. I feel like this cover has a lot of foreshadowing clues in it, but I will keep my predictions to myself, because no one wants to be that guy.

Absolute Evil #1 NYCC 2025 David Nakayama Gatefold Variant

This is the New York Comic Con 2025 exclusive. It’s Nakayama. It’s extremely limited. It’s Batman. It’s dope as hell. 

Venom #250

THE RETURN OF KNULL! Venom and Mary Jane Watson are stuck with each other — and life just isn’t letting up. But at least things can’t get worse… can they? While the hits keep coming on Earth, the Cult of the Void gathers in the depths of space — and only one Skrull soldier knows their terrible secret. Knull has returned… and nowhere in the galaxy is safe. Join us as Venom celebrates its legacy 250th!

This is a legacy milestone at #250. It features an image of Knull, who is set to make his return in this issue.

Venom #250 1:100 JeeHyung Lee Virgin Variant

The 1:100 incentive ratio is going to make this one pretty hard to get ahold of. Lee did a bang-on tribute to the Spider-Man 3 poster.