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

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 some of this week’s comics keys.

Detective Comics #1102

A mysterious weaponized virus has infected the Dark Knight, and he does not know how long he has left before it takes control of his body and mind. Desperate for answers and unsure how long he has to get them, Batman turns to one of the most brilliant minds in the DC Universe, Mr. Terrific.

DC has been teasing The Lion for a couple months. This issue might be the one where we finally see them for the very first time. 

I kind of hate this cover. It’s hard to read. Composition is all over the place, and the colors are giving me a headache. After looking it over for several minutes, the best I can tell is that Batman is trapped in some kind of containment tube, Mr. Terrific is behind the tube, and there’s a computer in the foreground with a translucent screen, like a teleprompter. Oh, and Bats is infected with something, probably the weaponized virus from the solicit. You can tell this because it says so, about sixteen times, on the cover. 

Detective Comics #1102– Cover C Greg Smallwood Variant

Now, this is a Batman cover. Dark and broody, mysterious, layered… I am unsure if this is a landscape-oriented cover or if it’s a wraparound, but it does the trick either way. That has to be Gordon in the foreground, appropriately fuzzy for the perspective. Batman looking all kinds of pissed and broody. Writing in red paint or blood all over the wall. X’d out eyes on the painting in the background. This reminds me of something. Can’t quite place it…

Star Wars: Jedi Knights #8

Meet Soona Taj, a young girl who is strong with the Force, who’s in great danger, kidnapped by a group of pirates! This unique story is told through Soona’s own eyes, allowing YOU to experience the Force through the eyes of a youngling. Guest-starring fan-favorite Jedi Kelleran Beq!

Another first appearance this week with Soona Taj, a young girl with strong ties to the force. Grogu, she isn’t, but they can’t all be.

The Ultimates #17

Now that the Ultimates are using the Immortus Engine to its full capacity, Doom’s dream of the Ultimate Fantastic Four may finally be realized…

This issue features the introduction of the Ultimate Fantastic Four. I think I’ve mentioned before how much I hate that ¼ page sidehead. If I haven’t, please note, I hate that ¼ page sidehead. It takes up a solid fourth of the real estate on all the A covers, which is a shame considering how gorgeous a lot of these covers are. In this case, it’s only covering up a piece of cape and some of the sand, or whatever that yellowish orange stuff is, so whatever.

The Ultimates #17- 1:25 Björn Barends Variant

And this is why I usually recommend the variants on the Ultimates line. If this were the A cover, you’d be missing Cap’s head, the entire image of Wasp, Iron Man’s head and right arm, and about a third of Giant Man/John Cena’s face. Gorgeous cover.

Radioactive Spider-Man #1

Unfriendly and unstable!

X years later, the X-Virus decimated New York — but Spider-Man won’t stop fighting. In a desperate gamble, Peter Parker doses himself with lethal radiation to hold the infection at bay. Survival comes at a cost. While this may not kill Peter Parker, it sure messes him up. This is the most dangerous, mutated Spider-Man ever — and he’s not alone.

Another Spider-Man #1? Okay. I don’t fully understand how an already radioactive superhero gets more radioactive, but I kind of dig the extra arms and tentacles. The background is appropriately radioactive looking. Solid, but…

Radioactive Spider-Man #1– Cory Smith Revelation Variant

This cover is bonkers. We talked about it on the C-3 Pod this week. The split faces at the top show the struggle between Peter Parker and this (more) irradiated Spider-Man. The only thing I take (slight) issue with are the electric blue bolts. Blue is classic for electricity. Radiation can also show up as blue, as with Cherenkov radiation in water, but canonically, Gamma radiation has been green in the comics.

The Last Wolverine #1

What happened to Wolverine?

X years later, the people of Vancouver cheer a new hero: the Wonderful Wolverine, AKA the Wendigo, Logan’s last student. But what happened to LOGAN? A secret from Wolverine’s past will set the Last Wolverine on a mission to uphold his mentor’s legacy… unless a dire threat burns it all down first!

This series premiere marks the first appearance of Wonderful Wolverine (AKA Wendigo), the last Wolverine. So… are all the Weapon X subjects going to don the whole-ass yellow and blue Wolverine suit and the Wolverine moniker? Asking for a friend. I wish the style guide for this series had more of an homage to the original suit, rather than the exact same colorway and design. A lot could have been done with clawmark stripes on the legs and chest without making it look like all these new Wolverines rummaged through Logan’s closet. Other than that, solid cover, series premiere, first appearance.

The Last Wolverine #1– 1:25 Puppeteer Lee Variant

I have the same notes about Wendigo-verine’s suit being quite obviously Logan’s yellow and blue team suit, but look at this thing. Look at it! The charcoal/pastel style leans into the animalistic nature of this version of Wolverine. Wild pose, flying detritus… Not sure if that’s a sliver moon or a tail in the background. Does Wendigo have a tail? 1:25 incentive means this is going to be a hard cover to find, and will be marked up 2-3x cover price.