Welcome back to Hammer Drops, where we discuss the how’s and why’s of prices we are seeing for items sold at auction! Today, we’re looking at how movie hype changes price over time with Lot #154 from our May 30th session.
The Lot
1986’s Legends #1-6 was DC’s second major crossover event, coming hot on the heels of the Crisis on Infinite Earths, and it established a lot of DC’s post-Crisis universe. It took full advantage of the newly minted shared history of characters like Blue Beetle, Dr. Fate, Captain Marvel (AKA Shazam), and Batman and introduced a brand new Justice League that featured these characters. Issue #3 introduced the darker, spy fiction side of the DCU that would define the Post-Crisis 80s in the form of the Task Force X – better known as The Suicide Squad.
The Suicide Squad would be spun off into their own series soon after, which would last 66 fan-favorite issues. In 2011, the Suicide Squad would become a key part of DC’s New 52 line. And in 2016, a big screen adaptation was released as one of the opening salvos in Warner Bros. DC Extended Universe.
(Stock Image Used)
The Teachable Moment: Strike While The Iron is Hot
In 2015 & 2016, between the release of the trailer and the film itself, Legends #3 was going for anywhere between $30 & $50 alone and ungraded. Lots of the entire mini-series would go for similar sums, with lots missing #3 being valued at considerably less – it is clear the price was more “#3 plus the other five” rather than that of a set.
And then the movie came out. The flick was financially successful but widely derided as not very good, to the point where the sequel coming next year is a soft reboot entitled “The Suicide Squad” (definite articles not usually signifying sequels). Value of Legends #3 & other Suicide Squad keys cratered back down near pre-movie levels, as seen by Lot #154 closing at $20.
Of course, one snapshot in time is never the end of the story. We’ll have to wait and see if hype for the next movie will cause another major spike.
See you next time for another installment of Hammer Drops!
