2023 Hottest 20

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

Marvel May 1968

Iron Man #1

Iron Man #1
View Series Variants (2)
Low
$130
Mid
$385
High
$1.1K
View on eBay
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
Marvel Jun 1982

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

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #1
View Series Variants (13)
Low
$18
Mid
$60
High
$180
View on eBay
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
Marvel Oct 1970

Conan the Barbarian #1

Conan the Barbarian #1
View Series Variants (3)
Low
$100
Mid
$300
High
$1K
View on eBay
1st appearance of Conan the Barbarian
1st cameo appearance of King Kull
[March 2026 - A King Conan movie is moving forward at 20th Century Studios, with Christopher McQuarrie (Mission: Impossible) writing and directing, and Arnold Schwarzenegger returning to portray the aging barbarian]
Marvel Nov 1992

Spider-Man 2099 #1

Spider-Man 2099 #1
View Series Variants (4)
Low
$1
Mid
$2
High
$10
View on eBay
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
DC Oct 1972

Swamp Thing #1

Swamp Thing #1
View Series Variants (9)
Low
$30
Mid
$90
High
$300
View on eBay
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
Marvel Oct 2011

Ultimate Fallout #4

Ultimate Fallout #4
View Series Variants (26)
Low
$25
Mid
$90
High
$300
View on eBay
1st appearance of Miles Morales, Spider-Man from an alternate reality
Distributed in a polybag
Diamond Comics Distributors estimates 65,000 copies of the first printing were shipped
Marvel Jul 1977

Star Wars #1

Star Wars #1
View Series Variants (24)
Low
$30
Mid
$90
High
$300
View on eBay
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
1st appearance of General Tagge
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
Marvel Feb 1980

Uncanny X-Men #130

Uncanny X-Men #130
View Series Variants (8)
Low
$18
Mid
$60
High
$180
View on eBay
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
DC Jun 1983

Omega Men #3

Omega Men #3
View Series Variants (11)
Low
$10
Mid
$30
High
$100
View on eBay
1st appearance of Lobo, an intergalactic bounty hunter
[January 2023 - Jason Momoa speculated to play Lobo in James Gunn's DC films / December 2024 - confirmed]
Marvel Feb 1991

New Mutants #98

New Mutants #98
View Series Variants (14)
Low
$40
Mid
$120
High
$400
View on eBay
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

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