Red Hood #1 Hits $40 on eBay, Becomes Must-Have Collector’s Comic
In the wild world of comic book collecting, controversy often breeds cash. The latest firestorm to send collectors scrambling and prices soaring involves DC Comics’ recently released Red Hood #1. What was once a standard $4.99 comic book has exploded on the secondary market, with its eBay value skyrocketing after DC made the shocking decision to pull the entire series from publication.
The cancellation, a dramatic move by any standard, was a direct response to a social media firestorm surrounding the comic’s writer, Gretchen Felker-Martin. Her controversial comments about the late political commentator Charlie Kirk ignited a blaze of media attention that spread from niche comic sites to mainstream outlets like The Hollywood Reporter and CNN. This whirlwind of publicity, while leading to the comic’s demise, simultaneously created a collector’s frenzy. Suddenly, Red Hood #1 wasn’t just a comic book; it was a piece of forbidden history.
The Red Hood eBay Gold Rush
Like sharks smelling blood in the water, sellers on eBay were quick to capitalize. Almost overnight, the standard cover of Red Hood #1 saw its value multiply. Copies were snatched up for as much as $40, a staggering increase from its cover price. While the initial peak has since cooled to a still-impressive $25-$30 range, the variant covers are where the real treasure lies.
The Jae Lee cardstock variant is consistently fetching around $40, while the rarer Jim Lee variant has hit the $50 mark. But the crown jewel for collectors is the 1:25 variant cover, which peaked at a stunning $100 before settling around a still-hefty $55. Even the Gotham Sampler, a free promotional comic featuring a Red Hood preview, became a hot commodity, selling for $5 a pop despite DC‘s instructions for it to be a giveaway. It seems when a comic becomes infamous, even the freebies have a price.
Controversy and Collectibility: A History of Recalled Comics
This isn’t the first time a Batman-related comic book has been pulled from the shelves only to become a collector’s item. History shows that when controversy and the Caped Crusader mix, market values tend to hold strong.
Remember Batman: Damned #1 from 2018? The infamous “Batpenis” issue, which featured a full-frontal glimpse of Bruce Wayne, caused a media sensation that reached the heights of late-night television. DC, under new leadership, swiftly withdrew the comic, leading to an immediate price hike. Years later, uncorrected copies still command around $90 on eBay, proving that scandal has a long shelf life.
Then there was All-Star Batman And Robin The Boy Wonder #10. Published in 2008, the issue was recalled after it was discovered that the black bars censoring explicit language were not quite opaque enough. This “error” led to the firing of an editor and created an instant collectible. Today, a recalled copy can sell for $40, with high-grade graded versions hitting $150.
The Dilemma for Retailers and Collectors
The sudden surge in the Red Hood comic book’s value presents a moral and financial quandary for comic shop owners. DC Comics has already refunded retailers for their orders, so any sales are pure profit. Some retailers, outraged by Felker-Martin’s comments or wary of the controversy, have chosen not to sell their copies at all. Others, seeing a quick payday in challenging economic times, have listed their stock online.
It’s a delicate dance. On one hand, selling the comic book could be seen as profiting from a tragedy. On the other, the demand is undeniable. One retailer shared a more nuanced approach, selling his copies at cover price to young, curious readers genuinely interested in the story, rather than to known eBay flippers. It’s a move that prioritizes building the next generation of comic book fans over making a quick buck.
For collectors and investors, the question is whether the Red Hood comic book will maintain its high eBay value. While it’s not technically rare—DC ran a promotion encouraging large orders—the perception of scarcity fueled by intense media coverage has created a powerful market force. For now, it seems Red Hood #1 has joined the ranks of infamous, recalled comics that are worth more canceled than they ever were on the shelf.
