Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel #1

Synopsis

An unstoppable super-villain attacks New York City–and the Mighty Avengers fall before him! Where did Anti-Man come from? And who can stop his overwhelming rampage?! Now Iron Man races to find the only man who’s ever defeated Anti-Man– THE BLUE MARVEL…a hero the world hasn’t seen since 1961! Will Tony Stark uncover the truth behind Blue Marvel’s disappearance…and will Blue Marvel ever recover from it? Kevin Grevioux (NEW WARRIORS) and Mat Broome (The End League) join forces to create Marvel’s newest powerhouse super hero!

Notes

I feel like I have more questions than answers about this Black Comic Key.  Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel is one of the most valuable Modern Black Keys out there.  Fair market value is estimated at $1,060 for a CGC 9.6. (info via gocollect.com).  As a collector, this book is important due to the fact that both the writer and artist, Kevin Grevioux and Mat Broome, are both African-American.  This rarely happens at Marvel and DC.  This may also be the first Marvel superhero created by a Black creator, debuting in his own solo book. 

What’s amazing to me is how well this book out performs so many similar Black superheroes in the market.  Specifically Black heroes who fit into the traditional “Super Man” motif.  Blue Marvel premiered over a decade after Icon (Milestone Media) and Steel (DC), and the same year as Calvin Ellis (Superman of Earth –23) and yet his debut is hundreds times more valuable. 

As a rookie collector I can only suspect that the biggest determining factor is that Blue Marvel is a Marvel property and benefits directly from the Disney/MCU machine.  There was even a ton of buzz around the idea Monica Rambeau may have hinted at a possible Adam Bashear debut in the Disney + show WandaVision.  It didn’t pan out but I suspect this book will only increase in value as fans look forward to a possible introduction in the upcoming Marvels show.

For more insight about the creatoion of Blue Marvel check out this interview from The Black Comic Lords with writer/creator Kevin Grevioux.