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ROM Spaceknight -- Why the Jump in Value?
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16 posts in this topic

Have been a ROM fan since issue #1 came out when I was in 7th grade.  But for decades, the value of that #1 held solid at about $3.00.  Now suddenly, I'm going to cons and seeing it for $30 to $60.  What happened lately?  Movie coming out?  Did everyone else suddenly figure out how awesome this title is?  What gives?

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14 minutes ago, RonS2112 said:

Have been a ROM fan since issue #1 came out when I was in 7th grade.  But for decades, the value of that #1 held solid at about $3.00.  Now suddenly, I'm going to cons and seeing it for $30 to $60.  What happened lately?  Movie coming out?  Did everyone else suddenly figure out how awesome this title is?  What gives?

Only thing I can think of is James Gunn was open about his love of ROM, and wanting to work with the character.... Or, it could just be that every first appearance is climbing...

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On ‎5‎/‎21‎/‎2019 at 10:23 AM, RonS2112 said:

Have been a ROM fan since issue #1 came out when I was in 7th grade.  But for decades, the value of that #1 held solid at about $3.00.  Now suddenly, I'm going to cons and seeing it for $30 to $60.  What happened lately?  Movie coming out?  Did everyone else suddenly figure out how awesome this title is?  What gives?

Well. I think we've come complete circle now and all of those Atkins, Berstein, Zone, etc diets have worn thin so people are back to eating carbs again, back to enjoying their morning slices of toast, and ROM reminds them of their toaster, hence the rise in price for ROM #1

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I think a lot of people who were readers of it as it came out (70 issues for what was a toy tie-in comic is good) are now just in a period where they can finally start collecting stuff from having an income.  Same for ROM art. It used to be one of the more affordable titles but now a good page will be in the 4 figure range. 

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On 5/26/2019 at 12:21 AM, divad said:

And your point being? hm

The point is that this is not something new, Rom 1 had its bump several years ago. Heck, she hulk 1 and MS. Marvel 1 were $1-3 box books not long ago. A lot of late 70s stuff was being ignored.

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On 5/21/2019 at 7:23 AM, RonS2112 said:

Have been a ROM fan since issue #1 came out when I was in 7th grade.  

@the_blob My point was play along with his enthusiasm - don't burst his new-found bubble. :grin:

 

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On 5/21/2019 at 7:23 AM, RonS2112 said:

Have been a ROM fan since issue #1 came out when I was in 7th grade.  But for decades, the value of that #1 held solid at about $3.00.  Now suddenly, I'm going to cons and seeing it for $30 to $60.  What happened lately?  Movie coming out?  Did everyone else suddenly figure out how awesome this title is?  What gives?

WTTB!

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I was a huge ROM fan, and actually had a letter printed in one issue. ROM was classic Marvel storytelling - the misunderstood outsider hero struggling to protect those who persecuted him. I might be overstating it, but he seems to be the last "pure" Marvel hero built in this mold. And although he was licensed from a toy, the toy died a quick death, and the comic ended up with a lot more freedom than might have been anticipated. In addition, unlike the other licensed titles of the time (Micronauts, Shogun Warriors, Star Trek, Star Wars), the ROM title was fully embedded into the Marvel Universe. Marvel characters might occasionally guest star in Micronauts or Shogun Warriors, but they were constantly appearing in ROM - Doctor Strange, the X-Men, Nova, the Fantastic Four, Alpha Flight, Shang Chi, Galactus, Jack of Hearts, and so on. And he guest-starred in other titles, like Power Man and Iron Fist, and Marvel Two-in-One.

Though there have been movie rumours in recent years (ROM could be part of the "Hasbroverse" with GI Joe and Transformers), I think the recent price jumps are mostly a result of positive nostalgia, and a bit of FOMO as prices jump on so many other bronze Marvel #1s.

 

Edited by Brock
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