Posted in: Batman, Comics, DC Comics, Image, Justice League, Superman | Tagged: absolute, Absolute Batman, avengelyne, Chainkata!, CVhainkata, dc connect, hottest comics, infinite crisis, savage dragon, Tomb raider
DC Comics Catalog Tops The Hottest Comics For San Diego Comic-Con Week
DC Comics Catalog leads The Top Ten Hottest Comics for San Diego Comic-Con Week for the first appearance of Absolute Batman
Article Summary
- Top Ten Hottest Comics for San Diego Comic-Con week is led by DC Connect #51, the first glimpse of Absolute Batman.
- Rob Liefeld’s Avengelyne return and Daniel Warren Johnson’s Chainkata ashcans are driving major SDCC buzz.
- Blue Beetle heat lifts Infinite Crisis #5 variants, while Tomb Raider and Madelyne Pryor keys climb fast.
- Savage Dragon #280 controversy and X-Men ’97 momentum keep collectors chasing the week’s hottest comics.
San Diego Comic-Con starts tomorrow, but there is already big news being released. Rob Liefeld is bringing new life to one of his classic characters, Avengylene. Daniel Warren Johnson‘s new seriesChainkata is generating tons of buzz, and the news thatXolo Maridueña will be reprising his role as Blue Beetle in the Man of Tomorrow film is driving certain fans wild.Tomb Raider and Madelyne Prior make headlines of their own as a very specific Savage Dragon issue continues to be chased. And a new Absolute Universe key hits the top lists this week… DC Connect is not even a comic book; it’s a catalogue… all courtesy of Covrprice, with a Bleeding Cool tag to keep up withprevious editions.
- DC CONNECT #51 – DANIEL SAMPERE | DC | JULY 2024The Absolute Universe is a huge mega-hit for DC. Since its debut, the Absolute Universe has attracted old and new fans alike. When ABSOLUTE BATMAN hit the stands, the universe took off! A year later, DC announced an ABSOLUTE BATMAN anime in the works, taking the universe to the small screen. It’s clear that DC is invested in the Absolute Universe, and fans have been combing the aftermarket for key issues as the universe grows. This DC CONNECT catalogue is the first time fans saw the Absolute versions of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. It predates DC ALL IN SPECIAL #1 by 3 months! We tracked it at a high sale of $48 for a VF copy and a current raw NM FMV of $33.
- AVENGELYNE VOL 1 #1 | MAXIMUM PRESS | MAY 1995 Rob Liefeld is breathing new life into Avengelyne before the end of the year! Fans of the character are going to be excited to hear that October will mark the launch of a new series. In case you did not know, this isn’t the only exciting news for Avengelyne. The film, starring Margot Robbie and directed by Olivia Wilde, is still in the works! Fans of the character are taking the opportunity to stock up on the first appearance! We tracked it at a high sale of $16 for a NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $8.
- INFINITE CRISIS #5 – JIM LEE – DIRECT | DC | MARCH 2006 Xolo Maridueña will reprise his role as Jaime Reyes, aka Blue Beetle, in the upcoming Man of Tomorrow film. There hasn’t been any official confirmation from the studio, but the news broke through a trusted source. Since the news was released, this first appearance comic has been a big seller on the aftermarket. Man of Tomorrow is already scheduled to be a jam-packed sequel, featuring Superman, Lex Luthor, Brainiac and others. If this news is true, it looks like Man of Tomorrow might be an ensemble film for Superman’s second appearance on the silver screen. We tracked it at a high sale of $20 for a NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $17.
- CHAINKATA #ASHCAN – DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON – RETAILER PREVIEW | IMAGE | JULY 2026 Chicks. Chainsaws. In space. That is how this new story by fan-favourite Daniel Warren Johnson has been marketing itself. And it’s damn good marketing. The simplicity of the premise has caught many fans’ attention, prompting them to crave more about this new project. This past week, fans were treated to an unexpected ashcan that was sent to retailers. The ashcan was a one-per-store release, giving the lucky fan who acquired one a first glimpse into the series. The black-and-white cover was also appealing to many, as they hunted down the ashcan on the aftermarket! We tracked it at a high sale of $125 for a NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $124.
- TOMB RAIDER / WITCHBLADE VOL 1 #1 – MICHAEL TURNER – COVER A – BLUE | TOP COW PRODUCTIONS | DECEMBER 1997 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of the Tomb Raider franchise! In celebration, many projects are in the works for the adventurous heroine. A fourth Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis mini-documentary was just announced, detailing how the game of the same name was created and updated for the 2027 rerelease. If you haven’t watched any of these, you can catch them on YouTube. Additionally, a Kickstarter reached its funding goal to create a highly anticipated board game called Tomb Raider: Crypt of Chronos. In addition to this board game, there is a new video game releasing, Tomb Raider: Catalyst, in February 2027. She’s also being added to the G.I. Joe roster and, if that wasn’t enough, Prime Video’s Tomb Raider reboot is still moving forward, with Sophie Turner starring in the role. Safe to say that Tomb Raider has a lot going on for 2026 through 2027! All this hype has caused her first appearance in comics to skyrocket! We tracked it at a high sale of $45 for a NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $28.
- SAVAGE DRAGON #280 – ERIK LARSEN – 1970S RETRO | IMAGE | JULY 2026 If you’re still looking for the infamous Savage Dragon “splash page”, you’re not alone! The controversy that struck at the beginning of the month is still fueling sales. A proper scan of the final panel has still not surfaced online, or been made easily searchable, and fans lose patience each week. As curiosity grows, the aftermarket buzzes as everyone hunts down the Savage Dragon comic that made waves for the graphic panel at the end of the issue! We tracked it at a high sale of $119 for a NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $90
- X-MEN VOL 1 #234 – DIRECT | MARVEL | SEPTEMBER 1988 This book is a real surprise for those who don’t usually read the “Letters to the Editor” portion of comic books. For a fan who did, they saw some interesting news. In X-MEN #33, which was released on July 15, a fan wrote to the editor, asking about future appearances for Madelyne Prior. In a very cryptic response, they received a reply that there is a project releasing towards the end of the year that would be of interest. That’s it! There’s really nothing more to go on, but that response was enough for collectors to begin stockpiling this issue before any official news releases this weekend at SDCC! We tracked it at a high sale of $35 for a NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $12.
- X-FACTOR VOL 1 #24 – NEWSSTAND | MARVEL | JANUARY 1988 X-Men ’97 season 2 debuted on the first of this month. It has been released weekly, and fans have been able to enjoy yet another stellar season of the beloved X-Men. This season has introduced several new characters. Archangel, one of those new characters, has played a prominent role in this season, serving as one of Cable’s X-Factor team. The team also includes Psylocke, Sunspot, and Jubilee. Their primary mission has been to hunt Apocalypse, and Archangel still has a larger role to play in the story! We tracked it at a high sale of $40 for a NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $30.
- CHAINKATA #ASHCAN – DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON – 2026 SDCC | IMAGE | JULY 2026 CHAINKATA is gearing up to be the next big event in comic books! With a superstar like Daniel Warren Johnson at the helm, the “chicks with chainsaws in space” is really building up hype! An ashcan was released last week: a one-per-store black-and-white cover ashcan. For those who missed out, a full-colour cover will be released this weekend at SDCC! We tracked it at a high sale of $80 for an NM copy and a current raw NM FMV of $65.
- INFINITE CRISIS #5 – GEORGE PEREZ – DIRECT | DC | MARCH 2006 While not officially confirmed, a reputable source recently announced that Xolo Maridueña will be reprising his role as Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes) in the latest Superman film, Man of Tomorrow. Even though it has not been made official, in 2023, James Gunn referred to Maridueña’s Blue Beetle as the first new DCU character, suggesting it was always the plan for Maridueña to return to the role. As keys for this issue are being bought, fans turn to other variants to collect as well. And what better variant than one illustrated by the late comic book legend, George Perez! We tracked it at a high sale of $89 for a Graded 9.8 copy and a current raw NM FMV of $8.
Disclaimer: CovrPrice’s Top 10 list is automatically generated from real aftermarket sales data and is not manually curated. It reflects the week’s top trending comic books based on a weighted mix of sales volume and price movement. This list is not a recommendation on what to buy. It simply shows what collectors are actively purchasing online and how those choices shape the market for the week ending Sunday, July 19th, 2026.
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