Weekly FOC Picks & Speculation — August 17–23, 2026

|Superhero Empire
Weekly FOC Picks & Speculation — August 17–23, 2026

Another week, another stack of books worth a second look before the order window closes. From an Absolute Universe reveal timed to hit right as the DCU movie machine ramps up, to a Spider-Man relaunch and a costume change three years in the making, here's what's moving the needle in the speculation world this week — plus where to grab copies before they're gone.

Absolute Batman #23 — The Debut of Absolute Clayface

DC's Absolute Universe has been the single hottest engine in comics since it launched, and Absolute Batman #23 is the issue speculators have been circling for weeks. Batman is forced into a brutal, self-destructive showdown to save the Robins — and the issue marks the first appearance of Absolute Clayface, a grotesque, body-horror reinvention of the classic villain that's already drawing comparisons to The Thing and House of Wax. With the DCU's live-action Clayface movie landing in theaters this October, a strong first-appearance candidate landing right in front of that release window is exactly the kind of setup collectors chase. The Absolute line as a whole continues to post some of the strongest back-issue demand in the market, which only adds fuel here.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1 — A New Era Begins

Marvel kicked off a fresh chapter for Miles Morales with a new #1, written by Bryan Hill (Ultimate Black Panther) with art from Nico Leon and a cover from Stormbreaker Simone Di Meo. The setup is deceptively simple — homework, a crush, and Brooklyn to protect — until a vengeful figure from Jeff Morales' S.H.I.E.L.D. past resurfaces to threaten Miles and his entire family. New-reader-friendly #1 launches with a strong creative team are consistently among the most collected books on shelves, and this one arrived with a deep bench of variant covers to match the demand.

Venom #260 — Eddie Brock's New Costume, For Real This Time

After months of teases and a fake-out or two, Eddie Brock finally suits up in a genuinely new Venom design in Venom #260 — the payoff to a storyline that kicked off when Dylan Brock was killed by Carnage and granted an audience with the Eventuality. Costume-change issues have a long track record in this hobby (see: Spider-Man's black suit, Venom's own many redesigns over the decades), and a confirmed, permanent-looking redesign for a flagship Marvel symbiote character is the kind of book that tends to get scooped up fast off the shelf.

JSA #22 — A New Spectre Rises

The Spectre's rampage has torn through the Justice Society, and JSA #22 answers the question fans have been asking all arc: who takes on the mantle when the dust settles? A new character stepping into one of DC's oldest and most powerful identities is exactly the type of "first appearance in the new role" moment that speculators track closely, especially with the JSA series building toward its endgame.

Batman and Robin: Year One – Dynamic Duos #3 — The Clayface Connection

Mark Waid and Chris Samnee's beloved Batman and Robin: Year One is back with the Dynamic Duos sequel, and issue #3 pits the pair against the Mad Hatter while Robin goes undercover with a gang of kids terrorizing Gotham. Worth flagging for spec purposes: this issue's Cover E from Brian Bolland is a "Clayface Movie" card stock variant, riding the same pre-release wave that's driving interest in Absolute Batman #23 above. With Clayface suddenly everywhere ahead of October, tie-in covers like this one are picking up extra attention.

Also On Our Radar

A few more books worth keeping an eye on before this week's order window closes: Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 and the rest of the Absolute Universe line-up remain in heavy demand on the back-issue market as the imprint's darker takes on DC's icons continue to outperform expectations, and Batman Day exclusives are drawing extra foot traffic into shops as collectors chase convention-style exclusives without the convention.

As always with speculation: buy what you love to read first, treat anything beyond that as a bonus, and never chase a book you wouldn't be happy owning at cover price.

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