It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a new comic dominating like Absolute Batman. Let’s take a look to see how this series is blowing up the comic book market.
Number One with a Bullet
Just a little over a year ago, DC released the first book in their all-new Absolute Universe line with Absolute Batman #1. Set in an alternate universe with reimagined characters, other heroes like Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern quickly joined the line. Akin to what Marvel did with Ultimate Spider-Man twenty-five years ago, the Absolute DC line is a hit, and none more so than Absolute Batman.
The series quickly shot to the top of the new release charts and has stayed there ever since. Writer Scott Snyder and artist Nick Dragotta have created a phenom that has clearly captured fans’ imaginations and given new life to DC’s top superhero. It isn’t just the amazing performance of the copies when they hit comic shop stands, either. Back issues are selling like crazy, both in terms of prices and volume.
Absolute Batman #1
To say that Absolute Batman #1 is the hottest book in the back issue comic book market would be an understatement. There are already 3,730 copies in CGC’s population report, a number that is virtually unheard of for a comic just a little over a year old. And they’re selling like crazy.
Since November 1, more than a hundred graded copies have sold; all this for a comic with an initial print run of at least 250,000. Add in reprints, and there’s something like 400,000 copies floating around out there. But that doesn’t matter to collectors. This book is hot and they want a graded copy. On November 30, a 9.8 sold in an eBay auction for $401! While it’s the current record holder, it wouldn’t shock anyone if a copy sold for more before the end of the year.
I know a lot of collectors out there will say that anyone paying prices like that for a modern comic with a high print run is absolutely crazy. However, right now this is THE comic above and beyond anything else. Walk into any comic shop or any comic show and this is what people are talking about. Absolute Batman is now the zeitgeist comic for the 2020s. It has resonated with fans in a way that we haven’t seen in years.
Will prices cool down for Absolute Batman #1 in the future? Likely. But people aren’t just buying this comic with price being a primary concern. They want it because it’s important to them. That’s something that market prognosticators sometimes fail to take into account. Could you find a raw copy cheaper and save money by sending it in for grading? Definitely. But the market is showing that collectors are more than willing to pay top dollar for a graded copy now. They don’t want to wait. It’s that important to them. You can bemoan it all you like, but that won’t stop fans’ affection for this series driving them to pay high prices for something that matters to them.
Subsequent Issues
While the CGC population count of graded copies is much lower, other issues continue to perform well in the back issue market. There are 165 graded copies of Absolute Batman #2 with a 30-day average sales price of $104 for a 9.8, much higher than the $82 90-day average and $50 one-year average. Absolute Batman #6, which revealed the Joker as the primary antagonist for the actions in the first story arc, is already seeing sales reaching $100. Absolute Batman #15, scheduled to be released on December 10 and featuring the origin of the Joker in the Absolute Universe, is widely expected to be one of DC’s biggest sellers in decades. It will likely perform well in the back issue market shortly after its release.
Analysis
When it comes to Absolute Batman, we’ve entered uncharted territory. The Absolute Universe has reinvigorated fans’ interest in DC Comics. As a result, expectations for what the market will bear in terms of price can, for good or bad, be thrown out the window. When a comic is selling this well based on the huge interest of fans and collectors, the market is clearly able to bear more than most experts imagined.
