Premiere issue of an ongoing series in the Absolute Universe, a dimension built on Darkseid energy
Introduction of Alfred Pennyworth, an M16 agent
Introduction of Black Mask
Introduction of Waylon Jones, Killer Crock in the mainstream universe
Introduction of Martha Wayne, Commissioner Gordon, Barbara Gordon, Harvey Bullock
Introduction of Selina Kyle, Oswald Cobblepot, Edward Nygma, Harvey Dent - as children in a photograph
Introduction of Matches Malone
Introduction of Joker, first cameo appearance
Introduction of Julia Pennyworth, cameo appearance
Introduction and death of Thomas Wayne
1st team appearance of the Party Animals, led by Black Mask
Absolute Batman #1 preceded by a 16-page black and white ashcan preview
🏅#1 on the Hot 10
This week played host to a handful of new all-time high sales of Absolute Batman #1 cover A and its variants:
THIS WEEK’S RECORD-BREAKING SALES [Previous High In Brackets]
9.6 sold for $125 [$90 in Mar] +39%
9.0 sold for $100 [$97 in Jun] +3%
KIRKHAM VARIANT 9.8 sold for $99 [$76 in Mar] +30%
SECOND PRINTNG 9.8 sold for $80 [$72 in Apr] +11%
SECOND PRINTNG DESIGN VARIANT 9.8 sold for $899 [$600 in Oct] +50%
THIRD PRINTNG OPENA VARIANT 9.8 sold for $80 [$55 in Mar] +45%
FOURTH PRINTNG DRAGOTTA FOIL VARIANT 9.8 sold for $50 [No Previous Data]
NINTH PRINTNG DRAGOTTA FOIL 'BATMAN DAY' VARIANT 9.9 sold for $115 [No Previous Data]
The following datapoints are not record-breaking sales but individual transactions that sold for higher than the twelve-month average:
9.8 sold for $220 vs the average $111 (+98%)
FERNANDEZ 'AKIRA' VARIANT 9.8 sold for $679 vs the average $364 (+87%)
DRAGOTTA FOIL VARIANT 9.8 sold for $138 vs the average $94 (+47%)
LEE VIRGIN SKETCH VARIANT 9.8 sold for $329 vs the average $303 (+9%)
LEE VIRGIN VARIANT 9.8 sold for $98 vs the average $67 (+46%)
YOUNG VARIANT 9.8 sold for $159 vs the average $149 (+7%)
TAN VARIANT 9.8 sold for $117 vs the average $112 (+4%)
SECOND PRINTNG DRAGOTTA FOIL 9.8 sold for $65 vs the average $44 (+48%)
SECOND PRINTNG DRAGOTTA SKETCH 9.8 sold for $100 vs the average $89 (+12%)
THIRD PRINTNG DRAGOTTA FOIL 9.8 sold for $60 vs the average $42 (+43%)
AKIRA SKETCH 9.8 sold for $130 vs the average $102 (+27%)
Leveling up from the Key Collector Comics Trending 20 list, Absolute Batman #1 earns a well-deserved spot on the Hot 10 and, impressively, holds the #1 position
Increased demand is evident on the secondary market, as Absolute Batman #1 graded 9.8 now commands double the price compared to the beginning of the year
The following is the average sale price for 9.8 copies in each month of 2025:
November: $195 (27 sales)
October: $175 (52 sales)
September: $125 (43 sales)
August: $110 (42 sales)
July: $110 (33 sales)
June: $100 (34 sales)
May: $93 (61 sales)
April: $97 (77 sales)
March: $94 (84 sales)
February: $100 (69 sales)
January: $104 (91 sales)
Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta’s Absolute Batman continues to stand out as the flagship title of the re-imagined DC Universe
The series is receiving an additional boost in attention due to excitement for Absolute Batman #15, which promises to answer long-gestating questions about the mysterious, possibly demonic version of Batman’s arch-nemesis, the Joker
Adding to interest in the title is last week’s Absolute Batman Annual which made headlines for its main story that depicts Batman confronting white nationalists
