Batman: The Killing Joke cover art

[Bronty]

 

There are no character pages. Then Joker before he became Joker pages. Then Batman pages. Then there are Joker pages. Then there are Batman vs. Joker pages.....then there's THAT JOKER PAGE.

 

 

 

Basically, it's like any other work. The gap between entry level and iconic isn't incremental, it's exponential.

 

Where would the Joker shooting Barbara page rank?

I think some would rank it as the second most desirable. For mer personally it wouldn't be top 5 and MAYBE not top 10.

 

I'd have to go through the book but I don't view it as #2. I don't have a problem with the subject matter per se but I would just prefer other pages visually.

[comix4fun]

 

There are no character pages. Then Joker before he became Joker pages. Then Batman pages. Then there are Joker pages. Then there are Batman vs. Joker pages.....then there's THAT JOKER PAGE.

 

 

 

Basically, it's like any other work. The gap between entry level and iconic isn't incremental, it's exponential.

 

Where would the Joker shooting Barbara page rank?

I think some would rank it as the second most desirable. For mer personally it wouldn't be top 5 and MAYBE not top 10.

 

 

It's a tough call on that page.

 

It's important to the story. It's the catalyst for everything that follows. It's also a very divisive page amongst collectors. It's value is without question but it's ranking is harder to determine because many would prefer one of the 7-8 prime battle pages between Joker and Batman above it.

[delekkerste]

And then I'd shop it privately for a million bucks.

 

I will say if someone told me that cover or that page sold for a million, I would not necessarily be shocked.

 

I'd be shocked if the page sold for a million. 50% greater than the first appearance of Wolverine page? More than 5x the Swamp Thing #1 cover? Almost 3x the McSpidey #1 cover? Almost as much as 2 DKR #3 splashes plus the Swamp Thing #1 cover??

 

I just don't see it. Even half that much I think would be pushing it. To get a million for a panel page I think it would have to be from AF #15 or something else way out of even KJ's league. Or Tintin, because Europeans are

[NinjaSealed]

And then I'd shop it privately for a million bucks.

 

I will say if someone told me that cover or that page sold for a million, I would not necessarily be shocked.

 

I'd be shocked if the page sold for a million. 50% greater than the first appearance of Wolverine page? More than 5x the Swamp Thing #1 cover? Almost 3x the McSpidey #1 cover? Almost as much as 2 DKR #3 splashes plus the Swamp Thing #1 cover??

 

I just don't see it. Even half that much I think would be pushing it. To get a million for a panel page I think it would have to be from AF #15 or something way out of even KJ's league. Or Tintin, because Europeans are

 

You do know the market far better than I, and I am a bit biased since it would be my "grail" for any interior page. However don't discount how crazy some Bats/Joker collector loons are.

[comix4fun]

And then I'd shop it privately for a million bucks.

 

I will say if someone told me that cover or that page sold for a million, I would not necessarily be shocked.

 

I'd be shocked if the page sold for a million. 50% greater than the first appearance of Wolverine page? More than 5x the Swamp Thing #1 cover? Almost 3x the McSpidey #1 cover? Almost as much as 2 DKR #3 splashes plus the Swamp Thing #1 cover??

 

I just don't see it. Even half that much I think would be pushing it. To get a million for a panel page I think it would have to be from AF #15 or something else way out of even KJ's league. Or Tintin, because Europeans are

 

 

Maybe if someone ran consecutive auctions selling a dozen Killing Joke pages and 6-8 prime Bolland covers all at the same time we can get the Joker 1/2 splash down under six figures.

 

 

[Bronty]

And then I'd shop it privately for a million bucks.

 

I will say if someone told me that cover or that page sold for a million, I would not necessarily be shocked.

 

I'd be shocked if the page sold for a million. 50% greater than the first appearance of Wolverine page? More than 5x the Swamp Thing #1 cover? Almost 3x the McSpidey #1 cover? Almost as much as 2 DKR #3 splashes plus the Swamp Thing #1 cover??

 

I just don't see it. Even half that much I think would be pushing it. To get a million for a panel page I think it would have to be from AF #15 or something else way out of even KJ's league. Or Tintin, because Europeans are

 

 

Maybe if someone ran consecutive auctions selling a dozen Killing Joke pages and 6-8 prime Bolland covers all at the same time we can get the Joker 1/2 splash down under six figures.

 

 

Call Profiles and see what they can do

 

[Nexus]

For those who have asked, the b/w images of the cover and page are scanned from stats that were made at the time of publication. They're as close as we've gotten to seeing the original art. You can find them at Michael Bair's CAF gallery...I've linked the images here a few times over the years.

 

I'm not surprised that most believe the cover would sell for more, given how the hobby values covers over interiors. But I believe we wouldn't see the typical 2X+ multiple...the results would be closer than usual. Maybe within 10-20%. And that's if they were auctioned side-by-side. If the cover gets auctioned first, and the page a cycle or two later, then I could even see the page matching the cover's value, as the market will have gotten used to that number for the most desirable KJ.

 

I picked the $200K-$300K range for both cover and page. A big result for an '80s cover, but it'd be an absolute record for an interior panel page. (As far as I know! And not including the $448K DKR interior because it's a splash, and more importantly, an outlier.) The cover is very memorable, and although not a personal favorite, if anyone wants to call it one of the best from that period, I won't argue. But, IMO, that page IS the best panel page from the same period. It's perfection. In terms of a single image, what else comes close from the '80s to that bottom panel?

 

"Wall power" can be an important consideration for art collectors. It's why twice-up often is valued higher than standard size (although I get the sense that a lot of dealers tout twice-up for its own sake, or because it's older, and have no concept of wall power). It's also one reason why covers are valued over panel pages...because singular images on covers are thought to display better on the wall. But there are exceptions and I believe this page is one of them. The wall power can't be denied!

 

So yes, cover has higher market value than page. But I take the page for my collection.

[J.Sid]

This old thread has thumbnails of all the pages...

[Comic Art Factory]

Gene,

 

A word over your remark about Tintin's panel pages prices.

 

1. It's not only Europeans who buy and/or invest in Tintin pages.

2. Most of the pages are kept in the private collection of the artist's widow and are displayed in the Herge museum in Belgium and other exhibitions. Tintin pages are then very scarce. It's also an old character and is one of the most read series all over the world. The pages available, for most of them, were given as a gift to friends or fellow artists, lost or worse. The artist never sold a page when he was alive, and his widow didn't either.

 

[delekkerste]

I picked the $200K-$300K range for both cover and page. A big result for an '80s cover, but it'd be an absolute record for an interior panel page. (As far as I know! And not including the $448K DKR interior because it's a splash, and more importantly, an outlier.)

 

If someone offered me the page for $300K right now and said I had 30 seconds to decide whether to buy it or not (so I couldn't shop it to potential buyers first), I'd pass on it. I think it's cool, but I was never blown away by KJ (pretty art, yes, but overrated in terms of story and importance IMO), so would have no interest in owning it personally at that kind of price, and would not be confident of making a profit by trying to flip it (at least not enough to make it worth the time, effort and risk).

 

On the other hand, if someone offered me the cover for $300K right now with 30 seconds to decide, I'd take it and either sell it or use it as trade bait to get something I wanted more. I'd be highly confident of getting my money out and more in that scenario.

[Nexus]

I picked the $200K-$300K range for both cover and page. A big result for an '80s cover, but it'd be an absolute record for an interior panel page. (As far as I know! And not including the $448K DKR interior because it's a splash, and more importantly, an outlier.)

 

If someone offered me the page for $300K right now and said I had 30 seconds to decide whether to buy it or not (so I couldn't shop it to potential buyers first), I'd pass on it. I think it's cool, but I was never blown away by KJ (pretty art, yes, but overrated in terms of story and importance IMO), so would have no interest in owning it personally at that kind of price, and would not be confident of making a profit by trying to flip it (at least not enough to make it worth the time, effort and risk).

 

On the other hand, if someone offered me the cover for $300K right now with 30 seconds to decide, I'd take it and either sell it or use it as trade bait to get something I wanted more. I'd be highly confident of getting my money out and more in that scenario.

 

I don't disagree with any of that. Those were just my guesses as to what they'd sell for now at auction, with no consideration to resale potential. When I think back on the mega-dollar auction sales of recent years, I doubt many were bought with resale as a primary consideration.

[comix4fun]

I picked the $200K-$300K range for both cover and page. A big result for an '80s cover, but it'd be an absolute record for an interior panel page. (As far as I know! And not including the $448K DKR interior because it's a splash, and more importantly, an outlier.)

 

If someone offered me the page for $300K right now and said I had 30 seconds to decide whether to buy it or not (so I couldn't shop it to potential buyers first), I'd pass on it. I think it's cool, but I was never blown away by KJ (pretty art, yes, but overrated in terms of story and importance IMO), so would have no interest in owning it personally at that kind of price, and would not be confident of making a profit by trying to flip it (at least not enough to make it worth the time, effort and risk).

 

On the other hand, if someone offered me the cover for $300K right now with 30 seconds to decide, I'd take it and either sell it or use it as trade bait to get something I wanted more. I'd be highly confident of getting my money out and more in that scenario.

 

I don't disagree with any of that. Those were just my guesses as to what they'd sell for now at auction, with no consideration to resale potential. When I think back on the mega-dollar auction sales of recent years, I doubt many were bought with resale as a primary consideration.

 

 

And, really, how many guys who have KJ in their wheel-house, wouldn't return a large portion of their on-paper gains made over their collecting life-span, in order to trade up to one of these?

 

I know I would.

[Bronty]

Sounds like the Bettie page is on sale at a discount

[comix4fun]

Sounds like the Bettie page is on sale at a discount

 

 

No discounts!! I need that on-paper appreciation to pay for my new Killing Joke 1/2 splash.

[Superhero]

I think the cover would go for more.

 

What's the top price paid for a KJ Panel page to this point? Or, a range? I thought I remember seeing that 20-25K was basically the entry level. Is that still about right?

 

In increasing demand and value:

 

There are no character pages. Then Joker before he became Joker pages. Then Batman pages. Then there are Joker pages. Then there are Batman vs. Joker pages.....then there's THAT JOKER PAGE.

 

4+ years ago one of the pre-Joker pages (the pages with his wife, weeping, etc) went for just short of $20k..

 

Joker shooting Barbara page was $108k pretty much exactly 2 years ago.

 

Those are just the public sales.

 

Basically, it's like any other work. The gap between entry level and iconic isn't incremental, it's exponential.

 

Chris as always articulates the point incredibly well...I say this mainly because I agree completely. I think the Joker shooting Barbara page only got that price for it historical factor and not as a representation of what other pages would bring so it should not be considered as an accurate barometer for the value of the pages.

[zhamlau]

I picked the $200K-$300K range for both cover and page. A big result for an '80s cover, but it'd be an absolute record for an interior panel page. (As far as I know! And not including the $448K DKR interior because it's a splash, and more importantly, an outlier.)

 

If someone offered me the page for $300K right now and said I had 30 seconds to decide whether to buy it or not (so I couldn't shop it to potential buyers first), I'd pass on it. I think it's cool, but I was never blown away by KJ (pretty art, yes, but overrated in terms of story and importance IMO), so would have no interest in owning it personally at that kind of price, and would not be confident of making a profit by trying to flip it (at least not enough to make it worth the time, effort and risk).

 

On the other hand, if someone offered me the cover for $300K right now with 30 seconds to decide, I'd take it and either sell it or use it as trade bait to get something I wanted more. I'd be highly confident of getting my money out and more in that scenario.

 

That page could be used to murder someone trade wise. That's probably the single most iconic panel of the decade. Price is meaningless on that page. It's the definitive joker image of all time. It would net you a profit evenin trade at that price.

[DeadpoolJr.]

I picked the $200K-$300K range for both cover and page. A big result for an '80s cover, but it'd be an absolute record for an interior panel page. (As far as I know! And not including the $448K DKR interior because it's a splash, and more importantly, an outlier.)

 

If someone offered me the page for $300K right now and said I had 30 seconds to decide whether to buy it or not (so I couldn't shop it to potential buyers first), I'd pass on it. I think it's cool, but I was never blown away by KJ (pretty art, yes, but overrated in terms of story and importance IMO), so would have no interest in owning it personally at that kind of price, and would not be confident of making a profit by trying to flip it (at least not enough to make it worth the time, effort and risk).

 

On the other hand, if someone offered me the cover for $300K right now with 30 seconds to decide, I'd take it and either sell it or use it as trade bait to get something I wanted more. I'd be highly confident of getting my money out and more in that scenario.

How many Enric Vampirella paintings could you get for that?

[delekkerste]

On the other hand, if someone offered me the cover for $300K right now with 30 seconds to decide, I'd take it and either sell it or use it as trade bait to get something I wanted more. I'd be highly confident of getting my money out and more in that scenario.

How many Enric Vampirella paintings could you get for that?

 

I doubt you could even find $300K worth of Enric Vampi paintings to buy, ...

[buyatari]

I think the cover would go for more.

 

What's the top price paid for a KJ Panel page to this point? Or, a range? I thought I remember seeing that 20-25K was basically the entry level. Is that still about right?

 

In increasing demand and value:

 

There are no character pages. Then Joker before he became Joker pages. Then Batman pages. Then there are Joker pages. Then there are Batman vs. Joker pages.....then there's THAT JOKER PAGE.

 

4+ years ago one of the pre-Joker pages (the pages with his wife, weeping, etc) went for just short of $20k..

 

Joker shooting Barbara page was $108k pretty much exactly 2 years ago.

 

Those are just the public sales.

 

Basically, it's like any other work. The gap between entry level and iconic isn't incremental, it's exponential.

 

Chris as always articulates the point incredibly well...I say this mainly because I agree completely. I think the Joker shooting Barbara page only got that price for it historical factor and not as a representation of what other pages would bring so it should not be considered as an accurate barometer for the value of the pages.

 

Perhaps at the time it sold it it did but now the other pages have higher ceilings because of that sale.

[Murray G]

I can't see the blu-ray having any effect on the price of Killing Joke OA. I always loved the art, but hated the actual story. Morrison's theory on how the book really ends is interesting though. jmo