The collaborative sketch cover for Absolute Batman #25—drawn live by Jim Lee alongside Nick Dragotta and Clay Mann—sold for $18,850 on WhatNot last night, underscoring surging collector demand for original art tied to DC’s relaunch. The result not only set a new high for the line but also highlights how livestreamed art events are reshaping the comics secondary market.
DC’s president and publisher, Jim Lee, had teased the session on Instagram, announcing a joint drawing jam that would be broadcast on WhatNot for bidding and on Twitch for viewers. The piece drew intense interest during the stream and ultimately went to buyer Scoopflow for the headline amount.
Why the sale matters now
Aside from the headline price, the auction is notable because it came during an amplified moment for DC: the company’s so‑called Absolute Universe titles are selling strongly, and the relaunch — commonly referred to as DC All‑In — has put marquee characters back in the spotlight. For collectors, the combination of high-profile creators and a live, participatory auction model is proving especially lucrative.
Record-wise, this sale nudged past the prior top price for an Absolute title: Dan Quintana’s sketch cover for Absolute Batman #13, which closed at $18,550 after a longer, more involved creation process.
- Final sale: $18,850
- Artists involved: Jim Lee, Nick Dragotta, Clay Mann
- Platform: WhatNot (bidding); Twitch (live stream)
- Buyer: Scoopflow
- Previous record: $18,550 for an Absolute Batman #13 sketch cover
Sketch covers and their appeal
Sketch covers are blank or specially prepared variants sold so buyers can commission creators to draw directly on the cover stock. That immediacy—owning a one‑of‑a‑kind piece created in real time—carries premium value, particularly when several well‑known artists collaborate in a public forum.
Creators such as Frank Cho have previously used sketch covers to build distinctive bodies of work, even prompting publisher policy adjustments in some cases. The format remains a direct line to collectors who prize originality and provenance.
Where this fits in DC’s bigger push
Industry reporting first flagged the wave of relaunch plans in 2023, with the initiative formalized under a 2024 umbrella that reboots familiar franchises. The effort, steered creatively by Scott Snyder, brought high-profile contributors—names like Kelly Thompson, Jason Aaron and Al Ewing—onto flagship titles including Absolute Batman, Absolute Wonder Woman, and Absolute Superman.
Those books have performed strongly: some issues in the Absolute line have sold in excess of 500,000 copies, a level of demand that helps drive enthusiasm for related original art and variant markets.
For publishers, artists and collectors alike, the sale is a data point: live drawing events and platform auctions can translate directly into market value, while premium variant programs remain an effective way to monetize and spotlight top creators.
Similar Posts
- Batman comics commanding $1,500+ on eBay: 52 sales that shocked collectors
- Werther Dell’Edera tapped for Absolute Batman guest-artist spotlight
- Batman art shakeup: Cliff Chiang tapped for Absolute Batman #26, NYCC confirms
- Absolute Batman #24 orders surge to 487,000: can issue #25 top that?
- Absolute Batman 25: preorders skyrocket past 750,000
Hello, I’m Jax. I guide you through the latest comics releases and enrich your geek universe.