In case you’ve been sealed off in a nuclear bomb shelter for the past year, Batman and Catwoman are getting married.
I will admit that I was wrong about this. I figured DC would not let Batman, the perpetual bachelor in the DC Universe, tie the knot. But so far, it seems that is exactly what’s going to happen. That’s precisely why all the issues leading to the big day are becoming so collectible: it didn’t seem like this would ever happen.
Major characters getting married is always a comics event. You’ve got Spider-Man and Mary Jane, Superman and Lois Lane, Cyclops and Jean Grey, just to name a few. But the difference with those three couples was that everyone knew it would happen at some point. With Batman, it’s part of his core character traits to embrace solitude. All that’s going to change.
Batman #50 will undoubtedly be a huge event. I’m anticipating the plethora of variant covers (what comic doesn’t have four or five variant covers these days?) and special editions because DC will be looking to squeeze every drop out of this cash cow. Considering this is Tom King writing the script, It will likely be a fun story and not just another boring wedding issue.
With the hype for Batman #50 building, expect an increase in the demand for high grades of Batman #24 in which our hero proposed to Catwoman. If you’re in the market for one, a CGC 9.8 averaged $75 last year, and the average actually has dropped to $69 in the past 90 days. However, I will wager that average will take a swing upward when #50 drops.
There’s also the Tim Sale variant cover, but sales figures for it are all over the place. Last year, a CGC 9.8 sold for as high as $80 and as low as $36, but it ended the year on the up with sales of $48 and $55. It really jumped last month when it sold for $100, but it’s since come back to Earth with the last two sales being significantly lower in the $30 range.
Where there is a spike in fair market value is the second printing of Batman #24. A CGC 9.8 brought a modest $41 on average last year. Yet over the past 90 days, it’s seen a big jump and is now averaging $67, so it’s neck-and-neck with the first print in terms of value at the moment.
The “Date Night/Last Rites” storyline that tied in directly to the Batman/Catwoman engagement was a surprise hit in 2017. Many comic shops were selling out of this one, and it was popular enough to warrant a second printing.
Like Batman #24, fans are excited about the upcoming wedding, and Annual #2 will get a rub from that hype as the event closes in. A CGC 9.8 sold for $140 in January. Earlier this month, another sold for $115. I’m not going to say that this particular issue will skyrocket in value because of the impending wedding issue, but it will keep bringing those $100, give or take, figures for a months to come, I’m sure.
