Comic Book Market Worldwide and in Poland
The Western comic book market has existed for several decades and concerns mainly printed editions. The most sought-after are "Action Comics," but other popular series include "X-Men," "Fantastic Four," "Spider-Man," "Star Wars," "Batman," and pre-war comics. One of the most valuable albums ever released in Poland is "Solidarność - 500 First Days" (PL: "Solidarność - 500 pierwszych dni"), with illustrations by Jacek Federowicz and a story by Jan Marek Owsiński. The work was released during martial law in Poland. Due to the actions of communist security intelligence, the original copies have not been preserved, with the worth of later reprints amounting to PLN 4,000–6,000 (EUR 850.70–1,276.05) today. When the first volume of Tytus, Romek, and A'Tomek's adventures was published in 1966, 30,000 of its copies were sold in the first week. From 1957 onwards, the comic was published in the "Świat Młodych" magazine. Currently, Henryk Jerzy Chmielewski's comic books are worth approx. PLN 4,000–6,000 (EUR 850.70–1,276.05).
The situation is different with original comic boards-handmade pieces, including ink sketches-that is, the proper comic boards that serve as the basis for diapositives, and later a blueprint on which the artist adds the color. Only the diapositive applied to the blueprint produces a colorful board; today, this method is no longer used because it has been replaced by much more efficient ones, but it is still something that every collector should be aware of. When it comes to traditionally made works, sets including all three elements (ink, blueprint, and diapositive) are the most valuable; however, some don't value color that much and appreciate original ink boards the most.
Beginning in the 1990s, the global market for comic boards has been growing quickly. Since then, comic books have been put up for auction at the biggest auction houses in the world, including Sotheby's, Christie's and Heritage. The board from the "Thorgal" series was sold at Christie's in 2016 for EUR 42,000. In Poland, the record price for work from the same series amounted to PLN 24,000 (EUR 5,103.72) in 2021. DESA Unicum auctioned the piece, and comic boards made by Polish artists fetched record prices during sales in our auction house. Papcio Chmiel's work from the series "Tytus, Romek i A'Tomek" reached an amount of PLN 75,000 (EUR 15,949.12) in 2015, and Bogusław Polch's cover design for "Nowa Fantastyka" presenting Funky Koval reached PLN 48,000 (EUR 10,207.44).
Most of the Polish pre-war boards were lost, and a significant number burned during the war. The situation was better in the times of the Polish People's Republic, but the boards were still getting lost – printing houses returned only some of the materials or not at all. Nowadays, the situation is completely different; there is no doubt that comic books are works of art, and people pay incomparably more attention to the pieces. At the same time, the comic book market has developed, and the prices of the boards are gradually increasing. The works of the genre classics are most demanded because of their historical and sentimental value for the collectors. Works by Papcio Chmiel, Janusz Christa, Tadeusz Baranowski, Grzegorz Rosiński, and Bogusław Polch are safe investments. There is no doubt that these pieces will multiply their value.
DESA Unicum has held its auctions of comic books since 2014; they attract an increasing number of collectors. It is estimated that the global comic book market is worth more than $200 million annually, and Poland accounts for about 0.5% of the total. The most famous Polish graphic artist in the West is Grzegorz Rosiński with his much-appreciated "Thorgal" fantasy comic books. Jean Van-Hamm authors the script for the series, which has been published since 1977. Like all comic book classics, the boards of the "Thorgal" series are getting invariably more expensive. However, these works are in international circulation, so the price spikes are more spectacular: the boards can amount to more than €40,000.
Papcio's Chmiel cover to the 20th Book is among the most expensive boards, sold for PLN 80,000 (EUR 16,970) in DESA Unicum. Depending on the dating, Chmielewski's boards are worth PLN 15,000–25,000 (EUR 3,182–5,303), the covers are twice as much. The value of works by Janusz Christa, Tadeusz Baranowski, and Bogusław Polch remain invariable.
What are collectors looking for?
In terms of estimating the value of works, the most expensive and most sought-after are the covers (front, but also back and inside), then key boards, which are associated with specific stories, and only then standard boards. The signature and the way the lead character is portrayed are both crucial. This should be done preferably in multiple panels, presented in a recognizable but unique manner, with large close-ups, and through unconventional techniques. While the condition of the preservation is crucial, it is preferable if the board shows signs of use as opposed to comic books, which call for perfect preservation. The author's notes, sketches, stamps, stickers, and other author or publisher interventions are also significant. These are traces from the past that have an impact on the work's value and authenticity. On the other hand, dedications diminish the value. Comics are subject to the usual criteria for valuation: series have their own numbers, just like boards, though you can find among them works that are particularly sought after because of stories they tell.
Numerous painters drawing inspiration from the genre and introducing elements characteristic for image stories to their works contributed to popularizing the art of comics. One of the first was Roy Lichtenstein, who supported the development of Pop Art thanks to his references to comic books. In Poland, it was the Ładnie Group, whose former members still refer to comic style, creating top and sought-after contemporary paintings, which are very popular at auctions. The growing recognition of comics at auctions also proves that this genre has ceased to be only a subject of childhood sentiments but has become a collector's and investment object.
People who seek works at the border of the genre, as in the case of image stories that are at the junction of literature and image, should especially consider taking part in the bidding. Fans of comics have their favorite titles and editions, and buying an original board of such a piece should be a real treat. Desa Unicum's comic book selection is put together in such a way as to display the genre's diversity. Our exhibitions always feature works by classic authors, as well as pieces by contemporary artists. The modern aesthetic of most works ought to catch the attention of those seeking a new artistic perspective. So, it is worth bidding on comics, treating them like works on paper, sometimes from the field of young art, but not only. You will always find mature artists as well as classics of the genre in the auction offer.
The most expensive comics in the world
One of approx. 100 copies of Superman's first episode, Action Comics No. 1 from 1938, was sold for more than $2 million in 2011. In 2014, when Nicolas Cage was the owner of the comic book, the item reached a value of more than $3 million at the auction. At an auction in Paris, the record-breaking Tin Tin Adventure Board by Herge brought in €2.6 million. In French-speaking circles, comics are considered one of the main forms of contemporary art.
