Posted in: Batman, Comics, DC Comics, Dynamite, Speculator Corner | Tagged: absolute, Absolute Batman, jae lee

Jae Lee's Absolute Batman #23 Cover Art Sells For $10,000 In Minutes

Jae Lee's Absolute Batman #23 Original Cover Art sells for $10,000 In minutes as Dynamite sticks to the letter of the law of DC's new T&Cs

Published Sat, 18 Jul 2026 11:58:12 -0500

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:53:43 -0500

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Article Summary

Jae Lee’s Absolute Batman #23 retailer exclusive for Dynamic Forces launched with trade, foil, virgin, signed and CGC options.
Dynamic Forces priced Absolute Batman #23 variants to largely fit DC’s new anti-price-gouging guidelines on exclusives.
Unsigned and signed Absolute Batman #23 editions span entry-level copies to premium gold ink, graded and remarqued versions.
Jae Lee’s original Absolute Batman #23 cover art sold for $10,000 fast, highlighting the real upside of variant work.

If Absolute Batman were a comic book publisher in and of its own right, it would be the fourth biggest publisher in the direct market of comic book shops. So, no wonder Bleeding Cool is covering it a lot. And no wonder that Dynamite Entertainment, the actual fourth biggest publisher, wants in on the act with their merch company, Dynamic Forces, issuing a Jae Lee retailer exclusive variant cover for Absolute Batman #23 with Absolute Batman and Clayface. And telling us "Dynamic Forces 1st ever Absolute Batman Exclusive cover skyrocketed on eBay… But we're keeping our introductory prices EXTREMELY AFFORDABLE! Don't miss out!"

It looks like someone at Dynamite Entertainment/Dynamic Forces read the new DC Comics terms and conditions. As they say, "Avoid the markups! Get your copy directly from us! Foil variants! Virgin variants! Signed copies! CGC Graded! All at exciting prices! All These Exclusives Are Moving Quickly! Don't Miss Out!" They might be running out of exclamation marks. But let's see…

Jae Lee's Absolute Batman #23 Cover Art Sells For $10,000 In Minutes — Absolute Batman #23

Absolute Batman #23 Trade raw. $15
Absolute Batman #23 Foil raw. $25
Absolute Batman #23 Virgin raw. $25
Absolute Batman #23 Trade, Virgin set, raw. $35 going up to $40 soon.
Absolute Batman #23 Trade raw signed by Jae Lee. $50
Absolute Batman #23 Trade, Virgin, Foil set, raw. $55 going up to $65 soon.
Absolute Batman #23 Virgin raw signed by Jae Lee. $60
Absolute Batman #23 Trade raw signed by Scott Snyder. $60
Absolute Batman #23 Virgin raw signed by Scott Snyder. $70
Absolute Batman #23 Foil raw signed by Scott Snyder. $75
Absolute Batman #23 Trade CGC 9.8 $75, up to $90 soon
Absolute Batman #23 Foil raw signed by Jae Lee. $75
Absolute Batman #23 Trade raw signed in gold ink by Jae Lee. $100
Absolute Batman #23 Virgin CGC 9.8 $120, up to $150 soon
Absolute Batman #23 Virgin raw signed in gold ink by Jae Lee. $125
Absolute Batman #23 Trade signed by Scott Snyder, CGC 9.8 $130, going up to $150 soon
Absolute Batman #23 Virgin raw signed in gold ink by Jae Lee CGC 9.8. $150 going up to $175
Absolute Batman #23 Virgin raw signed and remarqued by Jae Lee. $500

DC Comics says that retailers may sell the exclusive variant covers for any price, but as "DC does not wish to support price-gouging of DC's customers", it "strongly encourages" a limit to five times the cover price for unsigned books, ten times for autographed books, and DC says that they may discontinue future sales of exclusive variants to retailers that exceed those guidelines.

Dynamite Entertainment were at these price points with Absolute Batman #21 months ago. Given that these would be $4.99 or $9.99 for foil covers, which fit within or at the edges of DC guidelines for the raw titles, as do most of the signed items – until the "Gold Signature series" kicks in and goes above it. The CGC grading also pushes the price up, as well as the "remarque" or sketching on the cover. DC Guidelines do not cover these…

And the original art by Jae Lee sold for $10,000. By the way, folks, this is the real payday for artists doing retailer-exclusive variant covers for Absolute Batman. You will be paid for the work, even if it's your own studio that is paying you through DC. But the payday is when you sell your original artwork to an Absolute Batman retailer variant as well. For some, it may be worth doing the gig for free. Certainly, don't do it digitally. But this is also why DC Comics is restricting which artists are allowed to these covers in their new terms and conditions as well…

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