I’m glad you enjoyed the pop art reference, and look forward to your comments in the future.

No problem, and thanks for reading!

I certainly agree that the artistry and quality of materials of graphic novels/comic books is better than ever. My nostalgia, however, leans toward reading comics from the early 90′s, during the height of X-Men titles and the rise of Image Comics.

It wasn’t until later in life that I began to go back toward older issues, and then immersed myself in the work of the Modern Age of Comics — e.g., Moore, Miller.

You’re absolutely right about films, though I tend to think that many practitioners of film-making took their medium more seriously than comic book writers and artists.

I think it’s probably fair to say that, unlike filmmakers, comic book writers, in particular, did not see the full creative potential of their medium. Comic artists, on the other hand, were constrained by the printing limitations of the day; their depth of their artistry was often lost in the poor quality of older printing presses. Even know, this problem persists, though to a lesser degree.

Also, I think the demographic for comic book creators was initially much different than filmmakers. Whereas filmmakers had an extremely broad audience, comics were initially geared toward a younger audience. Thankfully, as mentioned, treatment of the medium has matured.

Thanks again for reading, and I hope to hear from you again!

http://www.theage.com.au/world/holy-12-million-batman-20100226-p94w.html

Heritage Auction Galleries says a 1939 comic book in which Batman makes his first appearance has been sold at auction in Dallas, Texas, for $US1,075,500 ($A1.21 million) – a record for a comic.

Detective Comics No. 27 was sold on Thursday on behalf of an anonymous consignor. The buyer also wished to remain anonymous.

Barry Sandoval, director of operations of Heritage’s comics division, said the consignor bought the comic in the late 1960s for $US100.

On Monday, a copy of the first comic book featuring Superman sold for $US1 million in a sale between a private seller and buyer.

The comic was a 1938 edition of Action Comics No. 1.

AP

Thanks for both reading the blog and the kind words. I’m glad that you found it interesting.

I’ve also often wondered how older, less archive-friendly works like these stay in such good condition over time. I think your intuition on how they are preserved is probably right. A bit of cursory research revealed that, during the grading process of the comic book’s condition, they are also placed in a sealed sleeve, which I imagine must also be airtight.

Here’s a link with information about the process.

Thanks again, Jan, and hope you continue following the blog!

Thanks for the well written read.