If you’ve followed my coverage over the past several months, you already know this: I’m completely obsessed with Absolute Batman. I think what DC has built with the Absolute Universe is one of the most exciting things to happen to comics in decades. If you’re not reading it, you’re missing one of the defining comic book events of this generation.
Along the way, I became equally obsessed with the work of Dan Quintana.
To me, Quintana isn’t just another talented cover artist. He’s one of the best working artists in comics today. I’d put him in the same conversation as Jim Lee and Todd McFarlane when it comes to modern artists whose work immediately stops you in your tracks. Every new piece feels like an event.
A few months ago, I was watching the original oil painting for Quintana’s Absolute Batman #16 retailer exclusive featuring Batman and Wonder Woman. The cover—created for Heavy Mental Collectibles—is, in my opinion, one of the five greatest Batman covers ever produced. It isn’t just comic art. It’s fine art.
When the original painting hit Heritage Auctions, it sold for an astonishing $100,000, setting a new benchmark for Quintana’s work and instantly changing the conversation around the artist.
We covered that sale here on Dread Central, and the story exploded across the comic book community. Suddenly, everyone was talking about Dan Quintana.
Since then, his rise has been nothing short of meteoric.
Books that once sold for around $50 quickly climbed into the hundreds—and in many cases, thousands—on the secondary market. Limited drops now disappear almost instantly. Convention appearances routinely cap attendance because demand is simply too high, with fans lining up for several hours just for the chance to meet him.
The remarkable part is how Quintana has handled the attention.
Instead of leaning into exclusivity, he’s spent the last few months trying to get as much artwork into collectors’ hands as possible. He’s hosted late-night signings in Los Angeles, appeared at conventions across the country, surprised fans with secret website drops, participated in Whatnot streams, signed countless books, offered original sketches, and even given pieces away. It’s impossible to satisfy everyone when demand is this overwhelming, but few artists seem to be working harder to try.
Tonight only reinforced why Quintana has become one of the hottest names in comics.
Appearing live on the Knight of Comics Whatnot channel, Quintana offered fans original artwork, signed books, remarques, and his incredibly sought-after one-of-one sketch covers. These pieces have become grails for collectors, with previous examples already commanding several thousand dollars.
The centerpiece of the evening, however, was an absolutely breathtaking Absolute Batman sketch cover.
Calling it a sketch almost feels unfair. The level of detail rivals many published covers, with Quintana delivering another haunting, painterly interpretation of the Dark Knight that instantly captivated bidders.
In fact, bidding had already reached $5,000 before the auction officially began.
When the hammer finally fell, the one-of-one sketch cover sold for an incredible $18,550, setting a new record for an original sketch cover sold on Whatnot.
As if that wasn’t enough, Quintana also gave fans an early look at his upcoming Absolute Wonder Woman cover, revealing that the original artwork will be displayed during San Diego Comic-Con. Judging by the reaction, that painting could very well become another centerpiece of the convention.
The momentum doesn’t appear to be slowing anytime soon.
Fresh off recent retailer exclusives for Absolute Batman #18, #19, and #21 featuring Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, and Two-Face, along with the highly anticipated Absolute Catwoman #1 cover, Quintana has become one of the defining visual voices of the Absolute Universe.
At this point, every new release feels less like another variant and more like an event.
And if tonight proved anything, it’s that the Dan Quintana market isn’t cooling off.
It’s only getting hotter.
Categorized:Comics / Books News