Of Auction Records and Non-Fungible Tokens: On the New Valences of Superhero Comics

This article examines a recent form of marketing superhero comics that has garnered extensive media attention and been promoted as the next big step in production: decision by companies like Marvel Comics DC to offer selections their intellectual properties non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Focusing specifically on Comics’ collaboration with VeVe app, which serves digital auction house through customers can buy related merchandise, this suggests we are witnessing popularization an already popular product (superhero comics) process is indicative larger transformations popular. As agent such transformations, were introduced 1930s 40s “low medium” mass appeal was critically devalued proponents high culture, but they now widely celebrated “popular medium.” We argue transformation from (“low”) culturally valued (but not necessarily “high” cultural) artifact marks shift qualitative quantitative valuation driven at least part practices collecting, archiving, auctioning have enabled ongoing adaptation these new social, technological, demands. The uses newsworthiness sales sky-rocketing prices well-preserved comic books garner framework for assessing appearance NFTs gauging implications cultural validation comics.