The Caped Crusader is Still a Hot Ticket
When Batman first appeared in the 27th issue of Detective Comics on March 30, 1939, no one could have imagined the staying power of the Caped Crusader. Indeed, over the last 85 years, the Batman franchise has been one of America’s most enduring and popular cultural institutions. Unsurprisingly, Batman comics remain incredibly covetable. A Batman #1 from 1940 sold for $2.22 million in January of 2021. But, of course, the franchise has become so much more than the comic series. The movie franchise is one of the most successful in American film history, with three of its films (The Dark Knight, Batman, The Dark Knight Rises) among the top 75 grossing movies in history. Joker, based on the famous Batman villain, pulled in over a billion dollars at the box office. Today, Batman is still one of the top ten movie franchises in terms of overall merchandise sales.
When it comes to The Hobby, Batman has a long and storied history, that has cemented the franchise as one of the most sought-after of all non-sports trading cards. The $45,000 dollar sale in July of The Batman #1 from Topps’ iconic inaugural Batman set from 1966 serves to demonstrate the unquestioned longevity of these cards. An unopened 1966 Batman Cello Box sold at auction for $93,000 this February. In fact, the eight biggest recorded sales of Batman cards or boxes have come in the last 12 months. With the Batman card market as strong as ever, let’s take a look at the history of Batman and Topps, one of the most important partnerships in the history of The Hobby.
1966 Topps Batman #31 Commissioner Gordon and Batman
1966 Topps Batman
The set that started it all. The first-ever Batman trading card set was released on the heels of ABC’s wildly successful live-action television series. Starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin, the show churned out 120 episodes over a three-season span. It remained the longest-running live-action superhero television series until Smallville overtook it in 2007. The immense popularity of the show provided a serendipitous springboard for Topps set, which featured a combination of live-action shots from the show as well as cards showcasing artwork from famous pulp artist Norman Saunders. In addition to Batman himself, the set marks the debut of villains such as The Joker, The Riddler, The Penguin, and Catwoman. The card designs did a fantastic job capturing Batman in this moment. The live-action cards wonderfully give off the camp style of the show itself, while the cards from Saunders have a timeless comic-book feel. In 1966 alone, Topps released six sets.
1966 Topps Batman Series B Puzzle Back #2B The Penguin Prevails
The 1966 Topps Batman cards remain some of the most covetable in the non-trading card hobby space. This iconic year is responsible for the top ten card and box sales in Batman hobby history.
1989 Topps Batman #2 Darknight Detective
1989 Topps Batman
This time, Topps released a two-series set, in concert with Tim Burton’s smash blockbuster hit Batman, starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson. This set featured live-action shots from the film, with the backs of the cards detailing the scene portrayed, helping collectors tell the story of the film through their collection.
1989 Topps Batman #93 The Joker is Wild!
1989 also saw a commemorative 1966 reissue that included a unique chase element, 12 mini puzzles in the form of six card sequences that would complete the puzzle on the backs.
1989 Topps Batman Deluxe 1966 Reissue Batman Puzzle
1992 Topps Stadium Club Batman Returns
Topps’ Batman series made its comeback in 1992 alongside Batman Returns. In addition to an 88-card base set, that included a ten-card Stadium club insert set, a full 100-card Stadium Club set was released for the first time in Batman history. Again featuring live-action photography from the movie, these cards were printed on the trademark high-gloss stock Stadium Club is known for. They are also the first-ever Batman cards to feature full-bleed photography.
1992 Topps Stadium Club Batman #1 Batman
2005 Topps Batman Begins
Topps returned to the Batman series in 2005, with a release built around Chris Nolan’s first of three directorial efforts in the franchise, Batman Begins. The set included two new inserts that caught collectors’ attention. The first was the creation of relic cards that featured three different pieces used in the movie itself: Batman’s Cape, Batman’s Costume, and Batmobile’s Tires. The most covetable cards today remain the inserted autograph series. While Christian Bale did not sign, collectors were able to get their hands on autos of other cast members, including Liam Neeson (Henri Ducard), Michael Caine (Alfred), Cillian Murphy (Scarecrow), Katie Holmes (Rachel Dawes), and Gary Oldman (James Gordon). A Liam Neeson auto sold for $2,100 at auction in July of 2023.
2005 Topps Batman Begins Liam Neeson as Henri Ducard Auto
Today, Batman’s merchandising efforts span across many spaces, including apparel, costumes, toys, games, and all kinds of memorabilia. Combined, they have brought in hundreds of millions of dollars over the years. The collectibles market, including cards and comics, remains undeniably strong. The appetite for all things Batman is clear. Next up in the franchise will be Robert Pattinson’s second film starring as the Caped Crusader. With the next in its long line of blockbusters, The Batman 2, is due for release in October 2026, marking fully 87 years of America’s love affair with the superhero. There’s no doubt that Batman’s staying power in The Hobby is here to stay.
