Batman Comic Collectible Edition Arrives at Sharjah Exhibition for 60,000 Dirhams

The Batman comic collectible edition has arrived at the Sharjah exhibition for 60,000 dirhams.
Imagine a comic book so special that it looks more like a collectible camera than a book; weighing 4.4 kilograms and priced at 60,000 dirhams. This rare edition of the Batman story is now on display for visitors at the Sharjah Animation and Comic Exhibition.
This piece, titled Batman: The Killing Joke Avant-Garde Edition, is showcased at the Argent Comics booth, with only 47 copies produced worldwide. The Sharjah Animation and Comic Exhibition runs until Sunday in the Al Jada area.
The design of this book is inspired by the famous camera on the cover of the comic "The Killing Joke"; a story about Batman that was first published in 1988. The aluminum cover of the book is covered with goat leather and features a detachable lens and viewfinder. This collection is kept in a special case with a calf leather cover and suede lining.
This handmade edition was designed by the Croatian publisher Argent Comics, managed by the creative Marco Matijasevic. According to the publisher, this is the first comic book in the world produced using the artistic printing method "Giclée." The pages are printed on special Hahnemühle metallic paper, and the production process requires each page to be printed on both sides and then hand-stitched together.
Vibor Krcha, the representative of Argent Comics at the exhibition, states that producing this book requires precise and time-consuming craftsmanship.
The limited number of copies is not random; the number 47 refers to the atomic number of silver and connects with the name Argent, which is associated with this metal.
This collectible edition contains two forms of illustration from the famous Batman story: the original coloring by John Higgins and the recolored version by Brian Bolland in 2008. Bolland, dissatisfied with the coloring of the old version, later revisited the work; a change that Krcha describes as akin to a director's cut in films.
A transparent negative, Bolland's signature, a new introduction from this artist, and supplementary materials are also included in this collection.
At the Argent Comics booth, another black-and-white version of "The Killing Joke" titled Noir Edition is also on display. This version is inspired by the Joker's prison cell and features aluminum doors, two-tone binding with goat leather, and cotton paper printed using letterpress.
The fourth edition of the Sharjah Animation and Comic Exhibition is organized by the Sharjah Book Authority and includes more than 150 programs and 75 speakers from over 30 countries. Workshops, specialized sessions, film screenings, live performances, and exhibitions related to animation and comics are among the events of this occasion.
Source: Gulf Times