First “Axa” strip art sells for over $6000

By John Freeman on November 23, 2019 • ( 1 )

We’re used to some of the gob-smacking prices some comic art sells for on top auction site Heritage Auctions, but it seems the prices of lesser known work sometimes, too.

The first Axa strip by Enrique Badia Romero

Recently, the first Axa strip by Enrique Badia Romero – a strip that featured in Britain’s The Sun for many years and long in development as a feature film – sold for $6,600.

“My jaw dropped first when the bid was at $3100 before live bidding,” commented Axa collector Brian Peck, “and [I was] even more surprised by the final hammer.”

The 1980s strip, described as “Red Sonja meets Logan’s Run“, doesn’t have a huge fan base and most of the strips sell for around $350.

Los Angeles-based Saturn Harvest first mooted its Axa movie project, AXA: Battle for the Serpent Gate, based on the newspaper strip first published in the British newspaper The Sun from 1978 to 1986, written by the late Donne Avenell and drawn by Enrique Badia Romero, back in 2017.

Perhaps a would be movie producer outbid regular collectors?

• View the lot here on Heritage Auctions

• AXA The Movie Official Site: www.axathemovie.com | Saturn Harvest: www.saturnharvest.com

• Enrique Badia Romero – Official Web Site

• The Axa newspaper strip is syndicated by Knight Features

• There’s a great guide to the history of Axa and her various appearances around the world here

• Comics and Graphic Novels on AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.

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Categories: Auctions, British Comics, British Comics - Newspaper Strips, Comic Art, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Other Worlds