Auction shows the superpower of cartoon

A PAGE of original artwork by top comic artist Dave Gibbons has sold for £16,000 at a Tyneside auction.

- TONY HENDERSON @Hendrover

The page from the acclaimed DC Comics series Watchmen was offered at Anderson & Garland's Newcastle sale, attracting significant international interest, and soaring past its estimate of £1,000-£1,800.

Watchmen, created by a combination of Gibbons and writer Alan Moore and first published in 1986, is widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in modern comics.

Its 12-issue run redefined the superhero genre with its layered storytelling and moral complexity.

The series has since been adapted into a major feature film and an award winning television series, further cementing its cultural impact.

John Anderson, head of comics at Anderson & Garland, said: "Original pages from Watchmen rarely come to market, and when they do, they tend to cause quite a stir.