Up, up and sold for millions! A high-grade copy of Superman No. 1, from 1939, closed at $7.6 million on Heritage Auctions on Thursday. The closing price makes it the most expensive comic book sold at auction.
The discovery of the issue is worthy of its own comic book story: This Superman No. 1 was found by three brothers in California last year when they were cleaning out their late mother’s belongings. The brothers were aware that their mother and uncle had a comics collection, but had not seen the books. The issue of Superman, along with a handful of other comics, was placed in a box in an attic and forgotten for decades.
Superman debuted in 1938 in Issue No. 1 of Action Comics, which was an anthology series. When the Man of Steel proved to be a breakout hit, he took over Action Comics and, in 1939, he received his own series, which began with Superman No. 1.
With the buyer’s premium, which includes operational fees, the total cost of the issue was $9.12 million.
The issue was graded 9.0 by the Certified Guarantee Company, which specializes in authenticating and grading collectibles. What makes a particular comic book valuable is a mix of condition, rarity and content. First appearances of significant characters or big events in their story lines are among the most valued comics by collectors.
Other comic books in the multimillion dollar club, according to the C.G.C., include an Action Comics No. 1 ($6 million in 2024); an Amazing Fantasy No. 15, the issue in which Spider-Man made his debut ($3.6 million on 2021); a Captain America Comics No. 1 ($3.12 million in 2022); and a Batman No. 1 ($2.22 million in 2021). Up, up and away!
George Gene Gustines has been writing about comic books for The Times for more than two decades.
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