Additional Coverage:
- ‘Superman’ comic found in a California attic sells for record $9.12 million at auction (latimes.com)
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane… It’s a Record-Breaking Comic Book!
A truly super discovery has just rewritten the record books for comic book sales! A remarkably preserved copy of “Superman” No. 1 soared to an astounding $9.12 million at Heritage Auctions on Thursday, claiming the title of the most expensive comic book ever sold at auction. This monumental sale easily eclipsed the previous record, also held by a Superman-related title – a copy of “Action Comics” No. 1, which fetched $6 million through Heritage Auctions just this year.
This prized first issue of “Superman” was part of a small treasure trove unearthed by three brothers in Northern California. While sifting through their late mother’s belongings, they stumbled upon the collection, which had been tucked away for decades under old newspapers and cobwebs in the family home’s attic, according to a press release from Heritage Auctions.
The “Superman” No. 1 comic boasted an impressive 9.0 grade on a 10-point scale from the Certified Guaranty Company (CGC), a leading third-party service for authenticating and grading collectibles. This makes it the highest-ever graded copy of the iconic 1939 comic book. One might even say that the newspapers that helped preserve its pristine condition would make reporters Lois Lane and Clark Kent proud!
Superman, the Man of Steel created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, first graced the comic book world in 1938 within the pages of “Action Comics” No. 1.
This anthology comic is widely credited with igniting the entire superhero genre. His immense popularity quickly led to the launch of his very own dedicated comic book series in 1939.
Beyond the inaugural “Superman” issue, the mother’s collection also included several other notable titles, such as “Action Comics” Nos. 9, 12, 15, 18, and 21. According to Heritage Auctions, this particular copy of “Superman” No. 1 is one of only seven known copies to achieve a CGC grade of 6.0 or higher. For comparison, a CGC graded 8.0 copy of “Superman” No. 1 previously sold for $5.3 million in 2022.
This incredible find and subsequent sale highlight the enduring legacy and incredible value of these foundational pieces of comic book history.