Global General
Superman's debut comic book sells for $1 million
(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-02-24 08:37
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Sale of top-condition copy more than triples previous record for same title
NEW YORK: A rare copy of the first comic book featuring Superman sold on Monday for $1 million, smashing the previous record price for a comic book.
A 1938 edition of Action Comics No 1, widely considered the Holy Grail of comic books, was sold by a private seller to a private buyer, neither of whom released their names. The issue features Superman lifting a car on its cover and originally cost 10 cents.
 The June 1938 cover of Action Comics, which first featured Superman - one of the most popular graphic serial characters ever. [Agencies] |
Owners of the website said the comic book was first published in June 1938 and introduced the crime-fighting superhero to fans, describing how he was born on a different planet and came to Earth. It also introduces his alter ego Clark Kent's love interest, Lois Lane.
Fishler said the comic is one of only around 100 in existence and that a scant two or three are in a similar unrestored, high-grade condition.
"If not this book, it may be 10 or 20 years before another one like it would be offered," Fishler said.
Fishler said the book was last on the market 15 years ago when it fetched $150,000.
The current buyer remained anonymous.
Fishler said the deal transpired minutes after the issue was put on sale. He said that the seller was a "well-known individual" in New York with a pedigree collection and that the buyer was a known customer who previously bought an Action Comics No. 1 of lesser grade.
"It's considered by most people as the most important book," said John Dolmayan, a comic book enthusiast and dealer best known as the drummer for the rock band System of a Down. "It kind of ushered in the age of the superheroes."
Dolmayan, who owns Torpedo Comics, last year paid $317,000 for a lower-grade Action Comics No. 1 issue for a client.
That purchase is considered the "official public record" for a comic book sale, said Mark Zaid, the marketing director for the Comic Book Collecting Association, which was launched on Monday.
There have been other private sales in the $300,000 to $450,000 range, he said.
Monday's copy fetched a much higher price because it's in better condition. It's rated an 8.0 grade, or very fine, on a scale that goes up to 10.
Dolmayan said he didn't buy this copy but he wishes he could have.
"The fact that this book is completely unrestored and still has an 8.0 grade, it's kind of like a diamond or a precious stone. It's very rare," he said.
There are only about 100 copies of Action Comics No. 1 believed to be in existence, and only a handful have been rated so highly. It's rarer still for those copies to be made available for sale.
"The opportunity to buy an unrestored, high-grade Action One comes along once every two decades," Fishler said. "It's certainly a milestone."
The sticker shock was astounding to Fishler, nevertheless.
"It is still a little stunning to see 'a comic book' and '$1 million' in the same sentence," Fishler said. "There's only one time a collectible hits the $1 million threshold."
AP-Reuters
