Rare comic-book shatters record

A rare copy of the first comic book featuring Superman sold 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 from 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 transaction was conducted by the auction site ComicConnect.com. Stephen Fishler, co-owner of the site and its sister dealership, Metropolis Collectibles, orchestrated the sale.

Fishler said it transpired minutes after the issue was put on sale at around 10:30 a.m. Eastern time (1530 GMT). 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 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 an Action Comics No. 1 issue for a client. Others have sold for more than $400,000, he said, but this copy fetched a much higher price because it's in better condition. It's rated an "8.0 grade," or "very fine."

Dolmayan said he didn't buy this copy but he wishes he could have.

"The fact that this book is completely un-restored 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 un-restored, 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."

Jesus... that's ridiculous

Oh and fuck Superman, god I hate him

For a superhero that can be killed by a rock, he sure sucks dick.

Oh god, I wish I could stumble upon something random that could make me a million bucks

breakyoudown wrote:

Oh god, I wish I could stumble upon something random that could make me a million bucks

Uranium

I don't think I could recognize that

breakyoudown wrote:

I don't think I could recognize that

Same here ...

breakyoudown wrote:

I don't think I could recognize that

Spoiler:

If you ever look like that/have a child that looks like that you'll know you ran into some uranium

Well I'm not going to sleep tonight now lol

Haha damn...that's worse than when I got the bright idea to look up 'deformed babies' *oh yes, I am the smart one*

Anyway~ Superman is a tool. I don't like him as a character. B|

Lina wrote:

Haha damn...that's worse than when I got the bright idea to look up 'deformed babies' *oh yes, I am the smart one*

Anyway~ Superman is a tool. I don't like him as a character. B|

This... on both notes

I have never liked Superman either, and I don't like the movies either.
Best super hero? DR MANHATTAN!
Ps those babies were almost as sad as this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZFcH0srTRU