Action Comics No. 1 sale pushes Superman to new heights
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Superman lifting a car? Not a big deal in today’s comics, but when it’s the Man of Steel lifting a car drawn on a ‘very fine’-rated 10-cent-issue of Action Comics No. 1, the deal is the biggest in comics history: $1 million.
Stephen Fishler, co-owner of the auction site ComicConnect.com, which mediated the deal, told the Associated Press: ‘It is still a little stunning to see ‘a comic book’ and ‘$1 million’ in the same sentence.’
The buyer remains anonymous, as often happens in these big money deals. The book doesn’t reach the record heights of Pablo Picasso’s Boy with a Pipe (The Young Apprentice), which sold for $104.1 million at auction in 2004, or a bronze sculpture by Alberto Giacometti that sold for $103.4 million (or $104.3 million, depending on how you measure it), but comparatively, it’s still a wonder.
How have other high-priced comic books fared at auction, you ask? Well, that’s what Hero Complex (and Comic Link, where we got some of the figures) is here for. Most of these books fetched high prices not only because of the issues, but the state that they’re in as appraised by the Certified Guaranty Company, or its CGC grade.
Amazing Fantasy #15
Sold for: $227,000.
You-know-who swung into our lives courtesy of this issue, and this specific, near-mint book was part of the noted White Mountain pedigree collection.
Fantastic Four #1
Sold for: $52,000
The origin and first appearance of the first family of Marvel Comics takes place here, and Stan Lee and Jack Kirby launch the Silver Age. There are only five graded 8.5 by CGC.
All Star Comics #8
Sold for: $20,000
The introduction of Wonder Woman, the greatest female hero in comics (no debate! unless you want to leave a comment). This 1941 issue is one of only five examples of All Star Comics #8 assigned a grade as high as 7.5 by CGC.
Sensation Comics #1
Sold for: $25,250
The Amazon with the golden lasso made her first cover appearance in Sensation Comics #1. This particular book, at least as far as anyone knows, is one of only six in the world that could be assigned a grade as high as 8.5 by CGC.
Showcase #23
Sold for: $15,928
The Blackest Night saga is currently taking the comics world by storm, and this comic has the second appearance of the Silver Age Green Lantern at the center of it all, Hal Jordan. Apparently, this 1959 issue is extremely hard to come by, and it’s even tougher to find one that can match the 9.4 grading that was given.
-- Jevon Phillips
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Photos courtesy of Associated Press, Marvel Comics and DC Comics.
