A Copy Of The Original 1938 Superman Comic Book, The Most Valuable Comic Book In The World, Recently Sold For $6 Million

nikkimeel - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only
nikkimeel - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only

When Superman was introduced to the world in 1938, many people loved him instantly. The comic book character came to Earth from the planet Krypton.

He captivated readers with the incredible strength that he used to protect the innocent and his unwavering sense of justice.

Now, 86 years later, the hero has become a pop culture icon and is still featured in books, films, TV shows, and video games.

Recently, a copy of the original 1938 comic book written by Jerry Siegel and illustrated by Joe Shuster sold for $6 million.

On April 4, the comic book, titled Action Comics No. 1, was purchased during a Heritage Auctions sale. It is considered the most valuable comic book in the world. The buyer has remained anonymous.

The comic is an unrestored version of the original, meaning it has not been altered or repaired in any way.

A third-party comic book grading service called Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) gave the issue a “very fine” rating of 8.5 out of 10. It is just one of 78 copies of Action Comics No. 1 that CGC has graded since its foundation in 2000.

The company believes that 100 more are still out there somewhere. Only 200,000 copies of the comic were published in 1938.

The plot of Action Comics No. 1 follows a baby boy who was born on a dying planet. His father sent him away in a space capsule right before their home exploded.

nikkimeel – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only

The capsule ended up landing on Earth. Someone discovered the sleeping baby and took him to an orphanage. The baby grew up to be Clark Kent, the caped crime fighter with superhuman powers.

The creators of Superman, Siegel and Shuster, were both children of Jewish immigrants. They brought Superman to life when they were just in their early 20s.

According to the lot listing on the auction house’s website, the storyline reflects “[Superman’s] creators’ experiences, as well as the American dream.”

After selling for $6 million, the comic took the top spot as the most valuable comic book. The previous record-holder was a 1939 issue of Superman No. 1, which was privately sold in 2022 for $5.3 million.

Before that, there was a copy of Amazing Fantasy No. 15 from 1962, featuring Spiderman. It went for $3.6 million in 2021.

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Emily  Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a ... More about Emily Chan

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