An example of Action Comics #1 CGC 7.0 Conserved, the landmark 1938 first appearance of Superman, has sold in an auction at ComicLink for $450,000. “Action Comics #1 in the condition offered here is rare. Only seven CGC Universal or Conserved examples in the world have graded as high as 7.0. This example featured a beautiful, high-end cover and supple, off-white interior page preservation. It had also been evaluated in person by CVA, which determined it had exceptional visual appeal for the assigned grade,” ComicLink founder and President Josh Nathanson said. “Although this is first recorded sale of an Action Comics #1 7.0 Conserved, it is considered a strong result that met the expectations of the consignor. The strength of the sale demonstrates that CGC’s Conserved designation is achieving strong acceptance from the high end collector market.”
Action Comics #1 and Superman are celebrating their 80th anniversary next month and the character seems as popular as ever. The vast majority of comic book fans and historians would agree that the single most important moment in the history of comics occurred with the release of Action Comics #1. Introducing both Superman and the superhero genre itself, this issue is widely considered to be the most valuable comic book of all time. Jerry Siegel’s and Joe Shuster’s seminal creation transcends the boundaries of any particular hobby and this introduction stands as one of the most important cultural events of the last 100 years.
“The recognition of this comic book as the birth of the comic book superhero and its influence on the popular culture emanating from the genre has led to a continual acceleration in both demand and price. The opportunity for a collector to acquire any example is an event, let alone one that is among the finest known to exist,” Nathanson said.
The future of Superman looks extremely bright. Action Comics #1,000 will be released on April 11 and writer Brian Michael Bendis will be taking over the scripting of both Action Comics and Superman soon after. Henry Cavill will continue to play Superman in upcoming DC movies, including a role in next year’s Shazam!. In addition to the hit TV series Supergirl, two more TV series will premiere this year based on the extended Superman family legend ‒ Krypton and Metropolis. Truly there is no end to the love and fascination millions have for the Man of Steel and the legends that surround him.
ComicLink is currently accepting consignments for upcoming auctions including the Spring Featured Auction which will begin on May 3, the March Focused Auction which will begin on March 15, the April Focused Auction which will begin on April 12 and includes a session for vintage certified coins. Interested sellers may contact ComicLink by emailing buysell@comiclink.com or by calling (617) 517-0062 (option 1) to speak with Josh Nathanson, Douglas Gillock, Jason Crosby, Jon Signorelli or Ross Kearney. In addition to auctioning items for consignors, ComicLink is also always accepting new sellers for the ComicLink exchange marketplaces, brokering private placement deals, and buying outright.
