It was a super deal for the Man of Steel and his debut comic featuring Lois Lane.
Heritage Auctions on Thursday sold an original copy of Action Comics No. 1, which introduced the comic version of Clark Kent and Lois Lane to the world for the first time in 1938, for a whopping $956,000 at a Dallas auction, according to the company’s website.
Seventy-eight years ago, the same comic sold for 10 cents a copy, according to Heritage, which describes Superman’s first as “the most important comic book ever published.”
“Having seen many Action No. 1’s over the years, I am deeply impressed with this copy’s eye appeal,” comic grader Matt Nelson says on Heritage’s web site. “This Action No. 1 is one of the best looking among the remarkably rare pool of unrestored copies in the world.”
Superman’s original comic debut, The Reign of Superman, was printed in 1933, and actually portrayed the man in red and blue tights as a villain, according to multiple sources. Five years later, Action Comics No. 1 reintroduced the hero we all know him today.
Original copies of Action Comics No. 1 are considered extremely rare. Another copy of the same issue sold two years for $3.2 million on eBay, CNBC reports.
Superman is considered the world’s first mainstream, super-powered comic book hero. His appearance in Action Comics No. 1 eventually spawned an independent comic series as well as live action and animated TV shows and feature films. His latest big screen adaptation, Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, was largely panned by critics and fans alike, but it still grossed more than $872 million to date worldwide, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com.
Heritage also auctioned Spider-Man’s first comic in February for $454,000.