A unique edition of the comic book that first introduced Superman to the world and was once stolen from actor Nicolas Cage’s residence has been sold for a groundbreaking $15 million US. The private transaction for Action Comics No. 1, jointly created by Toronto-native artist Joe Shuster and American comic writer Jerry Siegel, was revealed on Friday. This sale surpasses the previous comic book record set in November when a copy of Superman No. 1 was auctioned for $9.12 million.
Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect, based in Manhattan, facilitated the sale of Action Comics. The comic’s owner and the purchaser opted to remain anonymous. Vincent Zurzolo, the company’s president, emphasized that the comic, initially priced at 10 cents upon its 1938 release, signifies the inception of the superhero genre and is one of the most valuable comic books globally, with approximately 100 known copies in existence.
The concept for Superman was conceived by Shuster and Siegel in 1933, five years before the release of Action Comics No. 1. In this issue, Superman’s alter-ego was a journalist at The Daily Star (later renamed The Daily Planet), inspired by Shuster’s childhood experience delivering the Toronto Daily Star, now known as the Toronto Star.
Zurzolo described the comic as a significant artifact in the comic book realm, stating that without Superman’s influence, iconic characters like Batman would not exist. He underscored the importance of this sale in the comic book community, noting that it shatters previous records.
The comic had been pilfered from Cage’s residence in west Los Angeles in 2000 but was later recovered in 2011 after a man acquired the contents of an old storage unit in southern California. Cage, who had purchased the comic for $150,000 in 1996, reclaimed it. Subsequently, he auctioned it off for $2.2 million six months after its return.
Stephen Fishler, CEO of Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect, highlighted how the theft significantly boosted the comic’s value over the 11-year period it was missing. Drawing a parallel to the theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911, Fishler emphasized the role of theft in transforming valuable art into cultural icons, likening Action Comics No. 1 to an emblem of American pop culture.