Superman comic found in attic sells for $9.12m, becomes most expensive ever
The record-breaking copy was unearthed in 2024 by three brothers in northern California as they were sorting through their late mother’s belongings. The pristine comic had been tucked away under stacks of old newspapers in a cardboard box.
A rare copy of Superman No 1, discovered last year in the attic of a California home, has become the most expensive comic book ever sold, fetching an astounding $9.12 million at auction.
Published in 1939, Superman No 1 marked the Man of Steel's first solo title and the first time a comic-book character who debuted within the medium was given an entire issue devoted solely to them, reports The Guardian.
The record-breaking copy that sold on Thursday (20 November) was unearthed in 2024 by three brothers in northern California as they were sorting through their late mother's belongings. The pristine comic had been tucked away under stacks of old newspapers in a cardboard box.
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According to the brothers — who wished to remain anonymous — their mother bought the issue when she was nine years old while living in San Francisco. Throughout her life, she had told them she possessed "rare comics somewhere," though the family had never been able to locate them.
Despite spending decades in an attic, the comic was found in remarkably good condition. It received a 9.0 rating on the 10-point grading scale used by the comic industry — making it the highest-graded known copy of Superman No 1.
Only seven copies exist worldwide with a grade of 6.0 or higher.
The sale shatters the previous record set just last year, when an 8.5-graded copy of Action Comics No 1 — the 1938 issue featuring Superman's first appearance — sold for $6 million.
While Superman No 1 originally saw multiple print runs—500,000 copies, followed by 250,000 and then 150,000—intact copies are extremely rare today. One major reason: the comic encouraged young readers to cut out the cover and use it as a poster.
The title is considered part of the "big three" in comic-book history, alongside Action Comics No 1 and Detective Comics No 27 (which introduced Batman).
Calling the sale "a momentous day," Lon Allen, vice-president of Heritage Auctions, said:
"Superman No. 1 is a milestone in pop culture history, and this copy is not only in unprecedented condition, but it has a movie-worthy story behind it."
Superman was originally created in 1933 by Cleveland teenagers Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who famously sold the rights to DC Comics for just $130, earning $10 per page.
