Some strict collectors consider the era finished by 1950. In the less than eight decades since superman s debut in 1938, comic book superheroes have become an indispensable part of american society and the nations dominant mythology. Get the best deals on collectible golden age comics reprints 193855. It is interesting to see how much written text there is to read in each picture compared with todays comic books. A rare 1938 comic book that features supermans historic debut sold at. No1 with cover showing superhero lifting car sets record for comic book sale. Check that bought rights to superman in 1938 being. From action hero to auction hero, supermans rare and vintage comic books have come into their own as a collectible commodity selling for astronomical amounts to collectors over the world. It features the first appearance of several comic book heroesmost notably. This marks the first appearance of jerry siegel and joe shusters superman. Since the debut of superman in 1938 by jerry siegel and joe shuster, stories of superheroes ranging. Precrisis superman comic covers 19381986 action comics 1938.
When it originally hit newsstands in 1938, the comic sold for 10 cents. The precise era of the golden age is disputed, though most agree that it was born with the launch of superman in 1938. Rare copy of supermans 1938 comicbook sells for nearly. Get the best deals on collectible golden age comics reprints 1938 55. Aug 25, 2014 ebayscreenshot by lance whitney cnet superman has soared to new heights. Aug 21, 2019 i have been asked to sell a first edition superman comic. But the main problem is action comics 1 from 1938, for superman did not get his own title until 1939, has been reprinted many times in different formats, hence those seriously vary by size as well. Supertrivia quiz speeding bulletin video reports wgbs tv live. Maurice mitchell is a sciencefiction and comic book critic, blogger, and journalist. Supermans debut comic book sold for just 10 cents in 1938. Superman clark kent, lois lane, conduit, ma kent appearance. Nicolas cages stolen 1938 superman comic book sells for. First superman comic book issued in 1938 up for auction on. About 100 copies of the issue still exist but experts claim only five copies are of equal value to cages.
The yesterday man by david micheline scriptand jackson guicedenis rodier art. Youll receive email and feed alerts when new items arrive. Far from the fullcolor glossy comic books of today, this book featured black and white reprints of popular newspaper comic strips. Superman 1938 series comics published by dc comics. But today, a rare original is worth many times more. Supermanthe first and most important comic book superhero, superman looms large not only in comic books but in all of twentiethcentury american popular culture. In 1986, dc comics revamped the superman comics recreating superman and his supporting cast of friends and enemies. After his arrival, 10cent comic books flew off the shelves. It didnt take much research to realize i was a little out of my. How two high school friends concocted the original comic book hero. I have been a great admirer of superman since the late 1940s, and it was a great pleasure to revive old memories with this book. Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive the man of steel fights a neverending battle for truth, justice, and the american way. Comic books in 1938 were definitely of a different size than they are today. It has been graded by mycomicshops experienced graders.
Dc introduced many superheroes throughout the socalled golden age of comics, most notably batman. Feb 14, 20 the comic book company that first introduced superman in 1938 has buffeted this kind of thing constantly for years and they know how to stick by their decisions, she adds. The massive commercial success of that character was responsible for creating the costumed superhero genre, which has been a mainstay for the comic book industry ever since. The biggest comic book companies created many superheroes. These are the years when comics were considered a new and exciting form of art. The man of steel is the ultimate symbol of truth, justice, and hope. Aug 25, 2014 a 1938 museum piece with perfect white pristine pages. Aug 21, 2019 1938 superman comic 1938 superman comic.
The following is a list of the first known appearances of various superhero fictional characters and teams a superhero also known as a super hero or superhero is a fictional character of unprecedented physical prowess dedicated to acts of derringdo in the public interest. Superman is an ongoing american comic book series featuring the dc comics superhero superman as its main protagonist. Superman 1938 comics superman comics s comics comic. I sell vintage and antique books as well as other things but never anything on this level. The payment for superman to jerry siegel and joe shuster from detective comics created the modern superhero industry and sparked a. A 1938 museum piece with perfect white pristine pages. Pristine original superman comic up for auction business cnn. Superman created by cleveland cartoonists writer jerry siegel and artist joe shuster in 1933, debuting in 1938, supermans superpowers include super speed, super strength, super vision, super hearing, super breath, invulnerability. The first and oldest of these is action comics, which began in april 1938. It is one of about 100 copies of the edition known to exist. Original 1938 superman comic sells on ebay for record amount. Superhero, superhero, a fictional herowidely popularized in comic books and comic strips, television and film, and popular culture and video gameswhose extraordinary or superhuman powers are often displayed in a fight against crime and assorted villains, who in turn often display superhuman abilities. As a form of popular literature, superhero narratives have closely mirrored trends and events in the nation. This was superman, the very first comic character to have powers far beyond a normal human being.
How dc ignited the golden age of comic books books. From his blue uniform to his flowing red cape to the s shield on his chest, superman is one of the most immediately recognizable and beloved dc super heroes of all time. When it first hit newsstands in 1938 it sold for 10 cents. Popular characters published by the company include. Since 1938, superman stories have been regularly published in periodical comic books published by dc comics. The character regularly appears in comic books published by dc comics, and has been adapted to a number of radio serials, movies, and television shows. Created by jerry siegel and joe shuster, superman is possibly the most recognizable comic book character to this day. Five years before superman, comics were only printed in newspapers. Mar 19, 2009 comic books in 1938 were definitely of a different size than they are today.
I am no collector of comics, its in great condition, no flaws, it has been kept inside a plastic sleeve. Certainly there is no purer representative of the fantastic possibilities inherent in. Heres a photo of a copy, one that was graded by the certified guaranty company cgc and certified as being authentic. The ian levine collection, a private sale featuring every comic book published by dc from 19342014 including complete runs of action comics, detective comics, superman and batman. He and his twin brother operate two blogs dedicated to science fiction and fantasy films, the geek twins and film sketchr. Hes the grandfather, if not the king of all superheroes. Here is an overview of superman s comic book career, since writer jerry siegel 19141996 and artist joe shuster 19141992 invented him while still teenagers. The superman character described on this page was created by writer jerry siegel and artist joe shuster, high school students living in cleveland, ohio, in 1933. One wonders how many unscrupulous book sellers have bought reprints thinking they were.
Comic book containing supermans debut sold for nearly one million. This undated image provided by heritage auctions shows a rare copy of supermans 1938 comicbook. Get the best deals on superman golden age comics 1938 1955 when you shop the largest online selection at. Dc comics is one of the largest and oldest american comic book companies, and a subsidiary of warner bros. Below, author paul sassienie lays out a brief history of dc comics, from inception to the present day. Mayer found the rejected superman comic strips, and sullivan told siegel and shuster that if they could paste them. Which is the most expensive superman comic of all time. In a statement, dallasbased heritage auctions said the copy of action comics no. York based company was involved with authorities and the owner in.
Supermanclark kent, lois lane, conduit, ma kent appearance. I was going to get appraised but he does not want to mail the item, hes afraid someone will steal it. Published in 1897, the yellow kid in mcfaddens flats is considered to be the first comic book, insomuch that it bore the phrase comic book on its back cover. In february 2010, he said his company sold another copy for. In 1938 dc published the first superman story in action comics no. Superman was the first wildely hailed superhero, appearing in action. Sothebys how dc ignited the golden age of comic books. A rare copy of the first comic book featuring superman has sold for nearly.
In 2010 a copy of supermans 1938 comicbook debut rated an 8. He leads a rebellion against an evil villain, darkseid, who enslaved the people of planet apokolips. Created by jerry siegel and joe shuster, superman is possibly the most recognizable comic book. Mar 23, 2016 lets talk about the very first superman comic issue in 1938. In the less than eight decades since supermans debut in 1938, comic book superheroes have become an indispensable part of american society and the nations dominant mythology. Superman becomes a starsuperheroes take over the world. Save 1938 superman comic to get email alerts and updates on your ebay feed. I have been asked to sell a first edition superman comic. Superman was the first story in the book, and was 12 pages long. The golden age describes an era in the creation of comic books published between the years of 1938 and 1955. Among the few american characters instantly recognizable in virtually every corner of the globe, super man is truly a pop culture icon. Collectible golden age comics reprints 193855 for sale. The release of that comic book quickly launched a superhero boom, as superman was so popular that every existing comic book company wanted to have.
Superman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by dc comics, and is considered an american cultural icon. Company cgc, an independent authority that grades comic books. Rare superman comics ashcan auction closing tonight at. Unfollow 1938 superman comic to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. It didnt take much research to realize i was a little out of my league. That year, major malcolm wheelernicholson founded the company as national allied publications.
Stephen fishler, the coowner of the site and its sister dealership. Superman the dark side of apokolips is a book that is part comic and part chapter book about superman who, in addition being super strong and able to fly, has some interesting powers, like ice breath. Original 1938 superman comic sells on ebay for record. Lets talk about the very first superman comic issue in 1938. Collectible golden age comics reprints 193855 for sale ebay.
203 133 1607 263 1117 402 1212 830 196 1172 367 943 248 520 1076 154 682 608 224 813 777 1081 593 947 1138 303 1410 866 886 617 894 216 622 142 879 1436 808 892 381 1406