A rare edition of the comic book that first introduced Superman to the world and was previously stolen from actor Nicolas Cage’s residence has been purchased for a groundbreaking $15 million US. The undisclosed transaction for Action Comics No. 1, jointly created by Toronto-born artist Joe Shuster and American comic writer Jerry Siegel, was disclosed on Friday. This sale surpasses the previous record set last 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 identities of both the seller and buyer have been kept confidential. Vincent Zurzolo, the company’s president, emphasized the historical significance of this comic book, noting that it was originally sold for 10 cents in 1938 and is considered one of the most valuable comics globally, with approximately 100 remaining copies.
Shuster and Siegel conceived the idea of Superman in 1933, five years prior to the release of Action Comics No. 1. In that edition, Superman’s alter-ego worked as a reporter at The Daily Star (later renamed The Daily Planet), inspired by Shuster’s hometown newspaper, the Toronto Daily Star. The comic book was pilfered from Cage’s home in west Los Angeles in 2000 but was recovered in 2011 after being discovered in an old storage locker in southern California. Cage, who had acquired it for $150,000 in 1996, sold it at auction for $2.2 million six months after its recovery.
Stephen Fishler, CEO of Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect, highlighted the impact of the theft on the comic’s value, stating that its worth surged during the 11 years it was missing. Fishler drew parallels with the theft of the Mona Lisa, which was stolen in 1911 and later found, elevating its status to a worldwide icon. Similarly, Action Comics No. 1 has become an icon of American pop culture.
