A rare copy of "Action Comics No. 1," in which the world first met Superman, was sold for an unprecedented $15 million. This private deal, announced on Friday, January 9, 2026, set a new absolute record for the value of graphic novels. This was reported by AP, writes UNN.
Details
This particular copy (rated 9.0 on the CGC scale) has a cinematic history. In 1997, it was purchased by Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage for $150,000. In 2000, the comic was stolen from his home in Los Angeles and was considered lost for 11 years.
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The fate of the artifact was decided by chance: in 2011, a man who bought the contents of an abandoned warehouse in California discovered the rarity among old junk. After returning to Cage, the actor sold it at auction for $2.16 million, which was also a record at the time.
Why is it so expensive?
The $15 million sale almost doubled the previous record set just in November 2025, when a copy of "Superman No. 1" went for $9.12 million.
About 100 copies of the first issue of "Action Comics" have survived worldwide, but only a few of them are in such perfect condition.
In addition, the 1938 issue, which cost only 10 cents, started the entire superhero genre.
The deal was accompanied by Metropolis Collectibles. The names of the buyer and seller are not disclosed, but experts note that the media story with the theft only added to the comic's investment attractiveness.
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