eBay to auction very first Superman comic -- Action Comics #1
Up for auction on eBay starting August 14, the so-called "Holy Grail" of comic books could easily sell for close to $3 million.
It's a bird. It's a plane. No, it's an eBay auction.
Those of you who can spare a few million dollars can join in on an eBay auction that will entice buyers with the comic book that introduced the world to Superman. Published in June 1938 and created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Action Comics #1 told the tale of mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent who used his incredible powers to fight crime under the guise of Superman.
And now a copy of that same comic will soar up, up, and away into eBay's auction starting August 14 and running through August 24.
The issue of Action Comics #1 to be auctioned by eBay received a grade of 9.0 from the Certified Guaranty Company, the highest grade ever assigned to an Action Comics #1 issue by CGC and a sign that the 76-year-old comic is still in top condition.
The only other copy of Action Comics #1 that won a CGC rating of 9.0 sold for $2,161,000 in 2011. That version, which was sold by actor and Superman fanatic Nicolas Cage, contained cream-colored to off-white pages, while the issue up for grabs via eBay has white pages and is considered to be in "pristine" condition.
"The quality and preservation of this Action #1 is astounding," Paul Litch, CGC Primary Grader, said in a statement. "The book looks and feels like it just came off the newsstand. It is supple, the colors are deep and rich and the quality of the white pages is amazing for a comic that is 76 years old."
Only around 50 unrestored original copies of Action Comics #1 are believed to exist, eBay said. The issue itself will be auctioned by collectibles dealer Darren Adams.
Part of the proceeds of the auction will go toward the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. As all Superman fans known, the late Christopher Reeve became forever associated with the role when he donned the cape of the Man of Steel in a series of four movies starting in 1978.
Comic books fans and millionaires who might want to bid can learn more about the auction through a dedicated eBay page. You can also examine a digital copy of the issue to be auctioned courtesy of the CGC website.