A unique edition of the comic book that unveiled Superman to the world and 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, co-crafted by Toronto-born artist Joe Shuster and American comic writer Jerry Siegel, was revealed on Friday. This sale surpasses the prior 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, stating that both the seller and buyer opted to remain anonymous. Vincent Zurzolo, the company’s president, emphasized that this comic, originally priced at 10 cents upon its 1938 release, symbolizes the genesis of the superhero genre and ranks among the world’s most prized comics, with an estimated 100 copies still in existence.
Shuster, who relocated to Cleveland at nine years old, and his school chum Siegel conceived Superman in 1933, predating Action Comics No. 1 by five years. In this issue, Superman’s alter ego was a reporter at The Daily Star (later renamed The Daily Planet), inspired by Shuster’s childhood newspaper, the Toronto Daily Star (now the Toronto Star), which he distributed as a youngster.
“This comic is a gem in the world of comic books. The popularity of Superman paved the way for other iconic superhero legends like Batman,” stated Zurzolo. “Its significance is evident from this deal, shattering the previous record.”
The comic was pilfered from Cage’s residence in west Los Angeles in 2000 but was eventually retrieved in 2011 when a man who acquired the contents of an old storage unit in southern California found it. After being returned to Cage, who initially purchased it for $150,000 in 1996, the comic was auctioned for $2.2 million six months later.
Stephen Fishler, CEO of Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect, highlighted that the theft substantially contributed to the comic’s escalated worth over the 11-year period it was missing. “Its value skyrocketed during the time it was gone,” Fishler mentioned. “The thief inadvertently boosted Nicolas Cage’s earnings by stealing it.”
Fishler drew a parallel with the theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre museum in Paris in 1911. “Just like the Mona Lisa’s theft turned it into a global icon, Action No. 1 has become an emblem of American pop culture,” Fishler pointed out.
