Batman Tops Superman's Rare Comic Book Record

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Feb 10th 2010 at 9:01PM

Batman beats Superman at least when it comes to the rare comic book market right now. A rare copy of the first Batman comic book has surpassed the previous comic book record price, $317,000, paid for a first Superman comic by John Dolmayan, drummer for the rock band System of a Down last year. The bidding at Heritage Auctions for a comic that marks the first appearance of Batman has already reached a total of $418,250 including buyer's premium and the auction is still two weeks way. Heritage Auctions will be selling the Detective Comics #27, cover date of May 1939 on February 25. The comic is one of the finest known surviving copies of the issue and is being sold on behalf of an anonymous consignor who purchased it for $100 more than 40 years ago.

Tags: batman, comic book, comic book auction, comic book collecting, ComicBook, ComicBookAuction, ComicBookCollecting, rare comic, rare comic books, RareComic, RareComicBooks

Filed under: Auctions

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

jhnatsgc Feb 11th 2010 2:16PM

What an idiot! For a frickin comic book! I would be so embarassed if everybody knew I spent that much money on a comic book! Hey, I have an original 1967 Camaro Matchbox car. I'll sell it to you for 1.2 million dollars. I bought it yesterday at walmart for $5.

Bill Feb 11th 2010 2:34PM

Things are worth precisely what someone will pay for them. Who is to say that the comic book is not worth that much, but a painting from someone who died hundreds of years ago is worth millions? No doubt, you have spent more money on something than I would be willing to pay for it. Does that make you an idiot? The very nature of collections (and collectors) is that something that is worth next to nothing now will be worth a lot later.

fred marcus Feb 11th 2010 2:36PM

wow. i'm shocked that you had the 5 dollars to spend for the car in wallmart. knowing that wallmart is your store of choice explains why you don't understand the dynamics of supply and demand. that goes for anything, including matchbox cars. now if you had the first one they made about 50 years ago it would be worth more than 5 dollars. whether or not you understand collectibles is the issue. you don't. when you come down to it genius......are the stocks you bought two years ago a better investment? no one can answer that. at least the first appearance of the batman gives the true collector joy even if the value goes down. can you say that about stocks? bonds? gold? silver? to each his own dimwit.

Bill Stehl Feb 11th 2010 3:03PM

YOU will never have to worry about such things because you are ignorant about the world and how it works. If one thinks about it, why does a yellow substance that we call Gold, found in the dirt, excite humans so much? Or why do those shiny glass like things called Diamonds, also found in the dirt, cost millions while other rocks are worthless? For thousands of years humans walked all over diamonds and paid them no attention but now the one who has them is rich and the one who does not is poor? That's called life dummy...FRED MARCUS put it so beautifully. QUOTE. "..... knowing that wallmart is your store of choice explains why you don't understand the dynamics of supply and demand. that goes for anything....." UNquote. Exactly on target (TARGET,another of your stores of choice, jhnatsgc?) Thanks, Fred P.S. That matchbox you paid FIVE DOLLARS for, originally sold for 69 Cents in Woolworth's! Aint you the financial genius?!

al schrader Feb 14th 2010 12:24PM

I have a real 1986 IROC Camaro with 5.0 305 V8 engine, Muncie 5 speed, Aero Package, electric windows, red paint,T-top, everything. A screamin' bad-a$$ car.
Does zero to 140 in a few blocks. Sorry, is not for sale...Al-

amwmo Feb 23rd 2010 8:51AM

JHNATSGC
Your reply shows us exactly how ignorant you really are!!

Mike Feb 11th 2010 2:17PM

Heritage Auctions are a bunch of thieves. Watch out for the shill bidders.

willie the warlock Feb 11th 2010 7:45PM

How much can I get for a Willie the Warlock 1st edition?

JayBird789 Feb 11th 2010 2:46PM

How much can i get for my spiderman comics 18 thru 95

King David Feb 14th 2010 9:06AM

I have some vintage High Society, some vintage National Lampoons, and a lampoon of the National Lampoon called Harpoon that I'm getting ready to sell. Any LEGITIMATE BUYERS??

Travis Feb 14th 2010 1:37PM

Hey Jaybird
If you really do have those comic books they could be worth a small fortune. Please email me directly at txtnt622@aol.com. It all depends on what shape they're in.

AstoriaJent Feb 15th 2010 6:37AM

Bill Stehl Feb 11th 2010 3:23PM

While I was away in the USMC my Mother threw or gave away away about a half a million bucks worth of comics that I used to have....Including my 1950's 3-D versions of Origin of Superman and Lone Ranger. I threw away my collection of Playboys 1950's to 1964; including THE MM issue and the two Janet Pilgrim issues. Some given to me by friends and most purchased for 50 cents each!! My step father donated my 1950's model Lionel train set to some charity...it consisted of 1 "027" Engine, 1 "O" gauge engine, Cattle car, Milk car, Round house, Crane car, Auto cart etc. etc. Worth how many thousands on today's market? And you just know that it never made it to the intended charity. Cest' La Vie.

Wish Belkin Feb 11th 2010 6:20PM

I sympathize Bill.
My mother threw away my perfect and working Ediphone, Complete with a set of wax cylinders.
Sometimes, it's hard to be a Christian.

Barb Feb 14th 2010 12:57PM

My mom through away all my original Barbies (and I had a LOT), 1st house (cardboard), tons of clothes, and all the many accessories. Oh well - whaddya gonna do? What's done is done.

THE.BUCKNERS Feb 12th 2010 8:53PM

I understand to each their own, but in todays economic situation I am appalled that someone would spend that sum of money while we have so many people in dire need for the basics to survive. More money than humanity!!!!

Blanche Feb 14th 2010 9:43AM

Obviously some people have way more money than they need, while others don't even have enough to survive. While I think it is outrageous that somebody has that kind of money to spend on a 10 cent comic, I also understand the laws of supply and demand. Anybody remember the craziness of the Superman funeral comics in 1991? People were paying $100.00 for a comic as none were available in the stores due to hoarding. Everybody thought they would become a big collectible because Superman was supposed to die off permanently. The collectors got screwed on that one as Superman never really died off, and the market was glutted with overproduced versions. It was shot in the arm for Marvel Comics, but you can't even GIVE those comics away now. Would I pay $400,000. for a comic? NO WAY! I stopped buying the darn things when the cost went over a $1.00. I now live with the fond memories of being able to take a dollar to the corner store, buying 10 comics and spending days reading them. Now they are so filled with ads they aren't even worth 10 cents of material and cost way more than a dollar a piece.

Marshy Feb 21st 2010 3:57PM

That's interesting. Action Comics #1 (the first Superman comic) was, I believe the very first superhero comic, that's what makes it so valuable. A little surprised Batman surpassed it, but whatever. Another reason those comics are so valuable, is not only that they are first appearances of extremely popular characters who have lasted through the decades, but with older comics there won't be as many surviving copies. That's what makes these comics so valuable, especially if they're in good condition. Few copies of Action Comics #1 are known to exist, and as far as I'm aware no mint condition copies. I'm more of a Spiderman fan myself, though, and even though his first appearance was in the sixties or so (I think 1965, but I could be wrong) a mint condition copy of that particular comic book (in Amazing Fantasy magazine, I think issue #15) is worth tens of thousands of dollars. The people who buy these insanely expensive comic books are probably the kind of people who make millions, perhaps billions, of dollars every year and have to find something to spend it on. Shoot, I would definately buy expensive comics if I was one of those people. I want to start a collection (of the cheaper comics, most comic books are only worth a couple bucks each today) but there are no comic book stores near my house.

Ahaha, my dad says when he was younger he had some of those comics that are worth thousands today, such as the first appearance of Doctor Strange. XD That must suck, you never know what will be worth so much later on.

mistermac Feb 11th 2010 4:18PM

Bill Stehl--- Amazing how irresponsible and short sighted our parents were about disposing of our priceless collectibles.Mine disposed of all my baseball cards, Classics comic books as well as the regular ones,my Matchbox and Dinky toys, my marble collection and a number of other treasures I had years ago . How they could be so ill informed is beyond me. Well that said I feel much better now,and in spite of it all ,I still LOVE you MOM.
Your favorite son.

Andy Feb 11th 2010 6:18PM

Remember, if all of our mother's and father's hadn't thrown away all of our comic book, the one in the picture wouldn't be worth so much. That's supply and demand 101.

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