Not so fast, ACTION COMICS #1, DETECTIVE COMICS #27 Sets New Record

Detective Comics #27Just three days ago we reported to you that a copy of Action Comics #1 (the first appearance of Superman) broke the record for the sale price of a single comic book when it sold at auction for $1,000,000.

Well, today that record was broken.

At an auction held in Dallas, TX by American Heritage Galleries, a copy of Detective Comics #27 (the first appearance of Batman) sold for $1,075,000. Once again, both the buyer and the seller's identities remained a secret.

Taking into account that before the Action Comics #1 sale, the expected sale price had been $300,000 and that the final sale price was so close to the previous record that I've got to believe that the buyer wanted to break the record which would allow him or her to then brag that they owned the most expensive comic book in the world. I wasn't there and I haven't read anything about the auction, but I've got to believe that bragging rights were at least a part of the equation.

And for those of you who are interested, this particular copy of Detective Comics #27 was graded at 8.0 by CGC.

This copy of Detective Comics #27 last sold for $600 in 1960, and $0.10 in 1939.

Comments

  1. Holy Speculation Batman!

  2. @Neb I dunno, I don’t think this’ll lead to a new wave of "collectors" looking to trade in a ratty old MicoMachines book for a mint

  3. Ooooooo…..wonder what the odds are that it’s the same person who bought both comics?

  4. I smell a DC publicity stunt now.

  5. @jghushke It’s obviously Bruce Wayne.

  6. sold for $600 in 1960? that is A LOT of money for a comic in the 60’s. wow

  7. Once again, comic prices are going up. I mean, what kids can afford that.

    This is why I make all my own comics. Much cheaper than store bought. 

  8. Somebody has to tell these millionaires about the Batman and Superman Chronicles collections. They could’ve had these two issues and like two dozen others for around 20 bucks. 

  9. Oh Batman, always so competitive.

  10. Is this a terrible return to the 90s?

  11. @redlibertyx: Nope. These are genuinely rare and valuable books.

  12. @Paul- or at the very least some anniversary reprints of the issues

  13. they are rare but you can’t tell 1 million dollars isn’t an insane price

  14. there’s a lot of dad jokes in this thread

  15. Why now, do you think?

  16. I would love to own a copy of this. Action Comics is probably a bit more important in the grand scheme of things…..But the first issue with Batman? Gotta have that.

    What does Batman #1 go for you think?

  17. Because Josh just had a BABY!!

  18. No… I mean… why are these high-priced sales happening now…

    …but never mind. I like your answer better.

  19. Insane and awesome all at the same time!

    Do you think this will have an impact?  Will more of the older Golden Age, or origin issues from the Silver Age start selling for more?  Granted even if they do that’s not a huge market but there has to people out there thinking "I need to get in on this!"

  20. More proof that Batman can, in fact, beat anybody.

  21. how did josh’s baby drive prices up, jim? that’s crazy talk

  22. Dang conor BOTH the action #1 and tec #27?? how lucrative was this graphic.ly deal for you?!

  23. Apparently, I wield a great and terrible power.

  24. Isn’t 8.0, like REALLY high?  I would love to see this.  That’s kind of awesome.

  25. Is this what Geoff Johns is spending his promotion money on?

  26. @josh- Yea an 8.0 for a golden age comic like that is very high. The highest for that book in the CGC census.

  27. Man, everytime it looks like Superman has a leg up, Batman has to come around with his awesomness and go "Hold on now."

  28. all jokes a side. i probably would kill someone to get that comic

  29. Superman still the best.

     

     

  30. It is 64 pages to be fair

  31. @heroville~  I’m in agreement with you.  I was just making a joke about Conor’s comment on someone maybe purposefully inflating the price.

  32. @Stustap: that was very funny

  33. Stan Lee bought both issues and burned them while laughing maniacally.

  34. I do think we will see a rise in speculative collecting. I doubt we’ll see it be as intense as the bubble years but nonetheless we’ll see an increased interest. Just as we are seeing an increased overall interest in comics. More interest, more sales more diverse market.

    But what do I know, movies don’t affect sales right?

    Yes, I am looking for vindication.

  35. @JumpingJupiter – I sincerely hope you’re right.

  36. @ TheNextChampion
    Checking the Comicsconnect site where the Action issue was sold, it looks like Batman#1 CGC 7.5 has a buy it now offer of around $24,000.  Of course the minimum bid is only a dollar.

  37. Also, with comics going digital (maybe) printed comics would likely become rarer. It stands to reason that this would draw the interest of collectors.

  38. @jimski: I wonder if the sales have to do with the bad economy.  Maybe the seller’s were hard up for some money and dipped into the old comic collection.  That’s my theory anyway.

    @Prax: I think it was Lex Luthor.  Think about it, he buys their first appearances and destroys them. By doing so, wiping his enemies out of existence mwahahahahaha!!!!!!!!

  39. Seriously, why would one want to spend that much money on a fucking comic?  As I already know the answer to this question, the idea still disgusts me.

  40. @OwlyFan: It would be hilarious if one of these rare, and historic, comics got only sold for a Dollar.

    "So did you win big on the sale Jim?

    "Did I! I got Batman #1, Journey into Mystery #83, and All Star Comics #8 for only 5 bucks!"

  41. @Josh – being someone who’s bought into the CGC thing lock, stock, and barrel an 8.0 on a 70 year old book is out of this world.  It was a big deal to me when I snagged an 8.0 for my Amazing Spider-Man 252 or a 9.0 on one of my issues of Batman Year One.

  42. Nice to see other "collectors" "coming out". We’ve been ridiculed long enough.

    BTW, I got some key Iron Man issues for sale…

  43. NOTHING about this can hurt comics…  there is simply nothing negative about it.  It creates buzz and is exciting.  How people are somehow connecting this with the 1990’s speculation boom, or anything else negative is beyond me.  These Comics are probably the two most important pieces we have in our comic book history…. this isn’t a trend, or a fad, or the 1990’s.  These have always been worth a lot of money.  These literally dwarf anything you can try and compare them to in the world of comics, be it in terms of history, importance, impact, and obviously… value.

    I guess I just don’t have the need to act like collecting an old comic is somehow uncool.  And again may I remind people that they have zero idea what the people who bought these books spend other monies on so you have no right to judge them on this purchase.  They may have given 10x this amount to charity last week… you don’t know.

  44. I’m with Hawkboy

  45. "I want you to remember, Clark… in all the years to come… in your most private moments… I want you to remember the one man who beat you…"

  46. Somewhere in the netherworld, Bob Kane is laughing.  And Bill Finger is probably justifiably pissed.  

  47. the BID for action comics was actually higher

  48. @Hawkboy.  I’m judging (slightly judging) because that seems like a waste of money.  Not what else they’re spending money on.  Honestly, I really don’t give a shit.

  49. The speculators never entirely went away.  There are just far fewer of them and they tend to concentrate on rare #1s. 

  50. I think this proves someone has finally invented time travel and they’ve gone back and bought near mint copies of the most valuable comics around.  Of the two I think I’d have…Action Comics actually.  I just surprised myself with that answer as i’m much more of a Batman fan.

  51. @kmob181 When you get into Action #1 and Detective #27 these aren’t speculators…… these aren’t guys buying 25 copies of Darkhawk #1 in 1991.  These are hardcore collectors.  Big difference in my book.