Superman comic sells for $317,200

2009-03-15 12:10:52

#1

blademaster: I'm moving to Brazil; +2,075|6642

A rare copy of the first Superman comic book sold for $317,200 during an Internet auction, a New York auction company said.

The auction site ComicConnect.com said John Dolmayan, drummer for the rock band System of a Down -- who also happens to be a vintage comic book collector and dealer -- registered the winning bid late Friday for a client, the New York Daily News reported Saturday. It was one off the highest bids ever for a comic book, the newspaper said.

The 1938 edition of Action Comics No. 1 -- the first comic to feature mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent and his Man of Steel alter ego -- had been purchased by its previous owner for 35 cents at a secondhand shop, the News said.

Comic book expert Stephen Fishler had described the issue last month as "the Holy Grail of comic books."

Only 100 copies are known to exist worldwide and this one is one of just a few that remain untouched, in mint condition.

source

2009-03-15 13:31:06

#2

Qrite: sup g; +79|6171|Ohio

such a ridiculous amount of money for a comic

2009-03-15 13:50:29

#3

Flecco: iPod is broken.; +1,048|6662|NT, like Mick Dundee

Qrite wrote:
such a ridiculous amount of money for a comic

It is over 70 years old now (I think).

Whoa... Can't believe these forums are still kicking.

2009-03-15 14:08:56

#4

Ioan92: Member; +337|5719

When I think about the fact that there are people starving in Africa while reading this. It disgusts me. But adding the fact we are in an "economical crisis" only disgusts me even more.

The world is weird these times.

2009-03-15 14:22:00

#5

Flecco: iPod is broken.; +1,048|6662|NT, like Mick Dundee

Guys, a shitty painting sold for over 4 times as much as this recently in France...

_{Literally, they showed it on the news and it's not a very good painting... Bad colours and a crappy vibe to it.}

Whoa... Can't believe these forums are still kicking.

2009-03-15 22:01:23

#6

Adams_BJ: Russian warship, go fuck yourself; +2,053|6620|Little Bentcock

Flecco wrote:
Guys, a shitty painting sold for over 4 times as much as this recently in France...

_{Literally, they showed it on the news and it's not a very good painting... Bad colours and a crappy vibe to it.}

pics pl0x.

And it doesn't make sense that the previous owner bought it second hand for 35cents and its in mint condition. Why would I a mint comic book be in a second hand store?

2009-03-15 22:16:56

#7

N00bkilla55404: Voices are calling...; +136|5928|Somewhere out in Space

If i had that kind of disposable income, i would buy it, then burn it just to make all the comic fantards piss themselves.

2009-03-15 22:25:31

#8

Scorpion0x17: can detect anyone's visible post count...; +691|6763|Cambridge (UK)

N00bkilla55404 wrote:
If i had that kind of disposable income, i would buy it, then burn it just to make all the comic fantards piss themselves.

I would buy it, open it at random, make a change somewhere on the page, sell it on (making a profit, of course) and then tell the buyer, and the world, what I'd done (it would no longer be 'mint' and it's value would plummet).

:evil:

2009-03-15 22:26:30

#9

Pochsy: Artifice of Eternity; +702|5540|Toronto

I must be one of the few people here who sees the value in it I guess. Surprising for a gaming forum really. It's art. And some would say an important literary work (if you buy graphic novel theories). It marks the first major book ever published in the genre of literature. Just like most other things, people like to preserve history, and this man saw it fit to do so for the price. I fail to see the problem. If anything I salute him for doing so, as long as he actually is serious about preserving it.

The shape of an eye in front of the ocean, digging for stones and throwing them against its window pane. Take it down dreamer, take it down deep. - Other Families

2009-03-15 22:40:06

#10

DrunkFace: Germans did 911; +427|6678|Disaster Free Zone

Pochsy wrote:
I must be one of the few people here who sees the value in it I guess. Surprising for a gaming forum really. It's art. And some would say an important literary work (if you buy graphic novel theories). It marks the first major book ever published in the genre of literature. Just like most other things, people like to preserve history, and this man saw it fit to do so for the price. I fail to see the problem. If anything I salute him for doing so, as long as he actually is serious about preserving it.

Art has no 'value'.

2009-03-15 22:55:30

#11

Defiance: Member; +438|6668

DrunkFace wrote:
Art has no 'value'.

I'd love to see you argue that. It's common to say art has no tangible purpose but that's wrong. Art is a prime way to create decor. Such astronomical values though, like the one assigned to this comic, are purely intrinsic. One mans trash is another mans treasure. It being of no value to you doesn't make it of no value to the buyer.

2009-03-15 23:08:15

#12

Flecco: iPod is broken.; +1,048|6662|NT, like Mick Dundee

Art's also not bad as a source material for history.

While it's a rather narrow and shallow source, it does provide a limited commentary on opinions of the time.

Whoa... Can't believe these forums are still kicking.

2009-03-15 23:09:59

#13

Defiance: Member; +438|6668

Flecco wrote:
Art's also not bad as a source material for history.

While it's a rather narrow and shallow source, it does provide a limited commentary on opinions of the time.

If you consider political comics, there's much more then limited commentary available.

2009-03-15 23:42:02

#14

Flecco: iPod is broken.; +1,048|6662|NT, like Mick Dundee

Defiance wrote:
Flecco wrote:
Art's also not bad as a source material for history.

While it's a rather narrow and shallow source, it does provide a limited commentary on opinions of the time.
If you consider political comics, there's much more then limited commentary available.

We treated comics separately.

Whoa... Can't believe these forums are still kicking.

2009-03-16 01:34:59

#15

belldawg: Serial Jay-Walker; +52|5981|Perth, indian ocean

Does anyone else care that of all people to get it the drummer of system of a down did?

BF2S Forums Superman comic sells for $317,200

Qrite wrote:

Flecco wrote:

N00bkilla55404 wrote:

Pochsy wrote:

DrunkFace wrote:

Flecco wrote:

Defiance wrote:

Flecco wrote:

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