A piece of publishing history, the ultra-rare comic book that first brought Superman to the world, has been sold in a private transaction for a staggering $15 million. The sale, announced on Friday the 9th of January 2026, sets a new world record for the most expensive comic ever sold.
The Holy Grail of Comic Books
The record-breaking item is "Action Comics No. 1," published in June 1938. Originally costing just ten cents, this anthology is now revered as the birth certificate of the superhero genre. Within its pages, a few seminal panels detailed the origin of the Last Son of Krypton, setting the template for countless heroes to follow.
Vincent Zurzolo, President of Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect which brokered the deal, called it "among the Holy Grail of comic books." He emphasised its foundational importance: "Without Superman and his popularity, there would be no Batman or other superhero comic book legends. Its importance in the comic book community shows with this deal, as it obliterates the previous record." It is believed only about 100 copies survive today.
A Stolen Chapter in its History
This specific copy has a dramatic provenance that reads like a Hollywood script. It was once owned by actor and noted collector Nicolas Cage, who purchased it in 1996 for $150,000. In a bizarre twist, the comic was stolen from Cage's Los Angeles home in 2000 and vanished for over a decade.
Miraculously, it was recovered in 2011 after a man bought the contents of an abandoned storage locker in Southern California. Once authenticated, it was returned to Cage, who subsequently sold it at auction for $2.2 million just six months later.
How Theft Skyrocketed its Value
Intriguingly, experts believe the theft and recovery saga significantly enhanced the comic's value and mystique. Stephen Fishler, CEO of Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect, noted that during the 11 years it was missing, the comic's value soared. "The thief made Nicolas Cage a lot of money by stealing it," Fishler remarked.
He drew a direct parallel to one of art history's most famous heists: "It was kept under the thief’s bed for two years. The recovery of the painting made the Mona Lisa go from being just a great Da Vinci painting to a world icon — and that’s what Action No. 1 is — an icon of American pop culture."
The private sale for $15 million comfortably surpasses the previous comic book record of $9.12 million, set in November 2025 for a copy of "Superman No. 1." Both the seller and the buyer in this landmark transaction have chosen to remain anonymous, adding another layer of intrigue to the legacy of this most extraordinary comic.
