A rare first edition of Superman, discovered by three brothers in their late mother's attic, has fetched a record-breaking $9.12m ($6.95m) at a Texas auction house, making it the most expensive comic book ever sold.
The brothers unearthed the comic last year in their deceased mother's San Francisco home, tucked away in a cardboard box beneath layers of brittle newspapers, dust, and cobwebs.
It was found alongside other rare comics she and her sibling had collected on the cusp of World War II. Their mother had often spoken of a valuable collection hidden away, but its contents remained unseen until the family prepared her house for sale and decided to comb through the basement for heirlooms.
Lon Allen, vice president of comics at Heritage Auctions, was contacted by the brothers. He travelled to San Francisco earlier this year to inspect their copy of Superman No. 1 and show it to other experts for appraisal.
Allen remarked on its improbable survival: "It was just in an attic, sitting in a box, could have easily been thrown away, could’ve easily been destroyed in a thousand different ways."
He added: "A lot of people got excited because it’s just every factor in collecting that you could possibly want all rolled into one."
Released in 1939 by Detective Comics Inc., this copy of Superman No. 1 is one of a small number of issues known to exist and is in excellent condition. The Man of Steel was the first superhero to enter pop culture, significantly boosting the copy's value among collectors, alongside its improbable backstory, Allen said.
This sale surpasses the previous record for the world's most expensive comic book, set last year, when an Action Comics No. 1 – which first introduced Superman to the world as part of an anthology – sold for $6m (£4.5m). In 2022, another Superman No. 1 sold for $5.3m (£4m).
A small, in-house advertisement within the comic helped experts identify it as originating from the first edition of 500,000 Superman No. 1 copies ever printed. Allen estimates there are fewer than 500 in existence today.
Despite lacking any special protection, the cool Northern California climate helped preserve it, leaving it with a firm spine, vibrant colours, and crisp corners, according to a statement from Dallas-based Heritage Auctions.
The copy was rated a 9.0 out of 10 by comics grading company CGC, meaning it had only the slightest signs of wear and ageing.
The three brothers, aged in their 50s and 60s, did not wish to be identified due to the windfall involved, nor did the buyer of the comic book, according to the auction house.
"This isn’t simply a story about old paper and ink," one brother said in a statement released by the auction house. "This was never just about a collectable. This is a testament to memory, family and the unexpected ways the past finds its way back to us."
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