Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. This was the first comic book, ever, to feature the new character archetype of a superhero. These are the years when comics were considered a new and exciting form of art. Excludes express carriers, international orders containing books, and all orders containing statues or supplies. The golden age describes an era in the creation of comic books published between the years of 1938 and 1955. The old comic book, from june 1938, features a new character named superman lifting a car on its cover. Golden age superhero comic book history comics month 1. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material. The first issue featured superman and except for a brief hiatus when the series was titled action comics weekly, he has appeared in nearly every issue. It included story and art by legendary creators jerry siegel and joe shuster, who launched their famous creation in this issue.
But the main problem is action comics 1 from 1938, for superman did not get his own title until 1939, has been reprinted many times in different formats, hence those seriously vary by size as well. Printed in mexico and the entire book is newsprint. Written and drawn by jerome siegel and joe shuster, the comic introduced superman as champion of the oppressed, the physical marvel who had. Action comics 1 dc, 2000 series february 2000 indexer notes. Mar 19, 2009 comic books in 1938 were definitely of a different size than they are today. The cover says june, and the wikipedia page says that it was published on april 18. Also features the first appearance of lois lane and zatara in this issue. Most comic fans know that superman actually began life in action comics. Though action comics began as an anthology, collecting a variety of tales, over the past few decades it has become a monthly title dedicated to. Publication date 20170105 usage public domain mark 1. The finest known copy of the most sought after comic book in the world. Created by jerry siegel and joe shuster, superman is quite possibly the most recognizable fictional character in the world.
The issue features superman lifting a car on its cover and originally cost 10 cents. This comic book is also the first featuring a superhero, and is considered to be the most valuable comic in the world. Action comics cover dated june, published by dc comics. Feb 19, 2016 lets talk about the time superman used a hypodermic needle to drug a man, kidnapped him and joined the football team.
After superman saves a group of miners from a cavein, clark kent senses a story that may mean that the mines owner, thorton blakely, is actually running unsafe mine operations and blaming accidents on the miners themselves. Ad for more fun comics, new adventure comics and detective comics. Kids all across north america were eager to get their hands on a new comic book. Action 1 1938 with a mexican flare golden age comic. In fascist italy the importation and translation of all american and british comic books, except for the far too popular mickey mouse is outlawed. You can now read the worlds most expensive comic book online. The original comic book, coverdated june, 1938, hit the newsstands sometime during the late spring of that year. Unrestored copy of first superman comic book for sale.
Although action comics was not the first american comic book to feature all original material rather than reprints, the popularity of superman in particular made the book enormously popular, and its success kicked off what is generally referred to as the golden age of american comic books. Action comics 1938 comic book by dc 971 issues, 1233 covers jun 1938 to may 2020. None more so than the famous first issue of action comics. A 1938 museum piece with perfect white pristine pages. Just scroll down for 15 scanned pictures via bazinga of the comic book. The blakely mine disaster, script by jerry siegel, art by joe shuster. Sheldon moldoff, superman, detective comics inc, action comics, super comics. Diamond doom starring congo bill, art by ed smalle. It took me two issue to realise that superman have super powers, but cannot fly, always tought he.
Rarity, title, issue, and condition determine value, although often one of those variables is far more important than the others. Published in april, with a cover date of june, 1938 by national allied publications, the predecessor to dc comics it is considered by many to be the first superhero comic and gave. It has been graded by mycomicshops experienced graders. Superman and the men of steel the new 52 by morrison, grant and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The cover bears the famous if somewhat crude drawing of superman smashing a car against a rock. Some strict collectors consider the era finished by 1950. Sep 11, 2011 the result is strong, wellexecuted superhero imagery and storytelling that flows effortlessly. Simply, action is the most valuable comic book in history. The owner, a humble and hardworking contractor, named gonzales, has spent years tearing down old walls and putting up new ones for his homerenovation clients. Action comics 1, first edition abebooks shop for books.
Unlike so many morrison books, you wont have to read a page twice to understand it, and much of that is down to morales. Pop momands newspaper comic strip keeping up with the. Find great deals on ebay for action comics 1 and action comics 1 reprint. All together there were about 44 comic books that have been in the overstreet comic book price guides top 100 most valuable. The publisher was originally known as national allied publications, and later as national comics publications and as national periodical publications, before taking on its current name of dc comics. Probably the most unusual copy of this comic weve ever offered, this 1938 holy grail of superman comic books was found hidden in the wall of an abandoned home. Comic books have been published for more than a century, and collectors categorize them into five ages. This page lists prices for the first 100 issues of supermans appearances in his solo series, which began in 1939. Platinum 18971937, golden 193855, silver 195669, bronze 197079, and modern 1980present. News and media for adaptations based on comic books are welcome. The three dead letters starring vigilante, art by bob brown. By far the highest price ever paid for a single comic book. Widely regarded as the holy grail of comic books, there are believed to be as few as 50.
The strip proved so popular that national launched superman into his own selftitled comic book, the first for any superhero, premiering with coverdate june 1939. It put dc on the map, and defined, for better or worse, the modern superhero comic. Action comics 1, the first to join the million dollar comic. Shop for action comics 1938 comics on, your friendly online comic book store. Most of the action 1 comic books out there have been traded and resold many times. Considered the first true superhero book, action comics arrived on the scene in 1938 and remains the longestrunning comic book in history. So this book was on the stand at the same time of action 3 or 4. The world of adventure in books public service announcement starring green arrow, tomahawk, and shining knight, script by jack schiff, pencils by win mortimer, inks by win mortimer. It was 68 pages long 64 interior pages plus the covers, and included stories featuring characters like chuck dawson, zatara master magician, pep morgan, and cowboy tex thompson. The war years 19381945 chartwell books, 2015 series. Lends further credence to my theory that very few of those who indulge in comicsflavored loot nerd geek fanboy box cube crates actually give halfadamn about comic books. Though action comics began as an anthology, collecting a variety of tales, over the past few decades it has become a monthly. You can find out values of action issues by clicking here.
It was a weekly series that broke up action 1 so each week you got a page. While nothing really is remarkable with supes in this issue, i could just imagine how phenomenal it was back in 1938. Whenever a comic is sold the most important aspect is its cgc grading. Action comics is an american comic book magazine series that introduced superman, one of the first major superhero characters. Golden age superhero comic book history comics month 1 june 1938 action comics superman collecting r terry hoknes. Its original incarnation ran from 1938 to 2011 and stands as one of the. Find the value of the dc comic action comics volume 1. Along with fawcett comics superhero captain marvel, dc comics flash and green lantern debuted in 1940. For those diehard superman fans like me, this was a must since obviously we cant afford an original 1938 action comics. The saturday evening post reported in 1941 that the pair was being paid still a fraction of dcs superman profits. It was called action comics, and featured on the cover was a. Its currently rated the most valuable comic of all by the overstreet comic book price guide by far, and the margin between it and the next most valuable comic books is widening. This is a, according to the indicia, loot crate edition.