Action Comics #1- The eBay Copy

Nicolas Cage Copy

We continue our "Stories of Action Comics #1" with coverage of an upcoming graded CGC 9.0 that
 will be auctioned on eBay next month. You can view the countdown Here.

The comic is part of a large Pristine Auction consignment with part of the proceeds going to the Christopher Reeves foundation. Christopher Reeve is the actor who played Superman in the late 1970/ early 1980's.

So what does all this mean to us comic hunters? If you sign up to be pre-qualified for the monumental auction and have an extra couple of million bucks sitting around you to can own a mint copy of Superman first appearance in Action Comics #1, the most famous comic ever made.

Experts are predicting that this copy will sell for around $3 million, keep in mind that the Nicolas Cage Copy also a CGC graded 9.0 sold for $2,100,000 in 2012. Since that auction hosted by ComicConnect the Comic market has exploded. Prices being realized for lesser known comics has increased steadily and high graded comics have become long-term investments.

So what are you waiting for sign-up to get Qualified and when you win the Action Comics #1 send us  a picture and we will tell your story, you can Email us. If you have a picture of any key issues send us a picture and we might tell your story.

Read the other "Stories of Action Comics #1" by clicking HERE

Good Luck on your Hunt!
#jointhehunt

Detective Comics #27 - The Pinnacle Hill Copy

Over the last couple of weeks we have provided "Stories of Action Comics #1" which focuses on specific copies or reprints of Supermans first appearance. A single copy of Action Comics #1 sold for over $2 million dollars, the highest price for a comic book ever. Right behind the copy of Action Comics #1 is the Pinnacle Hill copy of Detective Comics #27, the first appearance off Batman.  (You can read more about it in our previous post The beauty that is Detective Comics #27)

The Pinnacle Hill copy of Detective Comics #27, which is CGC graded 8.0, sold at auction in February 2010 for $1,075,500. Heritage Auction Galleries sold the copy to anonymous collector.
It is believed that the seller had bought the Batman comic in the late 1960s for $100. That is a pretty good profit. 

Based on the increased auction prices being realized for these higher grade key Golden Age comics we can expect more stories such as this. So keep your eyes pealed for a copy of Detective Comics #27 you really never know where one will turn up,  remember a copy of Actin Comics #1 was found in a wall.

We will be looking at other important copies of Detective Comics #27 in future posts so click follow us on the side panel to,keep up with our reviews.l

Good Luck on Your Hunt!
#jointhehunt

Action Comcs #1 - The Jack White Copy

We continue our stories of Actin Comics #1, following our look at The Nicolas Cage copy and the The One in the Wall,we will look at the Jack White copy.
 If you didn't already know, Jack White is most famous for being one-half of the rock group the White Stripes. He recently released his first solo album Blunderbuss.

It is believed that Jack obtained his copy through a ComicConnect auction back in 2009 for the then record price of $317,200. The CGC grade on this copy is a 6.0.

Last year Jack loaned his copy to DC entertainment for a party at San Diego Comic Con  celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Superman. While most people were caught up in Man Of Steel director Zack Snyder, Man Of Steel star Henry Cavill and DC editor Jim Lee also appeared at the party. When asked abut loaning his copy to DC Entertainment for use at the event, White said, "Action Comics #1 is an important piece of history. Instead of keeping my comic locked inside a vault I want to share it with fans during key moments like Superman's 75th anniversary, much like fine art is shared in museums."

At the event Action  Comics #1 made a grand entrance being delivered by a Brinks security truck. The comic was displayed in a special, "speeding bullet-proof" display case made specifically for the event, allowing guests to get an up-close look at what many consider to be the most valuable comic of all time. 

Events such as this just add to the legacy of this issue and helps us continue our stories of Action Comics #1.

Good Luck with Your Hunt!
#jointhehunt

Action Comics #1 - The Nicolas Cage Copy

We started our stories of Action Comics #1 with The One in the Wall, we continue today with the most famous copy of all the 100 or so copies, the Nicolas Cage Copy.

Not only is this copy the most famous copy of Action Comics #1 but it has become the most famous copy of any comic book in the world, so famous that there is a movie being planned to tell the story.
First off the Nicolas Cage copy is the best copy of Action Comics #1 in existence, graded CGC 9.0. CGC ( Comic Grading Company) is the most reputable grading company there is. Because of the 9.0 grade this copy also became  the first comic ever to break the $2 million mark and is the highest price ever paid for a comic $2,161,000.

The book was sold at auction In November 2011 by auction house Comic Connection, which has sold 4 of the 5 comic books to break the million dollar mar. We will look at the previous record holder an 8.5 copy of Action Comics #1 in another stories of Action Comics #1 post. 

The Nicolas Cage copy has an interesting history, it was first sold by Sotheby’s in 1992 for $82,500, then sold to Nicolas Cage in 1997 by Metropolis / Comic Connect’s for $150,000.

After that the story gets intriguing. In 2000 it, along with other rare comics, were stolen from Cage's home. Cage, who took his last name from his favorite comic character Luke Cage, was so saddened by he theft he sold his entire collection through Heritage Auctions.

Fast forward 11 years later, LAPD recovered the Action Comics #1 in a San Fernando Valley storage locker. Cage had already been paid the insurance money for the comic and there has been much debate as to who the seller was, most believe Comicconnect did in fact sell it for Nicolas Cage but that has  never been proven.

The current owner of this highest grade issue of Action Comics #1 is unknown, but I know for a fact it isn't me. If it's you thanks for reading our blog.

It is important to note that some experts believe that this is in fact not the best copy in existence. Some believe that the Edgar Church copy owned by Mile High Comics is he best copy,  not only has it not been grade as of yet but it has not been seen or scanned for close to 30 years.

Next up in our stories of Action Comics #1 is the Jack White copy.

Remember to always keep an eye out for Action Comics #1 you never know where it will turn up, maybe in a Wall, or your uncles closet, at your local flea market or some big auction. They are hiding out there and a good hunter can find it. 
Send us your tales of the hunt and we may write a post about it, Email us.

Good luck on your hunt!
#jointhehunt

Action Comics #1 - The One in the Wall

In a recent post we gave a detailed look at the first true superhero comic Action Comics #1, the first appearance of Superman.  As a follow up to that piece we will be posting about famous copies of Action Comics #1, yes this issue is so important in the comic book world there are specific copies that have a history. Expect this to be a three or four part series of posts. Our first mini-series at CBH&G.

The first tale of Action Comics #1 is the one in the wall.

It happened in Elbow Lake, Minnesota a copy of Action Comics #1 was found in the wall of a house David and Deanna Gonzalez had purchased for $10,100. The couple purchased the home as a fixer-upper and while taking down a wall amidst newspapers from the 1930's that were used as insulation they found an actual copy of the first apperance of Superman, Action Comics#1.

The couple knew right away that the comic was valuable but they didn't know how valuable it would be. Following the discovery the grading firm CGC graded the copy a 1.5, it could have been a 3.0 but an eager relative ripped the back cover shortly after its discovery. Oh family can be so helpful at times!

The copy ended up selling at auction for $175,000, more then 10 times the amount the Gonzalez family paid for the house.

Comic Connect, a New York City based auction house, listing for the comic said that it “boasts bright, sparkling colors and sturdy off-white pages” not to bad for being in a wall for almost 80 years.

It really amazes us that after 8 decades the most valuable comic in existence can be found in a wall of a $10,000 fixer-upper. It just proves that there truly are hidden treasures out there to be found and if you hunt for comics no matter where you are you never know what you might find. So get hunting.

Keep checking back for the next, Story of Action Comics #1.

If you have a story about a really interesting find please Email us and we will share it with the world, include photos.

Good Luck on your Action Comics hunt!

#jointhehunt

The Flash #105 - A piece of Comic book history

I always enjoy just seeing a Flash #105, it is one of those issues I just always keep an eye for in the hopes that one day I will own a copy.

At Special Edition: NYC I saw an in graded copy for $800. Then as I was walking around Wizard World - Philadelphia ther was a 5.0 (Very Good/ Fine condition) for $1,550, the vendor has had this copy for over a year. Guess I'll save my pennies.

Released in March, 1959, this issue is important because it was the first self titled issue of The Flash in the Silver Age, which by the way the Flash actually started with his first appearance (Barry Allen)in Showcase #4. The Flash began the new age of Superheroes and they were now mixed with science fiction.

The Flash getting his own title just confirmed superheroes were back. One might asks why issue #105  not #1, to answer that question you have to look back to the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick.

Jay Garrick was the original Flash and his comics, yes he had multiple titles and they sold extremely well during the Golden Age of comics. As the age came to an end so did Flash Comics with issue #104. Keep in mind comic publishers saved money when they used existing postal licenses so #105 made sense, kind of.

The Flash #105 had art by the late great Carmine Infantino, story by John Broome, both had worked on the Golden Age Flash as well. There were two separate stories in the first issue.

The first story was titled Conquerer from 8 Million B.C.  The villain was Katmos, who never appears again. Katmos is is the sole survivor of a metallic race that ruled the Earth 80 million years ago, who uses his mind control gun on an archeologist to free him. His plan is to try to take over the world, but he needs to steal some devices to do so. The prehistoric humanoid battles the Flash, who he captures and places in sealed tube which will cause Flash to be 1,000 times heavier than normal. The Flash gets free, battles Katmos and wins. Yes the Flash wins.
Lots of science fiction in this first story, time travel, scientific devices and prehistoric man (huh).

The second story introduces a new criminal who would become one of the Rogues, a group of Flashes greatest villains. Mirror Master robs a bank using his special mirrors the he found in prison. Barry Allen, the Flash, happens to be in the bank at the time and he notices something strange. Mirror Master has used his mirror technology to duplicate the bank manager, who is acting strange.
The Flash follows the manager and soon finds the Mirror Master's various mirror traps, he battles some creatures that he defeats. The Flash then finds the Mirror Master. Who he battles and defeats. He quickly captures the crook and turns him over to the police.
Same as first story regarding the use of science and technology. This story is the better of the two especially because Mirror Master will become a key villain throughout the Flashes history.


This issue contained what made the Silver Age so much different then the Golden Age, the introduction of science and technology made superhero comics popular again, we owe this resurgence to the Flash.  So if you have some extra cash lying around, go on a hunt and find this key issue for your collection or as a gift to me for bringing you all this comic information.

Good luck in your hunt!
#jointhehunt.

The beauty that is Detective Comics #27

When you walk around a comic convention hunting for some hidden treasure you may actually come across a magnificent piece of history. Recently as myself and my two daughters walked around the Special Edition: NYC comic convention we happened to come across a copy of Detective Comics #27 along with its own personal armed security guard (REALLY). The rarity of this issue was not only in its scarcity but also that this particular copy is graded a 9.4, which is almost gem mint. Basically it looked like it came right off the shelf o. Wednesday at your local comic shop.
 It's estimated value is $500,000. Yes a five and five zeros.

You might ask why this is such a rare and expensive comic book. Detective comics #27 is the first appearance of Batman, a character who would become one of the most recognizable fictional characters in the world.

Released in May of 1939 after creator Bob Kane was asked by DC comics ( yes named after the very title of the comic) to create a character that would be as popular as Superman who was selling a million plus issues a month, so not an easy task for Mr. Kane. History would soon tell us that he did not disappoint. Batman quickly became a huge success for DC comics, he was even given his owntitle  shortly after his introduction. He to started selling a million plus issues a month, becoming the perfect addition for Superman and making DC comics a publishing powerhouse.

Since his introduction in Detective Comics #27 Batman has had his own TV show in the 1960's, 7 block buster movies and a number of successful cartoons. He has been featured on almost every item you could think of. He is an pop icon.

Although my budget doesn't allow for me to own such a historical piece it was nice to just to be able to look at it up close and share the experience with my daughters.

Next we would like to see Action Comics #1, hunting is not always about actually buying the treasure.

Good luck on your hunt.
#jointhehunt.