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Sunday, August 17, 2014

Superman #1 - Is it Fourth Most Important Comic?


We recently wrote about Batman #1 and how many believe that it is the fourth most valuable comic. The first three are easy,  Action Comics #1Detective Comics #27 , and Amazing Fantasy #15. Since the Batmen #1 post we have heard from some of our readers about their vote for which comic should be the fourth. ( you can always reach us via email Farleyclan003@yahoo.com.)

Superman #1 came up the most so this addition of "Who's in Fourth?" will be about this iconic Golden Age issue. 

Superman was, as we all know, the first superhero introduced in Action Comics #1. His stories in Action Comics were so popular, regularly selling out a million copies a month, that DC comics, then National Publication, thought it would be a good idea for Superman to have his own title. It is important to note that until Superman #1 hit newsstands no comic title contained the stories of only one character. Titles were basically anthologies of different characters, Superman #1 changed all that.  

Superman #1 appeared on the shelves in the summer of 1939. Superman #1 was written by Robert JerrySiegel   with art by Joe Shuster, the team that created Super for Action Comics.  Superman now became the first superhero to appear in two separate comics each month and both Action Comics and Superman were selling of a million copies a month by 1940. 

It's Value
Superman #1 is valued at $550,000 in mint condition. A CGC 7.0 recently sold for $37,000. This ground breaking issue is highly sought after by collectors and with the comic market increasing steadily its value should continue to increase.

Inside Superman #1

Superman origin as told in Action Comics #1 is retold in Superman #1 with some additional panels not used in Action Comics. There are also stories reprinted from Action Comics #2, one in which Superman saves Lois from gangsters and another in which the two reporters take a trip to South America. There is also a story reprinted from Action Comics #3, Clark Kent disguises himself as a miner to check unsafe working conditions. Action Comics #4 also contributes a story, this one has Superman saving a College Football game.
Along with the five reprinted stories there are also four original stories in Superman #1. Clark Kent looks to get a job at the Daily Star and is turned down until he phones in a story about Superman stopping a lynching. Next, Superman convinces Bea Carroll, Superman first villain, to confess to the murder of Jack Kennedy. The issue also explains Superman's amazing Strength which is attributed to Earth's lighter gravity.
Page from Superman #1

If you have the means this is one of the comics that should be in your collection, if your like me just seeing one would be worth it. But is it worth being the fourth most important comic in history? You tell us, who should be number four and why? Comment below or email us Farleyclan003@yahoo.com

Good Luck in Your Hunt!
#jointhehunt

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