Article by Steve J. Ray
There can be no doubt in any fans’ minds that two of the most important, and sought-after, comics in publication history would be Superman #1 (1939) and Batman #1 (1940). These books are rare, valuable, and highly desired.
Since their initial release copies have been discovered and sold in the United States, but it’s been rare for these prize collector’s items to appear outside America. Now, finally, graded copies of both of these “Holy Grail” issues will be available to buy in the United Kingdom.
Batman #1 and Superman #1 For Sale In The UK
Here’s the full press release from Excalibur Auctions:
THE UK’S LEADING COMIC AUCTION HOUSE
TO OFFER TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
HISTORICAL COMICS FOR THE
FIRST TIME EVER IN THE UK
SUPERMAN#1 – ranked as #3 in list of top 100
most important comics of the Golden Age
BATMAN#1 – 1st solo-titled comic and
5th most important Golden Age Comic
“The UK’s leading comic book auction house, Excalibur Auctions, is excited to offer two historically important and exceptionally rare comics by the famous American publisher DC*, that have never been offered in the UK before. The first is Superman #1 which is currently ranked #3 on Overstreet’s list* of the Top 100 Golden Age comics.
The rare and historically important Superman #1 never before sold in the UK and ranked #3 of the Top 100 Golden Age comics Starting price £20,000
The Golden Age ran from 1938 to 1956 and was a period when the concept of the ‘superhero’ was created and many well-known characters were introduced, including Superman, Batman, Captain America (Timely Comics) & Wonder Woman. An event cited as the beginning of the Golden Age was the debut of Superman in 1938 (Action Comics #1) and his popularity helped make comics a major arm of publishing, which then led rival companies to create superheroes of their own.
Superman #1 arrived in 1939, one year after his first appearance, demonstrating his fast rise in popularity. Creating a comic book for a single character had not been done before, therefore setting a precedent. Superman was also the first ever hero character to appear in more than one comic magazine. It was the first time DC* included a letters column for fans to write to the Editor, which also proved very popular.
The issue retells the origin of Superman by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, with new material and the Superman pin-up on the back cover, which was the first pin-up in comics. A comics specialist at Excalibur Auctions tells us: “This comic is graded 1.8 by CGC and presents well considering it is 85 years old and was printed on cheap paper at the time. At the time of writing, there are currently 77 unrestored copies on the CGC census* (with only 37 of them graded higher).” It has a starting price of £20,000 and considering its rarity and ranking is expected to far exceed that.
The second rare comic is Batman #1, also from the Golden Age and currently considered the 5th most important comic of that era. Having first appeared in Detective Comics #27 (1939), this is Batman’s first solo-titled comic and features the first appearances of two of his most famous foes – The Joker & Catwoman. The issue saw the publication of four stories, including The Joker, The Giants of Dr. Hugo Strange, The Cat, and The Joker Returns.
Batman #1 is considered the 5th most important Golden Age comic. Starting price £5,000
The stories are believed to have been written by the American comic book, TV, and film writer Bill Finger (1914-1974) and it has a classic cover image by Bob Kane (1915-1998), the American comic book writer, animator and artist, who co-created Batman. It dates from 1940 and is graded 3.0 (RESTORED C-3) by CGC*. Batman #1 has a starting price of £5,000.
Both comics will be offered in Excalibur Auctions Marvel, DC & Independent Comic Books sale on June 8, 2024.
Jonathan Torode, Excalibur’s Auctioneer said: “We are thrilled to be able to offer these two pieces of exceptionally rare comic history! At Excalibur Auctions we are brought rare items all the time but when something as extraordinary as this is brought in, we are excited, not just for ourselves but for our customer base of comic collectors. Having not been sold in the UK before (except one without a cover), this is a historic moment for us as specialists and the comic industry and comic fan base. We anticipate interest from around the globe, especially due to their rankings and rarity at auction.”
UK fans will probably be losing their minds at this news, and those with wallets to match their appetites should sign up to bid as soon as possible!
These are two books that all comic lovers would treasure and want to own copies of, this humble fan included!
Press Release Courtesy of Excalibur Auctions and Maylor P.R.. Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment
