A pristine copy of the very first self-titled Superman comic has been sold at auction for $9.12 million. This is a world record for a comic book. The rare publication was sold by Texas-based Heritage Auctions. Its vice-president, Lon Allen, called the record-breaking edition the "pinnacle of comic collecting". He said: "Superman No. 1 is a milestone in pop culture history, and this copy is not only in unprecedented condition, it also has a movie-worthy story behind it. I was glad to see the price reflect that, and I'm honoured that Heritage was entrusted with this iconic book." Superman No. 1 first appeared on bookshelves in June 1939. It paved the way for a whole gamut of superhero comics.

Prior to its sale, the record-breaking 86-year-old copy of Superman No. 1 had been gathering dust in the attic of a house in California. Three brothers discovered it amid the cobwebs while cleaning out their late mother's house. The brothers said their mother was an avid comic collector, and that she had told them she had "rare comics somewhere". Half a million copies of Superman No. 1 were initially printed. One copy cost 10 cents. Mint condition copies are now extremely rare because the comic invited readers to cut off the front cover to use as a poster. Superman No. 1 became the blueprint for the modern superhero. The character was a symbol of hope, justice, and "doing the right thing".