Special Copy Of First-Ever Marvel Comic Book Sold For More Than $2.4 Million

Marvel Comics #1 was published in 1939, and introduced characters such as Sub-Mariner and the original Human Torch.

Marvel Comics #1 | Photo: marvel.com

New Delhi: A special copy of the first-ever Marvel comic book was sold for more than $2.4 million in an online auction, The Associated Press (AP) reported. 

Vincent Zurzolo, chief operating officer of ComicConnect, which claims to be the world's premier online auctioneer of vintage comic books, original comic art and pop culture memorabilia, said that the book, known as the Marvel Comics #1 “pay copy”, is “arguably one of the top three comic books in the world of comics collecting”. Heritage Auctions sold the “pay copy”, pop culture news website Nerdist reported. 

According to an AP report, the New York-based auctioneer sold the copy Thursday night (local time) for little less than $2,427,800.

The identity of the person who purchased the comic has not been disclosed. Quoting Zurzolo, the report said that the buyer is “an extremely passionate comic book collector and investor” who also collects other items.

Marvel Comics #1 was published in 1939, and introduced characters such as Sub-Mariner and the original Human Torch. This was a precursor of the character of the same name, who was later a member of Marvel’s Fantastic Four. The book launched characters who are depicted in the Marvel universe of comics, TV shows, and video games.

The 1939 comic book is considered the ‘Big Bang’ of the 'Marvel Comics Superhero Universe'. 

The inclusion of two characters, The Angel and Masked Raider, was teased on the front cover. Bill Everett, Carl Burgos, and Paul Gustavson were the artists who contributed to interior illustrations.

The “pay copy” is well-preserved, and is special because it bears the publisher’s handwritten notes, which recorded how much the multiple writers and artists were paid, the AP report said. 

American illustrator Frank Rudolph, for instance, earned $25 for drawing the cover of a book now worth nearly 100,000 times as much, the report stated. 

Quoting Zurzolo, the report said that it is an incredibly important look into the world and behind the scenes of the creation” of a comics powerhouse. 

After launching characters such as Sub-Mariner and the original Human Torch, the Marvel universe introduced characters such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, X-Men, the Avengers, Iron Man, Daredevil and the Hulk, who is known as the Incredible Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). 

“Without this comic book being made, who knows? Maybe none of that happens,” the report quoted Zurzolo as saying.

“Maybe the name ‘Marvel Comics’ resonated so much with people, in some way, that that’s what helped to birth all these other things,” the auctioneer added. 

In 2019, a traditional copy of Marvel Comics #1 was sold for $1.26 million, which was a record at the time. The sale took place at a public auction of vintage comics and comic art held by Heritage Auctions.

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