First comic book to feature Superman sells for record $6M at auction

According to Heritage Auctions, the copy of "Action Comics" No. 1 is one of just four known pedigreed copies in existence.

A comic book in which Superman made his first appearance has just sold at auction for a record-breaking amount.

A copy of the original "Action Comics" No. 1 from 1938 sold for $6 million, according to Heritage Auctions, making it the most expensive comic of all time. The auction house called it "the most important comic ever published."

"Without Superman and Action Comics No. 1, who knows whether there ever would have been a Golden Age of comics — or if the medium would have become what it is today,” Heritage Auctions Vice President Barry Sandoval said in a statement.

Heritage Auctions / HA.com

Despite being released 86 years ago for just 10 cents, this particular copy of "Action Comics" No. 1 is still in relatively good shape. It was graded an 8.5/10 — or "Very Fine" — by the Certified Guaranty Company and according to Heritage, it is one of just four known pedigreed copies in existence out of the 200,000 that were originally printed.