Rare Superman comic book found in attic breaks world record at auction

A rare first issue of the Superman comic book has broken a world record selling for $9.12 million at a Texan auction house, which says it is the most expensive comic book ever sold.

It was discovered by three brothers in a box covered in dust and cobwebs as they cleared out their late mother’s attic in San Francisco.

They also found a handful of other rare comics that she and her sibling had collected on the cusp of World War II.

Lon Allen, vice president of Heritage Auctions said he flew out to the city earlier this year to inspect the comic book after the brothers contacted him.

“It was just in an attic, sitting in a box, could have easily been thrown away, could’ve easily been destroyed in a thousand different ways,” Allen said. “A lot of people got excited because it’s just every factor in collecting that you could possibly want all rolled into one.”

Despite the lack of any special protection, experts say the cool Northern California climate helped keep the comic in its pristine condition.

"It's in the very highest grade. It's the original printing has a great story behind it. It's not something that had been in the hobby sold previously that anyone knew about,” said Allen.

“There was a lot of spirited bidding. It shattered the previous world record. And I think a lot people globally got very excited to see something like and I think what actually really added to the story was how it was found.”

Released in 1939 by Detective Comics Inc., the “Superman No. 1" comic is one of a small number of copies known to be in existence.

The so-called Man of Steel was the first superhero to enter pop culture, helping boost the copy’s value among collectors, alongside its improbable backstory, Allen said.

An “Action Comics No. 1" previously held the record for the world’s most expensive comic book, when it sold for $6 million last year.

The auction house said the three brothers, in their 50s and 60s, did not wish to be identified due to the windfall involved, nor did the buyer of the comic book.