Cage's Stolen Superman Comic Breaks Records at $15mn Sale
A legendary comic book with a wild history of theft and recovery just shattered auction records. The mysterious buyer's identity remains unknown, but the price tag tells an incredible story.
The world's most famous stolen comic book just changed hands for a staggering $15 million. Nicolas Cage's former Action Comics No. 1 from 1938 broke all previous auction records in a private sale conducted by Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect.
The buyer chose to stay anonymous. This particular copy carries serious street cred after being swiped from Cage's home and later recovered in dramatic fashion.
From 10 Cents to Millions
Back in 1938, someone paid 10 cents for this comic. That's about $2.25 in today's money. Cage bought it in 1996 for $150,000 and owned it for four years before thieves took it from his house.
The comic surfaced years later in a San Fernando Valley storage unit. A collector verified it was indeed Cage's stolen copy. The actor got it back but only held onto it for six months before selling it for $2.2 million.
Stephen Fishler, CEO of Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect, says the theft actually boosted the comic's value. Company president Vincent Zurzolo explained the significance:
"This is among the Holy Grail of comic books. Without Superman and his popularity, there would be no Batman or other superhero comic book legends. Its importance in the comic book community shows with his deal, as it obliterates the previous record."
Superman's Cultural Impact
Only about 100 copies of Action Comics No. 1 exist worldwide. This issue introduced Superman to the world and basically created the superhero genre. Marvel and countless other publishers followed the template Superman established.
Cage has always been a massive Superman fan. He was actually supposed to play the character in a Tim Burton movie that never got made.
The Movie That Never Was
Burton's "Superman Lives" was set for a 1998 release with Cage as the Man of Steel. Warner Bros. spent around $30 million on pre-production before killing the project. The story would have adapted "The Death of Superman" comic storyline with Burton's signature dark style.
Cage finally got to play Superman briefly in "The Flash" movie, but he wasn't happy with the result. He said what appeared on screen wasn't what he actually filmed:
"When I went to the picture, it was me fighting a giant spider. I did not do that. That was not what I did. I don't think it was created by an AI companion. I know Tim is upset about AI, as I am. It was CGI, OK, so that they could de-age me, and I'm fighting a spider. I didn't do any of that, so I don't know what happened there."
The comic's journey from Cage's collection to record-breaking sale shows how pop culture artifacts can become serious investments. Sometimes getting stolen just makes them more valuable.