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How many copies of "Reign of the Superman" exist?

Started by Mr. Spider-Woman,

12 posts in this topic

Mr. Spider-Woman

Mr. Spider-Woman

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Profiles in History has a copy of the third issue of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's fanzine Science Fiction, published in January of 1933, in its December 2010 auction. The fanzine apparently ran for a total of five issues. The third issue included a short story called "The Reign of the Superman," written by Siegel with artwork by Shuster, that has absolutely nothing to do with the other, more famous Superman character they later developed (or the one they tried to sell in later in 1933 to Consolidated Book Publishers; Shuster burned the test issue they wrote and only the cover survives). I had never heard of "The Reign of the Superman" before so I looked it up on Wikipedia which led me to the University of Florida's website where you can read issue #3 in its entirety.

 

The Profiles in History listing is a copy of the listing from a 2009 Heritage auction, which itself was copied from an earlier 2006 Heritage auction. I found this thread about the 2006 auction as well as a press release from Heritage, both of which indicate that there are two incomplete sets of Science Fiction floating around: Nicolas Cage's set of issues #2-5 that sold in 2002 and John McLaughlin's set of issues #1-3 that sold in 2006 and was offered again in 2009 but didn't sell. Profiles in History seems to be offering McLaughlin's set again in December. According to this post, a complete set sold in 1991 at Sotheby's and another copy of issue #3 sold in a 2004 Mastronet auction.

 

So how many copies of issue #3 exist? At least four, it seems, based on the various auctions. How many complete sets? Just the one sold in 1991? The Profiles in History listing, which as I mentioned seems to be copied wholesale from the earlier Heritage auctions, states that "speculation is that no more than 50 copies were printed" but does that mean only 50 copies total of all five issues are 50 copies of each issue? Are these the sort of questions that nobody can ever hope to answer? Thanks!

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G.A.tor

G.A.tor

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we will really never know how many, and you have accounted (nice research by the way) for the "known" auction or public sale copies... there are at least 2 collectors I know that have the issue(s) (not accounted for), so i am sure there are more...10-20 would be a conservative "guess", imo

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Theagenes

Theagenes

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Are you certain that the 1991 full set didn't later turn into one of the partial sets sold in 2002 or 2006? Or that the single #3 sold in 2004 didn't end up in the 2006 set?

 

I doubt that the McLaughlin set came from the 1991 set. He probably acquired his much earlier I would think. Could be wrong though.

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50 Cent #II (1st)

50 Cent #II (1st)

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I remember reading one of the board members here posting about picking up a copy on ebay for cheap because it was listed as a circus flyer/magazine or something. Do a search, perhaps about 2-3 years ago. I think it might have been discussed in the thread about the oldest known bottle of beer getting bought on eBay for cheap too.

 

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