Which is more valuable: Original art from Action 1 or Mint Action 1?

[matewan1990]

Over on the comic art forum of the www.comicspriceguide.com boards, the question was posed: Which would be more valuable, a page of original art to Action Comics 1 or a Mint copy of Action 1. So, I thought I'd pose that question here and see what answers I get.

I've made my points over on the other forum and only a handful agree with me when I say that I believe, hands down, a page from the first appearance of Superman would bring bigger bucks than a mint copy of Action 1.

But, I want to know what everyone on here thinks.

Mike B.

[SignatureSelect]

I say a page would sell for a million no problem. But If it exist is should be in a museum.

[comix4fun]

Over on the comic art forum of the www.comicspriceguide.com boards, the question was posed: Which would be more valuable, a page of original art to Action Comics 1 or a Mint copy of Action 1. So, I thought I'd pose that question here and see what answers I get.

I've made my points over on the other forum and only a handful agree with me when I say that I believe, hands down, a page from the first appearance of Superman would bring bigger bucks than a mint copy of Action 1.

But, I want to know what everyone on here thinks.

Mike B.

 

 

I think it depends on the page....The cover? without a doubt. The first page where he appears? Also without a doubt. A page prominently featuring Superman? No question whatsoever.

 

A page without superman...not so much.

 

An Actual MINT copy of Action #1 would most likely bring $1 million or more to use round numbers.

For contrast, the only page from Marvel Comics #1 to surface that had a nice Subby image on it sold for between $75 and $100,000 a few years back, when a MINT copy of that book would have been $300k or more.

 

I can see the cover to Action #1, or page featuring the panel in which he first appears being something that many many large wallets would open for. Wallets that never buy art or comics for that matter.

 

Chris

[topofthetotem]

A mint copy of action #1 would sell for a couple million dollars. The cover of action #1 would bring another 25-50% on top the value of the comic IMHO.

[matewan1990]

My reasoning is that Superman is a cultural icon, known around the world and is Americana, so I think a page of original art would bring in collectors with fat wallets from outside the comic collecting community.

I don't think the Sub-Mariner original art page-Marvel Mystery 1 example is the same as an Action 1 page (from the Superman story) and a mint Action 1 because of the popularity and recognition of Superman (his "S" shield is the most recognizable symbol in the world).

Sub-Mariner doesn't have a shield or a symbol and isn't so recognizable.

Take a comic fan and ask him who Subby is and he'll tell you with ease. But, ask a non-comics fan and they'd have a hard time with it.

Superman is famous to both comics and non-comics people, thus making a page from his creation much more valuable than a Mint copy of his first appearance (with the key word being "copy" because, if there were to be one 10.0 copy of Action Comics 1, then there's always the possibility of another, since so many were made).

Mike B.

[delekkerste]

My reasoning is that Superman is a cultural icon, known around the world and is Americana, so I think a page of original art would bring in collectors with fat wallets from outside the comic collecting community.

 

I disagree. A mint copy of Action #1 would be considered by many/most to be the most desirable comic book in existence. Can the same be said about an interior page from Action #1 regarding the original art hobby? If anything, I would expect the comic book to attract far more collectors from outside the hobby (and, remember, the comic book hobby itself has a much broader and deeper collector base than comic art). It would be easy for the media to glom onto the upcoming sale of a mint condition copy of Action Comics #1, featuring the first appearance of Superman, the most valuable comic book in existence. People get that. Would there be anywhere close to as much fanfare regarding an interior page or possibly even the cover?

 

I think it is an error to automatically assume that a piece of the OA would fetch more than the underlying comic book; for most books that may be true, but for the most valuable comic book in existence? I don't think that would necessarily be the case, IMO.

[dem1138]

Well, considering that Action #1 is about the hottest book around with a 2.0 on ComicLink bringing a record 85K - I have little doubt that a 9.8 copy of Action #1 would sell for well over a million dollars. Apparently the owner of the best known copy was offered over two million for his copy and he respectfully declined.

 

Also, original art from Action #1 already has been offered for sale. Sotheby's had an auction for the original comic strip (the way Superman was originally attempted to be sold as) origin in about 1998 and it did not meet reserve and then sold privately. This art was cut and pasted for Action #1. Reserve was less than 100K.

[Solar]

I belive that the Church copy of Action Comics #1, universally considered the best in existance, is more valuable than any interior from the book.

 

That single copy has achieved mythical status in the mainstream comic collecting community and is every bit as unique as a piece of original art. Sure, there are 50+ copies of the book out there, but there is only ONE Church copy, and make no mistake, it's valued head and shoulders above the next best copy.

 

The Church copy vs. the cover would be an interesting debate, but there's no doubt in my mind that the book would sell higher than any of the interior pages.

[Thomas]

This is an interesting topic for sure. At first I thought hands down the original art but I wonder if the broader (out of comics) market appeal is there as much as with the comic? I don't really know.

 

The worry I would always have with the comic is that another copy could appear at any time. That wouldn't happen with the one of a kind original art. To me I think the art is more historic and desirable but to someone else the comic may be more desirable.

[bullseye]

Not sure about value, but on collectability for me, I would sell the OA, and buy a ton of nice High grade books, or keep the comic

[Sid]

As long as it's cover OA.

Interior pages, will sell for less then Mint comic.

[codfish]

So you going to start calling people uneducated here too because they disagree with you Mike?

[Crowzilla]

Wasn't this question kind of answered when the original art for the Newspaper strip of Superman (with panels from the origin page in Action #1) were sold at auction a few years back?

 

The cover art should be the only thing in question.

[tth2]

I think the cover would definitely go for more than the comic. Interior page, I don't think so.

[matewan1990]

So you going to start calling people uneducated here too because they disagree with you Mike?

 

Ah, Aaron, you've chased me over to this board now and are posting under a different screenname. Why don't you use your other screenname "Oxbladder?"

No, I came to this board to deal with educated people, not people like yourself.

Thanks for the comment, though. It makes me feel good that you're so interested in me that you chase me to other web sites.

Back to the original topic...

There are some interesting perspectives here. I'd like to hear the opinions of some of the major collectors who post here.

I'd love to see either of these two surface. Heck, think about the news it would make with comics in the spotlight. Captain America "dies" and it makes national news, causing people to rush out and buy a copy.

If it reached the national news that a piece of original art from the birth of Superman had been found, think of the coverage it would cause.

Now, would it reach the world outside the comic collecting community if a MINT Action Comics 1 was found? Would the news be that big OUTSIDE of comic collectors?

Mike B.

[delekkerste]

If it reached the national news that a piece of original art from the birth of Superman had been found, think of the coverage it would cause.

 

Now, would it reach the world outside the comic collecting community if a MINT Action Comics 1 was found? Would the news be that big OUTSIDE of comic collectors?

 

I think you greatly overestimate the publicity the former would generate vs. the latter. Mint copy of Action Comics #1, the most valuable comic book in existence featuring the first appearance of Superman? That is an easy story for the media to sell. The original artwork, even the cover, of Action #1? Zzzzzz. Even if it were to fetch a million bucks or two, that's a pittance in the art world; who would really notice outside of a few Supes fans and comic art collectors (whose number is dwarfed by the legions of comic book readers & collectors out there)? I am metaphysically certain that many more people would care about the former vs. the latter - even I can see that, and I'm an OA guy!

[codfish]

So you going to start calling people uneducated here too because they disagree with you Mike?

 

Ah, Aaron, you've chased me over to this board now and are posting under a different screenname. Why don't you use your other screenname "Oxbladder?"

 

Because I joined this forum before I joined CPG and other comic forums. At the time I joined CPG I decided to use another moniker. If you look at the data below the user name you will note that I have been a member here almost as long as you so there is no "chasing" involved.

 

Since people here have been disagreeing with you as theyhave on the CPG forum I was interested in learning whether or not you were going to start pushing people around with your comments. However, I guess you cannot profess to being a art expert here as you can on CPG

 

As I said on the CPG forum the book would be worth more. The cover art would definitely may give the comic a run for the money.

 

EDIT: BTW Why don't you go by Michael Browning here?

[comix4fun]

Wasn't this question kind of answered when the original art for the Newspaper strip of Superman (with panels from the origin page in Action #1) were sold at auction a few years back?

 

The cover art should be the only thing in question.

 

 

As a general rule, when golden age strip art is recycled into a book it does not sell for the same amount, as an actual intact panel page. Whenever strip panels are reused you never see them reach panel page levels. An oddity of the market I guess.

 

I am not sure on Action #1 if the entire story was a strip and then put into book form. I read about it once, but it's not something I kept in long term memory.

Anyone?

 

Chris

[matewan1990]

I always sign my name "Mike B." Matewan 1990 is my high school and the year I graduated. I had been using that long before I ever posted the first time here.

When I first signed up on these boards, I signed up under the name I'd used on other sites. However, when I signed up on www.comicspriceguide.com, I merely signed up under my own name because it was what I did; there's no conspiracy theory or anything. Everyone knows I'm Michael Browning and I don't make it a secret.

Oh, darn! It's my secret identity, codbladder. And you just let everyone know! Oh my! Now, whatever will I do?

Mike B.

[tth2]

If it reached the national news that a piece of original art from the birth of Superman had been found, think of the coverage it would cause.

 

Now, would it reach the world outside the comic collecting community if a MINT Action Comics 1 was found? Would the news be that big OUTSIDE of comic collectors?

 

I think you greatly overestimate the publicity the former would generate vs. the latter. Mint copy of Action Comics #1, the most valuable comic book in existence featuring the first appearance of Superman? That is an easy story for the media to sell. The original artwork, even the cover, of Action #1? Zzzzzz. Even if it were to fetch a million bucks or two, that's a pittance in the art world; who would really notice outside of a few Supes fans and comic art collectors (whose number is dwarfed by the legions of comic book readers & collectors out there)? I am metaphysically certain that many more people would care about the former vs. the latter - even I can see that, and I'm an OA guy!

I think the discovery of the Action OA wouldn't make a big stir to the outside world because the outside world would have been unaware in the first place that much of the OA for GA books has been lost. By the same token, I don't think the outside world would care about a copy of Action #1 being in mint condition.

 

In both cases, the outside world would only care if a public sale price broke the $1 million mark. Gene, although you're right that art goes for more than a million all the time, new record prices in certain genres still get attention. As I think the cover OA for Action #1 would without a doubt break $1 million, I think it would get a lot of press coverage, particularly if the buyer turned out to be a celeb like Spielberg or Lucas (or Nic Cage).