A rare copy of the first comic book featuring Superman has sold for one million US dollars, smashing the previous record price for a comic.
A 1938 edition of Action Comics No. 1, widely considered the Holy Grail of comic books, was sold by a private seller to a private buyer, neither of whom released their names.
The issue features Superman - played by Brandon Routh in the new films - lifting a car on its cover and originally cost 10 cents.
The transaction was conducted by the auction site ComicConnect.com. Stephen Fishler, co-owner of the site and its sister dealership, Metropolis Collectibles, orchestrated the sale.
Mr Fishler said it transpired minutes after the issue was put on sale.
He said that the seller was a "well-known individual" in New York with a pedigree collection and that the buyer was a known customer who had previously bought an Action Comics No. 1 of lesser grade.
That purchase is considered the "official public record" for a comic book sale, said Mark Zaid, the marketing director for the Comic Book Collecting Association, which was launched yesterday.
There have been other private sales in the 300,000 to 450,000 US dollar range, he said.
The copy fetched a much higher price because it is in better condition. It is rated an 8.0 grade, or very fine, on a scale that goes up to 10.
There are only about 100 copies of Action Comics No. 1 believed to be in existence, and only a handful have been rated so highly.
