A rare and historic copy of Action Comics No. 1, the 1938 comic that introduced Superman and essentially launched the superhero genre, has just sold for an astounding $15 million, setting a new all-time record for the most expensive comic book ever sold.

The private sale was brokered by New York-based Metropolis Collectibles/ComicConnect, with both buyer and seller choosing to remain anonymous. This result eclipses the previous record of $9.12 million, achieved in late 2025 by a pristine copy of Superman No. 1 discovered in a family attic and sold at auction.

What makes this particular comic even more remarkable is its dramatic backstory: the same copy was once owned by actor Nicolas Cage, stolen from his home in 2000 and later recovered from a storage locker in 2011. According to CGC population data, fewer than 100 copies of Action Comics No. 1 are known to exist today, and examples graded at the highest levels are exceptionally rare. Vincent Zurzolo of Metropolis Collectibles called the comic “among the holy grail of comic books,” underscoring its unmatched cultural importance — not just as a collectible, but as a cornerstone of pop culture history.