A copy of Detective Comics #27 recently sold at auction for over $1.5 million, while other seminal issues brought in hundreds of thousands.
Detective Comics #27 brings in such a high price tag because it is, put simply, one of the most important comic books in history. Created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, it features the first-ever appearance of Batman, who was introduced in a six-page story titled The Case of the Chemical Syndicate. Back when it released in 1939, it hit newsstands for $0.10. Decades later, as Batman grew into a cultural phenomenon, prices soared. It first realised over ¢1 million in 2010 with a CGC 8.0 copy. Now, as per CGC themselves, a 6.5-graded copy has realised $1,525,000 at auction.
In terms of highest sale value, Detective Comics #27 sits high as the 7th most-valuable comic of all-time. It famously realised US $1.825 million in 2024. The most valuable is Superman #1 (1939), followed by Action Comics #1 (1938), Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962), Captain America Comics #1 (1941), Marvel Comics #1 (1939), and Fantastic Four #1 (1961).
Elsewhere in the auction, comics realised plenty more cash, including other Batman-specific titles. Batman #1 graded CGC 5.0 sold for $366,000; and another Batman #1 graded CGC 4.0 sold for $219,600.
There were a few seminal Marvel Comics issues up for grabs as well. Amazing Fantasy #15 graded CGC 8.5 sold for $268,400, and Captain America Comics #1 graded CGC 4.0 sold for $128,100.
Some titles that have seen better days also sold, such as Superman #1 graded CGC 1.0, which realized $109,800. That same title with a 9.0 grade sold back in November 2025,for a record-shattering $9.12 million.
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