Rare Superman Comic Sells for $317,200

NEW YORK (AP) -- A rare copy of the first comic book featuring Superman has sold for $317,200 in an Internet auction. The previous owner had bought it for less than a buck.

It's one of the highest prices ever paid for a comic book.

According to managers at ComicConnect.com., the winning bid for the 1938 edition of Action Comics No. 1, which features Superman lifting a car on its cover, was submitted yesterday by John Dolmayan, drummer for the rock band System of a Down.

Dolmayan, who is also a dealer of rare comic books, says he acquired the Superman comic on behalf of a client he declined to identify. Dolmayan says the client has "a small collection, but everything he has is incredible."

According to Dolmayan, "This is one of the premier books you could collect." He says "It's considered the Holy Grail of comic books."

Only about 100 copies of Action Comics No. 1 are known to exist and they seldom come up for sale.

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