Superman SOLD

A rare copy of the first comic book featuring Superman has sold for $US1 million ($NZ1.42m), smashing the previous record price for a comic book.

A 1938 edition of Action Comics No. 1, widely considered the Holy Grail of comic books, was sold from a private seller to a private buyer, neither of whom released their names. The issue features Superman lifting a car on its cover and originally cost 10 cents.

The previous comic book record was set last year when John Dolmayan, drummer for the rock band System of a Down, paid $317,000 (NZ$451,000) for an Action Comics No. 1 issue.

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. It's rarer still for those copies to be made available for sale.