Entertainment
Rare Superman comic once stolen from Nicolas Cage sells at auction for record $15 million
A rare copy of the comic book that introduced the world to Superman — and was also once stolen from the home of actor Nicolas Cage — has been sold for a record $15 million.
The private deal for “Action Comics No. 1” was announced Friday. It eclipses the previous record price for a comic book, set last November when a copy of “Superman No. 1″ was sold at auction for $9.12 million.
The Action Comics sale was negotiated by Manhattan-based Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect, which said the comic book’s owner and the buyer wished to remain anonymous.
The comic — which sold for 10 cents when it came out in 1938 — was an anthology of tales about mostly now little-known characters. But over a few panels, it told the origin story of Superman’s birth on a dying planet, his journey to Earth and his decision as an adult to “turn his titanic strength into channels that would benefit mankind.”
Its publication marked the beginning of the superhero genre. About 100 copies of Action Comics No. 1 are known to exist, according to Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect President Vincent Zurzolo.
Metropolis Collectibles
“This is among the Holy Grail of comic books. Without Superman and his popularity, there would be no Batman or other superhero comic book legends,” Zurzolo said. “Its importance in the comic book community shows with his deal, as it obliterates the previous record.”
The comic book was stolen from Cage’s Los Angeles home in 2000, but was recovered in 2011 when it was found by a man who had purchased the contents of an old storage locker in Southern California. It eventually was returned to Cage, who had bought it in 1996 for $150,000. Six months after it was returned to him, he sold it at auction for $2.2 million.
Stephen Fishler, CEO of Metropolis Collectibles/Comic Connect, said the theft eventually played a big role in boosting the comic’s value.
“During that 11-year period (it was missing), it skyrocketed in value,” Fishler said. “The thief made Nicolas Cage a lot of money by stealing it.”
Fishler compared it to the theft of Mona Lisa, which was stolen from the Louvre museum in Paris in 1911.
“It was kept under the thief’s bed for two years,” Fishler noted. “The recovery of the painting made the Mona Lisa go from being just a great Da Vinci painting to a world icon — and that’s what Action No. 1 is — an icon of American pop culture.”
Iman marked a deeply personal moment on the 10th anniversary of her husband David Bowie’s passing with a new tattoo.
The 70-year-old model got five simple black shapes from Bowie’s last album, Blackstar, inked on her forearm.
The shapes spell out “BOWIE” in a subtle, artistic way, a permanent reminder of her love.
Sharing a video of the tattoo on Instagram, she wrote, “Jan 10th. The pain didn’t vanish.. it left in its place a loving permanent mark.”
The post featured Bowie’s 1977 song Subterraneans and fans flooded her with support, with many sending love to Iman and her family.
The post included love for Bowie and Iman’s daughter Alexandria “Lexi” Zahra Jones, and his son Duncan Jones from a previous marriage.
Just days earlier, Iman celebrated Bowie’s 79th birthday, posting a black-and-white photo with the words, “Your light burns so bright in all our hearts! We love and miss you.”
Lexi also shared heartfelt memories of her father, keeping his spirit alive.
For the unversed, Iman met Bowie in 1990 and quickly fell in love. They married twice in 1992 and stayed together until his death in January 2016.
In 2021, Iman said she still feels married to him, saying her love for Bowie will live in her memories forever.
At least six people were fatally shot on Friday night in Clay County, Mississippi, and the suspect is in custody, according to local news outlets and law enforcement, without providing further details.
The deaths occurred at three different shooting locations, according to WTVA, an NBC News affiliate.
The suspect is in custody “and no longer poses a threat to our community,” Eddie Scott, the Clay County sheriff, posted on social media.
His post did not give a specific figure for the number of fatalities, but WTVA said six people died.
Scott and the sheriff’s department did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
“I ask that you lift our victims and their families in your prayers,” Scott wrote on Facebook.
Located in north-eastern Mississippi, Clay County has a population of nearly 20,000.
Beloved character actor T.K. Carter, best known for his role as Nauls in John Carpenter’s 1982 sci-fi horror classic The Thing, has died.
He was 69.
As reported by TMZ, the police confirmed that Carter was found at his home in Duarte, California, on Friday evening, January 9, following a welfare check.
However, there’s no sign of any foul play.
An official cause of death has not been released.
The actor’s career has spanned nearly five decades, highlighting his versatility across film and television.
His breakout role came as the resourceful cook Nauls in The Thing, starring opposite Kurt Russell. He became a household name as teacher Mike Fulton on the hit sitcom Punky Brewster and later as T-Bone on The Steve Harvey Show.
With his passing, there’s an immediate outpouring of tributes from fans and colleagues online, who remembered him for his memorable performances and enduring screen presence.
He is survived by his wife, Janet Carter.
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