Rare CGC-certified Detective Comics #1 Offered in Heritage Sale

Some of the most iconic comics in history are among the books graded by Certified Guaranty Company® (CGC®) that are hitting the auction block in Heritage Auctions’ Comics & Art Signature Auction on April 3-6, 2025. Among them is an incredibly rare book that hasn’t been offered in a comparable grade for 20 years, making this a truly exceptional opportunity for collectors.

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Bidding quickly reached the tens of thousands of dollars weeks before the auction for a Detective Comics #1 graded CGC 6.5 (lot 91009). Published in 1937, this historic comic featured detective and crime stories long before superheroes dominated the medium. The series continued its noir-inspired stories when it introduced Batman in issue #27. The series was so popular that National Allied Publications eventually adopted "Detective Comics" as its official name, becoming DC Comics.

A rare collectible from the Platinum Age of comics (1897-1938), there are only 37 examples in any grade found in the CGC Census. Less than half of that total earned CGC’s blue label indicating the desirable Universal Grade, and of those, only one is graded higher than this example.

There are plenty of Silver Age classics also found in this auction, including an Incredible Hulk #1 graded CGC 9.0 (lot 91013). Featuring the first appearance of the Hulk, this debut issue, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, delved into the origin story of Dr. Bruce Banner. A mishap with gamma radiation triggered a transformation, turning Dr. Banner into an uncontrollable behemoth when gripped by intense anger. Notably, the initial portrayal of the Hulk in this first appearance was in a gray shade. However, due to printing challenges, the character's color was changed to the now-iconic green hue starting with the second issue, released a few months later.

There are also examples of Incredible Hulk #1 graded CGC 7.0 (lot 91195), CGC 5.0 (lot 93331) and CGC 9.2 Restored (lot 93332) available in this auction.

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And there’s more — an Amazing Fantasy #15 graded CGC 7.5 (lot 91003) is up for grabs. Stan Lee and Steve Ditko revolutionized the superhero genre in 1962 when they introduced Spider-Man in this final issue of Amazing Fantasy. Superheroes up until that point were always adults, while the teenager was their sidekick. With Spider-Man, Lee said he wanted to create a teen hero who was more than a sidekick. His debut was a gamble, and it quickly paid off. Over the decades, Spider-Man has grown into one of the most beloved and recognizable characters in the world.

There are also examples of Amazing Fantasy #15 graded CGC 6.5 (lot 91004), CGC 5.5 (lot 91158) and CGC 5.0, with a yellow CGC Signature Series label for the Stan Lee signature (lot 91159), available in this auction.

Other CGC-certified comics in this auction include:

• an Amazing Spider-Man #1 graded CGC 7.5 (lot 91160)
• an Amazing Spider-Man #14 graded CGC 9.6 (lot 91168)
• a Batman #1 graded CGC 1.5 (lot 91007)
• a Captain America Comics #1 graded CGC 7.0 Restored (lot 91036)
• a Detective Comics #38 graded CGC 6.0 (lot 91010)
• a Fantastic Four #1 graded CGC 7.5 (lot 91012)
• a Silver Surfer #1 graded CGC 9.8 (lot 91210)
• a Star Wars #1 35 Cent Variant graded CGC 9.4 (lot 91213)
• a Suspense Comics #3 graded CGC 1.5 (lot 91137)
• an X-Men #1 graded CGC 9.0 (lot 91018)

About CGC

Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for a vast variety of pop culture collectibles. These divisions include CGC Cards, CGC Video Games and CGC Home Video. CGC Cards provides expert card grading for sports cards, TCGs and non-sports cards. CGC Video Games is dedicated to video game grading for the most popular consoles, including Nintendo, Sega, Atari, PlayStation and more. CGC Home Video provides expert VHS grading in addition to other types of videocassettes, DVD, Blu-ray and more. CGC also offers seamless solutions for autograph collectors with CGC Signature Series and JSA Authentic Autograph services.