AboutBrian G. Philbin Expertise I`ve collected comics for 40 years and I'm able to answer most questions regarding comics, creators, fandom and the industry from the Golden Age through the Silver & Bronze Ages up through today`s comics, with an emphasis on super and action heroes. I have knowledge of the Western, Funny Animals, Romance and other genres, but to a lesser degree. My expertise lies in DC Comics/National Periodical Publications, although my general knowledge extends well into Marvel, Tower, Archie, Charlton & many of the "Independent" companies that began in the late 70`s & 80`s.
Experience I have been a comics reader/fan for over 35 years now and have followed industry trends from distribution to creation to fandom to retail and back again. I have had several letters published in Comic Buyers Guide and have several websites dedicated to comics at:
If there's a question I don't know the answer to, I usually know who to ask and have been providing online information to a wealth of inquirers for over 10 years now. I'll do my utmost to answer your question, no matter whether it is simple or in-depth.
Question I met a guy that is offering to sell me a Superman #1 for $1-2K. He described the cover that matches the original, etc. He is an out of work mechanic looking for cash. My question is, how can I tell if it's a fake? I know there were reprints measuring 10-13', but is there something else I should look for or be weary of?
Answer Hi, Jason - thanks for your question!
You have the telltail fake that is usually passed for a Golden Age Superman #1 - if you've ever seen one, then you'll know what to look for in the original, since it's essentially a page-for-page copy of the original.
Aside from that, there just aren't that many reproductions of Superman #1. Plenty of Action #1, just not the later Superman #1.
That said, you'll need to take a solid look at it to tell whether it's 70 years old or not. If you've dealt with paper of that age, it will be evident if this is a fake. Looking at current comics won't give you a good idea of the old, since the old ones were made on Newsprint, not Magazine-quality Mando paper. Take a look at a comic from around 40 years ago at a comic shop. That will give you an idea of what a comic half its age and made from the same materials will look like.
Aside from that, I'd be suspicious of someone looking to sell it and not putting it up for auction in a real comic auction house like Heritage (comics.ha.com). They'd be able to get him a mint for it - selling it person to person just isn't as profitable to him. Then again, if he's looking for a quick buck and can't wait, I can't say as I'd necessarily fault him, but it isn't like Heritage isn't having auctions every week, y'know?
Anyway, I hope that provides enough information for you to work with - without being there, I can't vouch for or against. Then again, you can always find out if there's a reputable dealer around who would verify the copy for you (I'd expect there to be some kind of nominal fee for the verification and for not overbidding you, though).
