Expert: Brian G. Philbin - 5/27/2009

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).

Hope that helps!

Pax, harmonia,

Brian G. Philbin
www.metropolisplus.com