$1 Million Reward For Rare Comic Book Offered By Baltimore Business Executive

Categories: Comic News|Published On: October 17, 2003|Views: 3|

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A reward of up to $1 million is being offered by prominent Baltimore
business executive, Stephen A. Geppi, for a near mint condition copy of the rare
1938 comic book that first introduced Superman and launched an icon of American
pop culture.

The reward is in conjunction with the First Annual Las
Vegas Comic-Con (http://www.LasVegasComicCon.com),
October 31 – November 2, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center where Geppi will
exhibit a copy of the fabled “Action Comics #1.”

Originally
sold for ten-cents each in 1938, even worn copies of Action Comics #1
today are valued at tens of thousands of dollars each. Less than 100 copies are
known to exist.

“I’ll pay at least $25,000 for an un-restored,
complete copy in good condition, and up to $1 million for a genuine, “near
mint” condition copy of Action Comics #1,” said Geppi,
President and CEO of Diamond Comic Distributors, a $300 million a year business
that distributes comics, collectibles, toys and games throughout the world. He
is also the owner and publisher of Baltimore Magazine and a part owner of
the Baltimore Orioles.

The distinctive cover of the 64-page comic book
depicts Superman lifting an automobile.

Experts caution there are
inexpensive reprints of the 1938 comic book in the market, but these are easy to
distinguish because the modern copies were printed on significantly larger pages
than the valuable originals.

“The Golden Age of Comics really
started with the introduction of Superman. Action Comics #1 has been
called the Queen Mother of comic books, giving birth to both a popular superhero
and an entire genre of Americana,” said Robert Brueggeman, Event Director
of the Las Vegas Comic-Con, a three-day public event that will bring together
artists, writers and publishers.

“I hope this reward prompts
people to check their basements, attics, garages and elsewhere for vintage comic
books and memorabilia they want to sell. You never know what grandpa might have
stashed away,” said Geppi.

“We’ll have experts available at
the Las Vegas Comic-Con to give free appraisals to everyone who brings in their
old comic books for evaluation,” said Brueggeman.

Geppi’s $1
million reward is for a copy of Action Comics #1 that grades at least 9.4
(near mint condition) on the CGC grading scale.

For additional
information about the reward offer, contact Stephen Geppi at (410) 560-7100 x
169. For information about Las Vegas Comic-Con, October 31 – November 2, call
(866) 36-COMIC, or go to http://www.LasVegasComicCon.com.


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