As if being a brilliant copy of the most sought after comic book in history wasn’t enough, did you know that the actual copy of Action Comics #1, from the first-ever copyright infringement suit concerning Superman, still exists?

Victor Fox hired the Eisner-Iger Studio to do the work on Wonder Man for Wonder Comics. The legendary Will Eisner reportedly protested the similarities between Wonder Man and Superman, but Fox, who earned a reputation for being tough with creators, was adamant about what he wanted.

“He was a thief in the real, true sense,” Eisner said of Fox, in Comics Between the Panels, “A real con man.”

While Eisner protested, though, Jerry Iger indicated that’s what Fox was paying for. And, that’s pretty much what DC was paying its lawyers for, too! Not surprisingly, Superman’s owners took an interest in this new character of Wonder Man.

And DC hit Fox with a copyright infringement lawsuit.

This historic copy of Action Comics #1 was filed as evidence in that lawsuit. With date stamps from the Federal District Court on March 16, 1939 and again on April 6, 1939, this book was a key piece of evidence (along with Eisner’s testimony) in DC’s successful action against Fox.

Wonder Comics #1 was Fox’s character’s only appearance, but Fox himself stuck around, publishing Phantom Lady, All Top, Blue Beetle and others before disappearing, owing a lot of people money.

DC went on to actively pursue their copyright interests in numerous other cases, several of them famous.