Superhero fans, here's your chance to see n rare, valuable comic book April 18, in Mount Prospect
1938 Action Comics Prototype on Display in Mt. Prospect April 18
Submitted by Joanne Levine
Superhero fans, mark your calendars. On Wednesday, April 18, residents will enjoy a brief, once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity to view one of the rarest collectibles in comic book history.
It's the 1938 prototype of Action Comics #1 - arguably the world's most valuable comic book - and it will be on display from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, at Mount Prospect's Comix Revolution, 115 W. Central Road, Mount Prospect.
Most people are familiar with Action Comics #1, the legendary comic book that marked the first appearance of Superman and launched a pop culture movement. Although DC Comics published more than 200,000 copies in 1938, fewer than 100 exist today. In the last decade, copies have sold for millions of dollars at auction.
This prototype #1 comic is even rarer than that, with only three copies ever made.
"These were pre-publication prototypes created for trademarking purposes," says Gary Colabuono, a well-known comic book expert and owner of this particular rarity.
This is only the third time Colabuono - who ran Chicagoland's Moondog's comic chain for nearly 20 years and remains an important collector/dealer - has allowed this Action #1 prototype to be publicly displayed. He acquired it in 1985, from the retired president of DC Comics along with other treasures.
He agreed to bring it out of its usual bank vault to celebrate the publication of the 1000th issue of Action Comics, set for release on April 18.
"We're extraordinarily lucky to have such a priceless piece of Americana in the store for everyone to see," said Jim Mortensen, owner of Comix Revolution. "The superhero genre started with Superman, and now 80 years later, superheroes are everywhere: comic books, movies, TV, video games, you name it."
Colabuono will be on hand to answer questions about his rarity and talk to other collectors. Comix Revolution is at 115 W. Central Road, in downtown Mount Prospect.
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