We all know that Bruce Wayne is much more well off than Clark Kent, and apparently some private buyer wants to make sure that the Dark Knight stays on top, purchasing the first appearance of Batman -- Detective Comics No. 27 -- for $1,075, 500 just days after the comic book touting Superman's first appearance went for $1 million.

Here's the Associated Press' take on it:

DALLAS (AP) — Heritage Auction Galleries says a 1939 comic book in which Batman makes his debut has sold at auction in Dallas for more than $1 million — setting a record for the amount paid for a comic.

The rare copy of Detective Comics No. 27 from 1939 went for $1,075,500 Thursday. A Heritage official says it was sold on behalf of an anonymous consignor and the buyer wished to remain anonymous as well.

Barry Sandoval, director of operations of Heritage's comics division, says that the consignor bought the comic in the late 1960s for $100.

On Monday, a copy of the first comic book featuring Superman sold for $1 million in a sale between a private seller and a private buyer. The comic was a 1938 edition of Action Comics No. 1.

What superhero-loving millionaire will step up next in this big-money market melee? And is there any other book out there that fans would pay this much money for?

-- Jevon Phillips

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Superman lifting a car? Not a big deal in today's comics, but when it's the Man of Steel lifting a car drawn on a "very fine"-rated 10-cent-issue of Action Comics No. 1, the deal is the biggest in comics history: $1 million.

Stephen Fishler, co-owner of the auction site ComicConnect.com, which mediated the deal, told the Associated Press: "It is still a little stunning to see 'a comic book' and '$1 million' in the same sentence."

The buyer remains anonymous, as often happens in these big money deals. The book doesn't reach the record heights of Pablo Picasso's Boy with a Pipe (The Young Apprentice), which sold for $104.1 million at auction in 2004, or a bronze sculpture by Alberto Giacometti that sold for $103.4 million (or $104.3 million,  depending on how you measure it), but comparatively, it's still a wonder.

How have other high-priced comic books fared at auction, you ask?  Well, that's what Hero Complex (and Comic Link, where we got some of the figures) is here for. Most of these books fetched high prices not only because of the issues, but the state that they're in as appraised by the Certified Guaranty Company, or its CGC grade.

Amazing Fantasy #15
Sold for: $227,000.

You-know-who swung into our lives courtesy of this issue, and this specific, near-mint book was part of the noted White Mountain pedigree collection.
 
Fantastic Four #1
Sold for: $52,000

The origin and first appearance of the first family of Marvel Comics takes place here, and Stan Lee and Jack Kirby launch the Silver Age. There are only five graded 8.5 by CGC.

All Star Comics #8
Sold for: $20,000

The introduction of Wonder Woman, the greatest female hero in comics (no debate! unless you want to leave a comment). This 1941 issue is one of only five examples of All Star Comics #8 assigned a grade as high as 7.5 by CGC.

Sensation Comics #1
Sold for: $25,250

The Amazon with the golden lasso made her first cover appearance in Sensation Comics #1. This particular book, at least as far as anyone knows, is one of only six in the world that could be assigned a grade as high as 8.5 by CGC.

Showcase #23
Sold for: $15,928

The Blackest Night saga is currently taking the comics world by storm, and this comic has the second appearance of the Silver Age Green Lantern at the center of it all, Hal Jordan. Apparently, this 1959 issue is extremely hard to come by, and it's even tougher to find one that can match the 9.4 grading that was given.

-- Jevon Phillips

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AN APPRECIATION, BY MARK EVANIER

When Shel Dorf died Nov. 3 at age 76, he was hailed as the founder of that big comic book convention down in San Diego – the one that reminds some of a cross between Brigadoon and Disneyland, materializing for but four days each year. “Founder” was not a bad word to describe Shel’s contribution since others did much of the organizing. What Shel contributed was the sheer love of comics, and of the folks who create them.

 And there was also the whole idea – “Hey, let’s put on a convention” – which seems to have come from him. Uttered to a group of local comic fans, it was as potent and transformative as Billy Batson shouting “Shazam!” and morphing into Captain Marvel. When folks wonder why the nation’s largest gathering of this kind is in San Diego of all places, the answer is simple: Shel Dorf lived in San Diego. That’s why.

He moved there in late 1969 when his parents retired to that city. Before that, he’d lived in Detroit and participated in a convention called the Detroit Triple Fan-Fair. And before that, he’d grown up in Detroit, utterly captivated by comics. He clipped Dick Tracy and other favorite strips from local papers, pasting them in vast, keepsake scrapbooks. Everyone loved "the funnies" back then but few went to that much effort to preserve and respect them. Shel wrote fan letters to the cartoonists, struck up friendships, even received invites to visit.

Pursuing a dream to become one, he studied art ... and if wishing alone could make you all you want to be, he’d have become Charles Schulz at least.  It apparently doesn’t, since Shel got no closer than his 14-year stint lettering the Steve Canyon newspaper strip for his friend and idol Milton Caniff. He also, in the 1980s, assembled a series of books reprinting the Dick Tracy newspaper strip. Those scrapbooks he’d filled as a child were the primary source material.

I met him in early 1970, months before the first convention, which they’d call the San Diego Golden State Comic-Con. His round face glowed when he spoke of the synergy (no, he didn’t use that word) that could result if fans and creators intermingled, each caste to be inspired by the other. The first three days of August of that year it happened, pretty much as he said it would – at the then-shabby, now majestic U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego. There were 300 of us there, give or take a Star Trek fan, and it was a joy. These days at the con, there are that many people there ahead of you in line to buy a Diet Snapple.

Year after year, it grew and changed names ... though some of us called it (lovingly) the DorfCon, as in, “You going to DorfCon this year?”  Finally, it became the Comic-Con International.

Annually, it convenes in a mammoth convention center built in the late '80s as part of a far-reaching redevelopment project.  And what inspired the civic makeover?  In large part, the comic book convention, which now covers so much more than comics: motion pictures, television, video games and almost any form of imaginative, superannuated storytelling. For the 2009 edition, a staggering 125,000 attendees were reported; there would have been more there but that’s all the building could hold.

Among those not present: Shel Dorf.

He was hospitalized with multiple ailments, diabetes chief among them, for what turned out to be the rest of his life. Even if he could have attended, he wouldn’t have. He cut back in the 1990s and made his last visit in 2001. Too depressing, he said, instead spending the con dates in his tiny Ocean Beach apartment where he lived alone. He’d read comics and watch old movies ... making his own con, I suppose.

He didn’t like how big the one he started had become, didn’t like how top movie stars were eclipsing top comic creators. He wasn’t the only person who felt that way but Shel had a more personal “didn’t like.”  He didn’t like having no piece of its annual seven-figure cash flow.  In the 1980s, he’d quarreled with those handling operations, demanding this and that. When he didn’t get it, he stormed out in a fit of pique, thereafter resisting all offers to come back, play a role and collect a paycheck or pension. I acted as go-between for some of those discussions but cannot explain why he preferred to play the angry exile.

Still, he was proud of what he started, but from afar. Entertainment industries thrive at that event. Millions are spent on books, comics and memorabilia. Mega-deals are made. Careers are launched. New talent is discovered, old talent is honored and everyone has an awful lot of fun. It flourishes because it was created not for money but upon a solid foundation of passion. Others did the heavy lifting, but that passion was supplied by Shel Dorf.  They can call the event what they will, but, for some of us, it’ll forever be the DorfCon.

-- Mark Evanier

Mark Evanier is the author of the 2008 book "Kirby: King of Comics" and is a longtime presence in the comics field as a writer, historian and former production assistant to Jack Kirby. His writing career includes stints in live-action television ("Welcome Back, Kotter"), animation ("Scooby Doo") and comics ("Groo the Wanderer").

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PHOTOS: Top, Shel Dorf in the days when the fan event was still called the San Diego Comic-Con. Middle, Dorf and Ray Bradbury, photographed by Mark Evanier. Bottom: Comic-Con International in 2008 drew more than 100,000 people.

Last-minute notice, but ... Rod Roddenberry, son of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry, will be signing the first issue of a new comic book series, "Days Missing," along with the book's creator Trevor Roth, tonight at Golden Apple Comics in Hollywood (7018 Melrose Ave.).

Attendees will get a free "vintage 'Star Trek' poster." Does that mean Ricardo Montalban as Khan or William Shatner with Tribbles in hand? Not sure.

The book itself is described as telling "the stories of a mysterious being known only as The Steward. His ability to literally fold days of time has allowed him to secretly remove critical days from our shared history that have forever changed the course of mankind." Oooh, sounds like it could have the same title as Oliver Stone's new historical series "Secret History of America."

Not another branch in the "Trek" universe, so to speak, but definitely sounds cosmic.

-- Jevon Phillips

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 Today we have a special treat for you here on the Hero Complex. We've been impressed with the serious fanboy obsessiveness of the Bat Blog, a colorful corner of the Internet devoted to the Caped Crusader and the mountain of collectibles that bear his pointy-eared visage. So today we venture into the Batcave and turn the Complex over to collector expert Tommy from Bat-Blog, for a guest column: The 10 coolest vintage Batman toys. It's a great list -- although we're not quite sure what's going with that water gun...

10. 1960s Batman Figure Water Gun

This vintage Batman toy is a total blast. It's a 1966 Batman plastic toy water gun, released the same year that Adam West debuted in Batman's cape and cowl on television and also hit theaters with the tie-in film.

This item was created in a way more innocent time and I bet they never gave any thought at all about where they had placed the trigger for this toy. For that matter, they probably didn't even care about where the water plug was either.

As you can imagine, Batman collectors really love this item for its kitsch appeal and because it's really funny.

9. Battery-Operated Bump-N-Go Batmobile

It would be totally impossible to do any Batman toy list without mentioning the super-famous Batmobile. I mean, come on, that's one of the coolest pieces of bat-gear.

This toy was one of those battery-operated Bump-N-Go Cars. You flip the switch and this thing went nuts! It had sound effects and lights that blinked ... kids loved it.

Today, it's a really great display piece and a fave of Batman collectors.

8. Chad Valley Give-A-Show Bat-Projector

You might remember these Give-A-Show toys from your childhood. I recall as a little kid having the one with Popeye, and I really loved it.

But this one was produced in Great Britain and is extremely hard to find here in the U.S. Heck, it's even hard to find in the U.K.!

I also included it on the list because the vintage-style graphics are so distinctive and eye-catching.

7. Batman Bicycle Ornament

This is the 1966 official Batman bicycle ornament.

It was a hollow plastic figure of Batman that clamped on to your handlebars, and it had a spring that made the caped crusader go berserk as you cruised your neighborhood.

You know, there's something I've always loved about toys from this era and it goes beyond the actual product. At the time, the box-art often showed children using the product and really, really grinning.

I mean, this kid looks pretty darn happy with the product right here.

6. Japanese Tin Toy Batmobile

Another Batmobile makes the list! 

This one is a Japanese friction-driven tin toy.

Now, why is this Batmobile "more cool" than the previous one?  Well, from a toy collector's point-of-view, it's a lot harder to find because it was "Sold Only in Japan." 

Plus, it's a unique variation. And OK, it's a sports car!

5 - Captain Action Doll Batman Costume

In 1966, to compete with Hasbro's G.I. JOE, the Ideal Toy Company created CAPTAIN ACTION.

The accessorized approach was very similar, but instead of being a military man, this captain could do his heroic duty in the costumes of various crime fighters and adventure stars.

There was Superman, Aquaman, Captain America, Flash Gordon, the Phantom and many more. Of course, our favorite Caped Crusader was the most popular!

  4. Batman and Robin Friction Toy Cars by MARX

These wonderful toys from the past were made by the MARX Toy Co.

The cars are made of tin litho and the heads of Batman and Robin are vinyl rubber.

Nobody really knows why this pair is so extremely rare but expect to pay a few hundred dollars for them.

That is, if you can find them!

3. Japanese Batman Ray Gun

OK, I really don't need to explain why this item is so awesome ... just check out the picture.

First, it's a tin toy ray gun, which is always cool. Second, the graphics have Japanese lettering, very beautiful.

Plus, did I mention Japan?

Japan was among many countries that got caught up in the whole Batman TV show craze. In fact, there's an entire sub-culture of the toy collecting community that is totally devoted to these treasures.

And now the final two...

There's a great stirring in the mainstream media today about some economic stimulus, Kryptonian-style.

Below you can read a bit from the story from the New York Daily News, but there's also an Associated Press story that ran in the Los Angeles Times, the Toronto Star and many other papers.

Maybe they should call him Man of Gold.

Superman proved to be super-expensive when a rare copy of the first comic book featuring him sold late Friday for $317,200 in an Internet auction.

The drummer for the rock band System of a Down, John Dolmayan, placed the winning bid for the 1938 edition of Action Comics No. 1, the first comic to feature Clark Kent and his heroic alter ego.

Dolmayan, a collector and a dealer of vintage comic books, reportedly bought the inaugural Superman issue for a client.

Auction site ComicConnect said the book's previous owner purchased it in 1950 at a secondhand store for a measly 35 cents.

Now that is quite the return on an investment...

-- Geoff Boucher

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Out of the ashes of Marvel's "Secret Invasion" storyline rose the Dark Reign.  Norman Osborn, old crazy Green Goblin himself, set things in motion to dethrone Tony Stark as head of SHIELD (actually getting it decommissioned), and taking over as one of the most powerful men in the world.  Legally!  To make sure that he holds on to that power, he enlisted the help of Dr. Doom, Namor, Emma Frost, Loki and the Hood to consolidate his hold over the rest of the superhero community.

Marvel has sent over some exclusive covers as the company gets into high gear with their villain-themed "He lost. They won." ad campaign.  The 'accept change' part on the bottom of the images seems to tie it in to the Secret Invasion plot, but maybe it's just coincidental.

Iron Man is on the run, and will Emma really go back to her dark ways and stab the X-Men in the back? Many more images after the jump.

There may only be nine weeks left of the Sci Fi channel’s fading light, "Battlestar Galactica," but the memories will never really disappear. One reason: Thanks to EBay, thousands of props, costumes and other bits of galactic memorabilia from the show will be sold online to fans throughout the world starting today.

Collectors can log on to Ebay every Friday for the remainder of the season and bid for props featured in that week’s episode. Looking for an original Book of Pythia or a Viper flight manual? Look no further. Items such as these will go to the highest bidder every week until "Battlestar" disappears forever.

Last weekend the show’s creators kicked off the season with a live auction at the Pasadena Convention Center. The two-day event featured more than 3,000 souvenirs, including Admiral William Adama’s (Edward James Olmos) uniform and Starbuck’s (Katee Sackhoff) flight suit. The bonanza hosted "a tremendous amount of people" that included a large international presence, said a spokeswoman for the show.

Cast members were largely responsible for picking the items and donated proceeds to various charities of their choosing. Tricia Helfer (the sultry Number Six) picked her character’s iconic red dress, which sold for the shockingly high price of $13,000. Michael Hogan (Col. Saul Tigh) chose his infamous liquor bottles for auction (one sold for $1,900, while the other went for $1,100).

Other memorabilia is equally impressive. A life-size centurion costume; Apollo’s (Jamie Bamber) suit; several Vipers, Raptors and Cylon Raiders; and pieces of the Combat Information Center were all included in the auction. One BSG forum estimated that buying and shipping a giant Raptor to the East Coast would cost roughly $5,000, though that number is unconfirmed.

"Battlestar Galactica is an incredible series that has drawn critical praise as well as tremendous fan support," says Stacey Ward, director of product development at NBC Universal, which owns the Sci Fi channel. "We are really proud to be able to give fans a chance to bid on their favorite costume, prop or a piece of the set in this unique auction setting."

"This is an amazing opportunity for the passionate and loyal fans of "Battlestar Galactica" to own a piece of their favorite show," Alec Peters, chief executive officer of Propworx, which manages set design, said. "If you saw it on the show, we will most likely be selling it."

-- Alicia Lozano

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After 38 years, a "lost" Hollywood artifact with a truly cosmic history has resurfaced and, no surprise, it's headed straight for the auction block.

This Thursday, Dec. 11, the iconic flying saucer from the 1956 MGM classic "Forbidden Planet" will be auctioned off in Calabasas Hills and is expected to fetch anywhere between $80,000 and $120,000, which would be a nice, tidy payday for its owner, a North Carolina man who had the prop stored in his garage and didn't realize its market value.

The silver saucer is 82 inches in diameter and constructed of wood, steel and fiberglass and, according to the Profiles in History auction house, it is "a marvel of 1950s engineering." That's because "the central landing base extends from the bottom of the craft by internal movement mechanisms with electric motor drive, as does the ladder and two conveyor-loading ramps."

The miniature was the chief prop used to create the memorable screen images of United Planets Cruiser C-57D in the landmark sci-fi film that loosely reworked Shakespeare's "The Tempest" and starred Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen and Jack Kelly. The film made a major sci-fi imprint on mid-century pop culture and was a major inspiration for "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry, and was paid homage by filmmaker George Lucas, who borrowed a line of its dialogue for "Star Wars" 

The saucer ended up in the busy MGM prop department and was used for a half a dozen episodes of "The Twilight Zone," including the memorable "To Serve Man" episode. Then, around 1970, it was sold off at a studio auction, but there was no record of who bought it.

"It just disappeared, essentially," said Joseph Maddalena, owner of Profiles in History. "This is a major piece of film history, an item that collectors all over the world would instantly want to possess, and it was gone."

The saucer ended up hanging in the garage of a North Carolina man who decided recently to find out what the old model might be worth. Even after hearing the that it might fetch six figures on the open market, he had no plans to sell it -- but that changed when he mentioned the dollar amount to his wife. "He called back a few days later," Maddalena said, "and explained that his wife was making him sell it."

There are plenty of other items going on sale at the Thursday auction, which is open to bids online and via phone as well as in person. Get the details here or call (310) 859-3842. The saucer is also up on eBay right now with multiple images, if you want to check them out.

Some of the items that I wouldn't mind as a Christmas gift are the bull whip from "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" (expected to go for up to $60,000); the 9-foot-tall animatronic gorilla from the 1998 Disney version of "Mighty Joe Young" (predicted to peak at $120,000); one of Robin the Boy Wonder's Batarangs from the old "Batman" television series (a mere $3,000); and one of the playing cards brandished by the late Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight" (predicted to reach $500, which sounds low to me). Maybe you can get your Christmas shopping done in Calabasas Hills this year...

-- Geoff Boucher

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"Loscon 35 Trades Romulans for Romans at LAX Marriott"

That was the headline to the press release introducing the theme for this year's Loscon, a fan convention organized by the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society (LASFS), a 3,000-member group founded in 1934. Loscon regularly draws about 1,200 attendees each year, and its 35th convention has a lineup that includes author guest of honor John Scalzi (debut novel "Old Man’s War" was nominated for the Hugo Award in '06), artist guest of honor Gary Lippincott (fantasy/historical) and fan guest of honor Michael Siladi (veteran convention organizer).

The programs include panelists ranging from J. Michael Straczynski (comics/TV) to Jane Espenson (from "Buffy" to "Battlestar Galactica").  They may not enjoy being called a mini Comic-Con International, but when they also offer anime programming and a masquerade, their lineup calls that imagery (albeit on a smaller scale) to mind.

If you can't get down to San Diego, or even if you can, this may be a good opportunity to mingle with like-minded geeks, and maybe even the illusive geeks-in-togas.  And, you won't get an ice cream social or karaoke (both included as part of Loscon's evening events) in San Diego!

-- Jevon Phillips

What were you doing in 1978? Geoffrey Patterson was opening a comic book store in Gardena for which he chose the extremely clever name of Geoffrey's Comics. It's one of the landmark shops here in Southern California and today it's celebrating its 30th anniversary with some special guests, some nifty giveaways, a 30%-off sale on pretty much everything in the store (the exception being new books).  You can buy these there, for instance:

I got a nice note from Geoff the other day inviting me to swing by (which I'm planning to do this afternoon). Like I said, the store is in Gardena, the South Bay community that in 2006 changed its motto from "The Freeway City" to "The City of Opportunity." Why? Well, aside from the smog visuals conjured up by the old motto, maybe it's because there are no freeways within the city limits of Gardena. It is, however, located very close to the 405, the 110 and 91 freeways, which makes it fairly easy to get to Geoffrey's. The store address is 15900 Crenshaw Boulevard and the phone number is (310) 538-3198. The event today is noon to 6 p.m. 

Some of the special guests coming in from the various sectors of the SoCal fanboy scene are Danny Miki, Norm Rapmund, Mark Waid, Marc Guggenheim, Josh Dysart, Phil Ortiz, Mike Wellman and Dave Wohl. I put a copy of the flyer after the jump. Sounds like a good time, maybe we'll see you out there.

-- Geoff Boucher

Every month when the warehouse storage bill comes, I tell my wife that all those boxes of old comic books I'm keeping should be thought of as a great investment. And right on cue, she rolls her eyes and reminds me that all those boxes aren't worth anything unless I sell them.

Harrumph.

Well, now the Wall Street Journal, that bastion of investment culture, says I was actually ahead of the market curve all those years ago when I sealed my gorgeous copy of "Fantasic Four" No. 48 up inside a Mylar bag:

Mark Craddock, manager of Comic Book World, in Florence, Ky., says stock-market investors also are turning to superheroes. "There's kind of a buying frenzy" in vintage comic books, he says.

The "Silver Age Comic Book Pricing Index" of 32 frequently traded '60s comics, was up 14.2% in the 18 months ending in July, while the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index was down 11% in the same period. Mark Haspel, president of Certified Guaranty Co. in Sarasota, Fla., which grades comic books, often for investors, says it's on track to handle 200,000 books this year, up from 150,000 in 2007.

"Spiderman is going to be here in 20 years -- he's not going away," Mr. Haspel says.

That's an excerpt from an article by Jennifer Levitz on all the quirky investments that are gaining traction amid these bruising seasons on Wall Street. All of you deep-pocket corporations looking for a place to put your money, I have a full run of "West Coast Avengers" taking up waaaay too much space, it's yours if the money is right.

-- Geoff Boucher

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Photo by Spencer Weiner/Los Angeles Times shows collectors buying up vintage books at Comic-Con International in San Diego in 2007.