Ky. man’s comic collection sells for $1.5 million

PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky man’s comic book collection with first issues of Superman, Batman and the Flash fetched $1.5 million in an online auction this week.

John Wise had collected the valuable super hero comics over three decades.

A comic from 1940 with the first appearance of Flash claimed the top individual price of $182,000. First issues of Superman and Batman from the same era sold for $172,000 and $137,000 in the offerings that ended Tuesday. His issue of the first-ever comic from Marvel sold for $95,000.

Wise says the exploding popularity of super heroes in movies and TV made it a good time to sell. He plans to buy a house and send his grandchildren to college with the profits.

The comic books were sold on Comicconnect.com, an online auction house.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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