CGC-certified Detective Comics #1 Realizes a Record $638,250 in ComicConnect Sale

With CGC® certification, high-grade early issues of Detective Comics and Action Comics from the Eric Groves Collection soared to record heights with prices well into the six figures. They were offered in a ComicConnect auction on March 15-18, 2026.

Leading the sale of this amazing collection was a Detective Comics #1 graded CGC 8.5, which realized $638,250. This Platinum Age comic from 1937 pre-dates the birth of the Golden Age in 1938. It is the debut issue of Detective Comics, which would later become synonymous with Batman following his debut in issue #27. This sale shattered the previous high mark for this inaugural issue, which was $228,000 for a CGC 6.5 sold in April 2025.

Meanwhile, an Action Comics #10 graded CGC 8.0 realized $431,250. This comic published in 1939 features the third cover appearance of Superman. Another record price, this result flew past the previous leader, which was $258,000 for a CGC 9.0 sold in August 2011.

Groves spent nearly 55 years as a successful attorney in Oklahoma City, but his love for comics began at age five, clipping Sunday newspaper strips and laying them out on the living room floor so he could follow the story week to week. His father would give him a dime to buy comics such as Boy Comics at the drugstore. Popular comics such as Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon sparked a fascination that later defined how he collected comic books.

As an adult, Groves shared his expertise as a member of the Oklahoma Alliance of Fandom and an adviser to the Overstreet Comics Price Guide. In the late 1960s, he attended his first convention in Houston. Eric thrived in that environment, trading, buying and building relationships that would fuel his collection for the rest of his life.

Other CGC-certified comics from this collection sold in the auction include:

• a Flash Comics #1 graded CGC 6.5, which realized $195,500
• a Wonder Woman #1 graded CGC 7.5, which realized $73,600
• a Captain America Comics #1 graded CGC 6.5 Restored, which realized $67,850
• a Detective Comics #33 graded CGC 9.0 Restored, which realized $66,700
• an Amazing Fantasy #15 graded CGC 5.5, which realized $54,165
• a Daring Mystery Comics #1 graded CGC 8.0, which realized $46,000
• a Red Raven Comics #1 graded CGC 8.0, which realized $44,593
• a Mystery Men Comics #1 graded CGC 8.5, which realized $39,239
• an Action Comics #19 graded CGC 7.5, which realized $33,093
• a Sub-Mariner Comics #1 graded CGC 6.5, which realized $33,608
• a Captain America Comics #3 graded CGC 6.5, which realized $31,050
• a Police Comics #1 graded CGC 9.0, which realized $29,901
• an Action Comics #17 graded CGC 7.5, which realized $28,110
• an Action Comics #12 graded CGC 6.5, which realized $27,857
• an Action Comics #9 graded CGC 6.0, which realized $25,427

About CGC

Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for a vast variety of pop culture collectibles. These divisions include CGC Cards, CGC Video Games and CGC Home Video. CGC Cards provides expert card grading for sports cards, TCGs and non-sports cards. CGC Video Games is dedicated to video game grading for the most popular consoles, including Nintendo, Sega, Atari, PlayStation and more. CGC Home Video provides expert VHS grading in addition to other types of videocassettes, DVD, Blu-ray and more. CGC also offers seamless solutions for autograph collectors with CGC Signature Series and JSA Authentic Autograph services.

CGC is part of the Certified Collectibles Group, a global provider of expert and impartial authentication and grading services for collectibles. Since 1987, the Certified Collectibles Group companies have certified more than 110 million collectibles, including coins, banknotes, comic books, cards, autographs and stamps.

Prices realized include buyer’s premium.