The infamous $130 check that Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel accepted to sell away the rights to Superman to DC back in 1938 has been located, after going missing for decades. Although $130 may not sound like much these days, back then, it was a small fortune.
An image of the check has been making rounds online and it’s believed to have come from a Comics Connect auction tied to Siegel’s estate that’s also selling a lock of Siegel’s hair. Although this has not been confirmed.
For eagle eye readers you may noticed that the check is actually for $412. $130 of which bought the rights to Superman. The rest of the payment covered the June 1938 Detective Comics ($210), Adventure Comics and More Fun ($36 each).
A lot of significance surrounds this piece of paper for its importance in not just comic book history, but U.S. history. It arguably launched the comic book industry and transform the medium into what it is today. Furthermore, it has also been the subject of decade-long legal battles that may have helped shaped current U.S. copyright laws.
