Kapow! Batman beats Superman's record

A 1939 comic book in which Batman makes his debut has sold at auction for more than $1million, breaking a record set just three days earlier by a Superman comic.

Dallas-based auctioneers Heritage Auction Galleries said the rare copy of Detective Comics No. 27 sold yesterday for $1,075,500 (£705,500), which includes the buyer's premium, to an anonymous buyer. The seller chose to remain anonymous as well.

"It pretty much blew away all our expectations and now it's the highest price ever for a comic book," said Barry Sandoval, director of operations of Heritage's comics division.

A copy of the first comic book featuring Superman, a 1938 edition of Action Comics No. 1, sold on Monday for $1million in a sale between a private seller and a private buyer, with the transaction conducted by New York City auction site ComicConnect.com.

"We can really say that Batman has nosed out Superman, at least for now," said Mr Sandoval.

He said the seller had bought the Batman comic in the late Sixties for $100. The comic features Batman swinging on a rope above city rooftops.

"That cover is just one of the most famous of all comic book covers," said Mr Sandoval.