Batman Comic That Introduced 2 of His Biggest Villains Just Sold for a Record Price Only Bruce Wayne Could Afford

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While Bruce Wayne is known for being Batman and protecting Gotham City, a recent comic book sale might suggest he also has a knack for collecting. A rare 1940 issue of *Batman* #1, featuring the classic Batman and Robin cover, was recently auctioned by Goldin for a surprisingly high price. Though it wasn’t the most expensive vintage comic ever sold, or even the most expensive copy of this particular issue, the winning bid was well over $100,000.

A copy of the 1940 Batman #1 comic recently sold for $651,188 (or $794,449 with the buyer’s fee), according to Goldin. This particular copy received a 7.0 grade from CGC, meaning its pages are off-white to white. Comics in better condition could potentially sell for even more, and one already has – a near-mint copy of Batman #1 sold for $2.2 million in 2021. However, that’s not the most expensive vintage comic ever sold. That record belongs to a copy of Action Comics #1, which went for an incredible $6 million in 2024.

Batman #1 Is a Critical Issue For the Batman Mythos

It’s always exciting when classic comics sell for high prices, but the sale of *Batman* #1 is particularly noteworthy. This issue is crucial to the history of the Dark Knight and significantly shaped the Batman we know today. While *Detective Comics* #27 (1939) introduced Batman, *Batman* #1, released in spring 1940, is equally important because it introduced two of his most iconic villains: the Joker and Catwoman (originally known as “the Cat”). Illustrated by Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson, the comic features a story by Bill Finger that revisits Bruce Wayne’s origins and then showcases his first encounters with these two characters. This issue laid the foundation for the Joker and Catwoman to become central figures in Batman’s life for the next 80 years – one as his greatest enemy and the other as, arguably, his greatest love.

As a huge Batman fan, this issue is so important to me because it’s about way more than just introducing those incredible villains. It actually *created* the core principle that defines Batman: his refusal to kill. I remember being shocked when I first read it – seeing Batman actually fire a machine gun and, tragically, kill one of Hugo Strange’s creations. He hated it, but felt it was necessary at the moment. The reaction was huge! It got so much attention that the editor at the time, Whitney Ellsworth, stepped in and made it official: Batman would never kill again. And honestly, that decision has shaped the character ever since, and it’s something I really appreciate about his journey.

The first issue of *Batman* wasn’t just the introduction of the Caped Crusader’s greatest enemy, it also established his strict rule against killing. This combination set the stage for decades of complicated and often debated storylines. Over the 80+ years since that debut, the Joker has repeatedly committed terrible acts in Gotham and escaped from Arkham Asylum, forcing Batman to constantly *react* to the chaos instead of truly preventing it. This has led to ongoing discussions about whether Batman is an effective hero, and if his refusal to kill is actually the best approach. Without the villains and that initial controversial decision in *Batman* #1, the Batman we know today could be drastically different – perhaps even unrecognizable to the World’s Greatest Detective.

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2025-09-17 00:46