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Superman Themed "Ashcan" Prototype Comics Sell at Auction
A collection of four extremely rare Superman themed 'Ashcan' prototype comics were recently sold at the Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction hosted by Heritage Auctions.
This type of comic was originally created solely to establish trademarks with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to secure a potential comic book's name, logo and even heroes to fend off rivals and meant to be tossed into the trash. The practice was common in the 1930s and 1940s when the comic book industry was in its infancy, but was phased out after updates to US trademark law.
The four Superman themed 'Ashcans' came from the collection of Gary Colabuono and feature prototype mock-up covers for "Superman Comics", "Superboy", "Supergirl", and "Superwoman".
"These are all so cool, so important and so rare," Colabuono said of his 'Super-Ashcans'. "It will be interesting to collectors and the public that something so rare is coming to the market. It should be something truly special. I was always proud of the fact I am the only guy on the entire planet who owns these things. I showed them off at a comic convention, and I was so proud. Well, I don't know if that's the right word, but I always knew I was just the caretaker."
Selling price for each comic by title was:
• "Superman Comics" - $288,000.00
• "Superboy" - $48,000.00
• "Supergirl" - $28,800.00
• "Superwoman" - $43,200.00
For more information on each 'Ashcan' comic, please visit Heritage Auctions.
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