(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Four extremely rare comic books are being sold by a long-time Chicago-area collector who calls it was one of the hardest decisions he's ever made.
Gary Colabuono of Arlington Heights is parting with four magazines created in the late-1930s through the mid-1940s that were never intended for the public. Rather, these “ashcan” editions were put together solely to protect Detective Comics’ claims on the characters of Superman, Superwoman, Supergirl and Superboy.
Most of the covers and contents of the books don’t even include the new characters they are heralding but recycle DC material of the day, says Heritage Auctions, which is handling the sale of the ultra-rare items.
Colabuono said it's difficult to part with these pieces of comic book history. He said each one could sell for between $250,000 and $500,000 at this week's auction.
“I’m the only person on the entire planet who owns these books,” he told WBBM Newsradio Tuesday. “And that is a really cool situation.”
The 71-year-old says he loves these comics but loves his family more and wants to set them up financially.
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