Before they dominated movie screens and toy aisles, Superman and Captain America lived on thin pages of newsprint that once sold for a dime.
Now those pages have been given a permanent place in American history.
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has acquired Action Comics No. 1 and Captain America Comics No. 1, the first appearances of two of the most famous superheroes ever created. The rare comics were donated by Brandon Beck, co-founder of the video game company Riot Games.
For museum curators, the addition represents far more than collectible pop culture.
“I have worked at the museum for almost 30 years and have been able to collect, research and share so many fun and important stories with the public,” said Eric Jentsch, curator of popular culture and sports history. “This acquisition was one of the most gratifying of my career, not only as the comics are important pieces of our cultural history that should be preserved, but also because if you told me as a kid I would be working with these incredible collections I would have been psyched.”
The first of those legendary stories appeared in 1938, when Action Comics No. 1 introduced a new character created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster.
Superman. The caped hero from the doomed planet Krypton quickly became a symbol of justice during the difficult years of the Great Depression. That first issue launched nearly nine decades of stories and helped establish the modern superhero genre.
The character’s influence has only grown since then. A new Superman film directed by James Gunn last summer earned about $624 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing superhero movie of 2025.
Captain America followed two years later.
Captain America Comics No. 1, created by writer Joe Simon and artist Jack Kirby, debuted in December 1940 with a cover dated March 1941. The issue arrived during a tense period before the United States entered World War II.
Its cover made a statement that readers could not miss.
Captain America, the newly created super soldier Steve Rogers, was shown delivering a powerful punch directly to Adolf Hitler.
The image carried political weight at a time when the United States had not yet entered the war. Through a hero who embodied national determination and democratic ideals, comic books became part of the cultural response to the global conflict.
By acquiring both comics, the Smithsonian is highlighting how entertainment reflects the history and values of the time in which it is created.
“We use objects from popular culture to reflect and learn about the past, and the comics provide incredible insight into the era from which they come,” Jentsch said.
He noted that the stories also reflect the backgrounds of the people who created them.
Superman and Captain America were both invented by first-generation Jewish American creators during a period marked by rising global tensions and rapid technological change.
Paul Levitz, a former president of DC Comics who later wrote Superman stories, said the recognition would have meant a great deal to the artists behind the characters.
“The pivotal creators of these comics—Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby—were all first-generation Jewish Americans, anxious to make their marks in a country that had welcomed their parents,” Levitz said. “As someone who had the pleasure of knowing them all, I can confidently say that this recognition of their work in the most significant comic book acquisition in decades, would have been a great affirmation of the groundbreaking genre that they created.”
Family members of the creators say the moment carries personal meaning as well.
Siegel’s daughter, Laura Siegel Larson, pointed out that the museum already holds another important item from her father.
“The museum already holds my dad’s portable typewriter. Now they have Action Comics No. 1, the holy grail of Superman artifacts,” she said.
Jim Simon, the son of Captain America co-creator Joe Simon, added: “It is wonderful to know that my father Joe Simon and Jack Kirby’s work is not only forever immortalized in the hearts of millions but also in the highest of institutions where it will be forever preserved.”
The timing also reflects the enormous cultural reach superheroes now have.
In recent decades, superhero stories have dominated global box offices and streaming platforms, shaping Hollywood economics and inspiring generations of fans.
Yet the origins of those billion-dollar franchises remain remarkably humble.
They began as stapled comic books sold at neighborhood newsstands.
Today, those same issues have become some of the most valuable printed materials in existence. Four years ago, a copy of Captain America Comics No. 1 sold for more than $3 million at auction. Last year, Superman No. 1 fetched more than $9 million, and earlier this year a copy of Action Comics No. 1 reportedly sold privately for $15 million.
For the Smithsonian, the comics are more than collectibles.
They are artifacts that help explain how storytelling, culture and identity evolve over time.
As Jentsch put it, the impact of those early pages is impossible to miss.
“That these books created characters and narratives whose relevance has only grown since their debut almost 90 years ago speaks volumes about their impact and immersion into everyday life.”
