He may be known as the Man of Steel, but after yesterday’s record-setting sale of Action Comics #1 for $1 million, Superman has officially gone platinum. The transaction smashed the previous comic book sale record, which was set in 2009 when another, less pristine copy of Action Comics #1sold for $317,200.

To many comic book fans, Action Comics #1 is not merely the publication that introduced Superman to the world, it is a cultural icon. “[It] changed the course of pop culture forever,” asserts the press release posted on ComicConnect.com, the site that brokered the record-setting deal. This boast might find a sympathetic audience in Tom De Haven, author of Our Hero: Superman on Earth and eminent authority on the hero.

In his book, De Haven looks at Superman as an American Icon, a figure that represents both the struggles and triumphs of life in America. As a hero that arose from the desolate landscape of the Great Depression, Superman promised the power to redeem a nation in need. In that light, the sale of Action Comics #1 adds yet another unbelievable feat to the Man of Steel’s list of achievements, proving that sticking up for the little guy is a trait that Americans continue, quite literally, to value.