Learn English with the News: “Is it a plane, is it a bird…? It’s superman!”

Hi!

Do you like comic books? If you don’t, maybe you like movies? How about superman?

Today’s news item is all about superman and the discovery of an original comic book from the 1930’s.

1. Read the text
2. Understand the vocabulary
3. Watch the news

Text

The very first appearance of Superman in a comic book – “Action Comics” number one, from June, 1938.

– This comic book in the world of collecting is viewed as the greatest book you could own.

Co-owner of Metropolis Collectibles, Vincent Zurzolo says the find is “just like a treasure” and marks the birth of Superman and all superheroes. The comic was found by a man in Hoffman, Minnesota, inside the walls of a home he bought for around $10,000 U.S. dollars.

– He gets into the house and realizes there is going to be a lot of remodeling done here and he starts tearing down the drywall. Tearing down the walls and he finds insulation and also comic books. And one of the comic books he finds and the most valuable comic books he found is this comic book, Action Comics number one. Now to give you some idea, this comic is from 1938, this house was built in the late 30’s. So this comic book has been in that wall for over 75 years.

Sadly, the book’s auction value dropped by around $75,000 dollars when the back cover was torn in a family dispute over ownership. But despite the damage, bidding which began on May 20th, is already at $137,000 dollars. And if offers continue to rise until the auction ends on June the 11th, the Minnesota house will prove to be a super investment.

Vocabulary

Tearing down – to completely destroy (something, such as a building or wall).

Drywall – building material that is used for making walls and ceilings and that is made of large sheets of plaster covered with thick paper.

Insulation – a material or substance that is used to stop heat, electricity, or sound from going into or out of something : a material that insulates something.

Auction – a public sale at which things are sold to the people who offer to pay the most.

Cover – the outer part of a book or magazine.

Torn – to separate (something) into parts by pulling it, cutting it, etc. : to rip, split, or open (something) quickly or violently.

Dispute – a disagreement or argument.

Ownership – the state or fact of owning something.

Video