Rare Batman comic to fetch more than $40,000

A longtime Alaska comic book buff is selling one of the gems in his vast collection, a rare copy of Batman No 1 published 70 years ago.

Mike Wheat of Fairbanks has put the 1940 comic book on the auction block through Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries, where it's expected to fetch more than USD 40,000.

Online bids already have climbed to USD 35,000 for the book, believed to be one of fewer than 300 still in existence.

Online bids will compete with a live auction set for Thursday. The second and fourth Batman issues also will be part of Thursday's auction.

They are expected to bring more than USD 5,000 combined.