Whether you’re a fan of the Dark Knight or prefer the innocence of Archie, everyone loves a good comic book. But which are the most valuable to own? We’ve gone through the record books to pick out the most valuable comic books ever sold.

Showcase #4 includes the debut of a brand new superhero, Barry Allen, the Silver Age Flash. The adventures of the fastest man alive were a big hit, leading to the Flash getting his own title soon afterwards. Published in 1956, it sold for $179,250 (£137,699) in 2009.

This book from 1939 features Superman’s first battle with the villain Ultra Humanite, and boasts a centerfold ad for the soon-to-be-launched Superman #1. It sold in 2011 for $185,000 (£142,117).

In August 2013 a copy of All American Comics #16 sold for a massive $203,150 (£156,059). Originally published in 1940, it includes the first appearance and origin story of the Golden Age Green Lantern, Alan Scott.

Unlike many of the books on this list, this comic isn’t notable for being the first appearance of a now famous superhero. Action Comics #10 came out in 1939 and features a story called Superman Goes to Prison. It sold for $258,000 (£198,195) in 2011.

In this issue, Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, Ant-Man and the Wasp battle Thor’s rascal of a brother, Loki. Sounds familiar, right? The first issue of the super team’s antics from 1963 has previously sold for $274,000 (£210,486).

Marvel’s Journey into Mystery series saw the introduction of a number of popular characters, but none was more significant than the Mighty Thor! This issue is the first appearance of the God of Thunder and sold for $275,000 (£211,255) in February 2014.

This is a slightly strange one – it’s listed as the #2 issue in order to continue the numbering from a #1 issue that was never actually released, but was used in promotions. This issue from Fawcett Comics features the first appearance of Captain Marvel, who today goes by the name of Shazam to avoid confusion with Marvel’s own Captain Marvel! It fetched $281,000 (£215,864) in 2012.

Without the Fantastic Four, we wouldn’t have the Marvel universe that we know and love today, so few comics are quite as important as this one. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961, this book covers the first adventure of the first family of comic books. A copy sold for $300,000 (£230,460) back in 2011.

In his first appearance, the big green guy was actually grey. Written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby, the first comic featuring the tragic Dr Bruce Banner fetched more than $300,000 (£250,433) in August 2014. The Hulk is set to appear in the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok movie, out this fall.

This book from the legendary Jack Kirby and Joe Simon not only features the first appearance of Captain America, but boasts a cover where the hero is landing a right hand on Adolf Hitler. That’s one way to make an entrance!

Marvel Comics #1 is the first issue published by the company that we now know as Marvel, and features the first appearances of some of its most popular characters in those early years: The Human Torch and Namor the Sub-Mariner.

The success of the Iron Man movies has seen Robert Downey Jr become one of the world’s top-earning actors. This comic features the first appearance of the character, yet another creation of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

While the cover story of All Star Comics #8 is about the Justice Society of America, it’s the back-up story that makes this issue valuable, as it is the very first appearance of Wonder Woman.

The first issue of Flash Comics includes the debut appearances of both the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick, and the Golden Age Hawkman. Written by Gardner Fox and drawn by Harry Lampert, this book from 1940 fetched $450,000 (£345,690) in 2010, which at the time made it the second-most expensive comic in history.

The debut appearance of the crime fighting mutants saw Cyclops, Beast and the team take on Magneto. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, a copy of this issue from 1963 sold for almost half a million dollars in 2012.

Superman got his own comic way back in June 1939, collecting his first four adventures which had already been included in issues of Action Comics. Earlier this year a copy sold for $507,500 (£389,861) in a deal brokered by vintage comics firm ComicLink.

The first issue of Batman’s standalone series features the debut appearances of two of the caped crusader’s most famous adversaries: the Joker and Catwoman. A copy sold for $567,625 (£436,049) in 2013.

The first appearance of the Dark Knight from 1939, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, is a book all comic book lovers would want to own. This was the most expensive book ever sold when it changed hands back in 2010.

This issue from 1962 is the debut of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s amazing Spider-Man. The web-slinger is one of the world’s most beloved costumed heroes, and this issue went for $1.1 million (£850,000) at an auction in 2011.

This 1938 comic features the first appearance of Superman, ushering in the Golden Age of superhero comic books. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, while the original comic went for just 10c, four different copies have sold for more than a million dollars in recent years, with 2014 seeing a copy bought for a massive $3.2 million (£2.46m).