August 29, 2025
Provided Image/Emily Meyers
Emily and Matt Myers, who own a comic book restoration business, will auction rare comics after winning a $10 million defamation lawsuit against a company that had accused them of making fakes. Above, Emily Meyers holds a copy of 'Action Comics No. 1,' which includes the first appearance of Superman and is up for auction now.
Just over a year after winning a defamation lawsuit, comic book restorers Emily and Matt Meyers have revived their business – putting five of the rarest and most valuable comics they've ever worked on up for sale.
The auction collection includes the first appearances of Superman, Batman and Captain America, books that date back to the Golden Era of comics in the 1930s and 1940s. From now until mid-September, prospective buyers can place bids on each book. The unrestored versions of these can be worth millions.
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"These are among the most beautiful books we've ever restored," Emily said.
Nearly 10 years ago, the couple from Paoli, Chester County, began working with an undisclosed Toronto-based collector, taking low-quality rare books and using a complex process to fix faded colors and bring the condition back to as close to its original state as possible.
The restoration projects for the five comics that are up for auction was completed in 2018, but a contentious eight-year legal battle with Certified Guaranty Co., the world's largest grading company for collectables, prevented the couple and consignor from bringing the books to market. In the lawsuit, the Meyers were accused of making fakes, leading to the couple suing the company for defamation.
"I think there was a lot of misinformation put out about our work," Emily said. "... Eventually we just stopped doing it because it ate into the profit margin so much."
Last summer, a Philadelphia jury ruled that Certified Guaranty Co. must pay the Meyers $10 million for defaming their business. Some of the comics that are up for sale came straight from the "evidence bag" of the long-running court cases, Emily said.
In addition to the five books restored by the Meyers, the most for a single auction in their career, the sale also features nearly 200 unrestored works from the collector, ranging in time period and stories.
"This collection represents a veritable time capsule of new characters and stories in comics history from the Golden Age up to now," said Vincent Zurzolo, president and co-founder of ComicConnect. "It was incredibly exciting to see a collection like this, acquired over years of careful creation."
Thanks to the meticulous work done by the Meyers, Zurzolo estimates the five books could sell for millions.
"I believe, in no uncertain terms, that they are the best restoration experts in the country for comic books – possibly in the world," Zurzolo said. "I have seen many restoration experts with varying degree of skills and specialties, but I've never seen anybody with the skill, talent, technique and artistry that Emily and Matt possess. These are some of the best-looking restored copies of Golden Age (comics) that I've seen in my nearly 40-year career in comics."
Emily attributes their success to crippling perfectionism, using microscopes to be as accurate and precise as possible when handling vintage works. Even with methodical advances at her disposal, Emily said she'd be surprised if a single project took less than two months to complete.
"I know how much people treasure these books and I want to give them that same amount of love, time and dedication so that the book is just loved from start to finish," she said. "If I have to redo something a hundred times, I will do it."
So far, the couple's most valuable project was a restored "Action Comics No. 1," which features the first appearance of Superman. That comic sold for $550,000, but a different copy of the 1938 classic is part of the collection being auctioned now, so the Meyers might soon have a new personal record.
