A chance to own a rare Batman comic (or fraction thereof)

In a memorable episode of “The Simpsons”, Bart and his friends fight over a co-owned copy of the fictional comic book Radioactive Man No. 1. Their failure to share it leads to its destruction.

A proposal to share ownership of a rare Batman comic book should go more smoothly.

Rally, an online collectibles shopping service, announced Friday that it will be selling shares of Batman #1, originally published in 1940 and an important chapter in comic book history.

The company, founded in 2016, sells a variety of collectibles through its online service, including classic cars, video games and sports memorabilia.

“Comic books played a big part in that,” said Rob Petrozzo, who founded Rally with Chris Bruno and Max Niederste-Ostholt. “We are always looking for the rare examples, the first appearances, the most important moments of each franchise.”

Batman #1’s initial public offering will go live in mid-March. The company will offer 180,000 shares at a cost of $10 each. The Rally app will offer investors views of the front and back covers of the comic, which is sealed in transparent archival media. For those who want an up-close and personal view, the Batman comic book will be on display this year at Rally’s new headquarters in Lower Manhattan.

This copy of Batman #1 is rated 8 out of 10 for condition. Batman #1 features the first appearance of The Joker and Catwoman (or The Cat, as she was then known) as well as an iconic cover of Batman and Robin swinging through the sky.

A $1.8 million valuation for a comic might seem like a fantasy to the uninitiated, but the value of rare and noteworthy comics has surged in recent years. Last month, a copy of the 1938 Action Comic No. 1, featuring the early days of Superman, was sold on Heritage Auctions for $3.18 million.