You won’t read about this awe-inspiring feat in the pages of a comic book, because it happened in real life.

A southern family that had been struggling with the threat of foreclosure found the beacon of hope they’d been searching for — and in their basement, no less.

The family (who asked to remain anonymous) was packing up its belongings and stumbled upon a rare copy of Action Comics #1, which was published in June of 1938 and chronicles the first appearance of Superman.

This year alone, copies of that comic have auctioned for $1 million and $1.5 million, though the condition of the item greatly influences its value. This family’s copy, while only receiving a 5.0 Very Good/Fine on a scale of 1 to 10, should auction for at least $250,000.

That’s more than enough to rescue the family from foreclosure — no cape or red tights required.

Tags: Action Comics, Auction, Foreclosure, Superman