ComicsPriceGuide.com has learned that attorney Mark S. Zaid, owner of EsquireComics.com, has acquired a version of the historical comic Crime and Penalty #1 which is considered to be an ashcan copy. The copy was purchased from John Chruscinski of Tropic Comics and is the only known copy in existence.

"It is a thrill to even learn about, much less own, a rare and in this case previously unknown example of comic history and I am proud to now count this book among my collection," said Zaid.

Ashcans were prototype books produced by publishers to secure the trademark for a particular title and never were supposed to be offered for sale. At most, a handful of copies were produced for internal use and filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, hence their extreme level of rarity.

The ashcan for Crime and Penalty #1 features the cover art from Crime and Punishment #1 and the interior is a complete copy of Crime Does Not Pay #59. Of interest to comic historians and collectors is the fact that the title Crime and Penalty was never used by Lev Gleason.

“I am happy to have owned this comic rarity and I think it has found a good home among the other ashcans in Mark’s collection,” said Chruscinski.

According to Mark, the book will be added to his private collection, which can be viewed as part of his "Special Collections - Notable Key & Rare Issues" at www.esquirecomics.com, that includes numerous ashcans including several only known examples such as the 1940 ashcan comic Crack Comics #1.