Archie Comics have grown up, though its leads never do

NEW YORK — Superheroes dominate the realm of comic books with meta-humans, aliens blessed with superpowers, and rich and talented mortals equipped with ultra-cool tech. DC and Marvel Comics make millions catering to fans of these characters, but the companies and their superhero-heavy storylines do not represent all that comic books have to offer. Namely, the medium boasts a long-running title focused on a group of ordinary teenagers whose biggest worries are finding themselves in a love triangle or receiving a bad grade.

The wholesome image of high-schoolers sipping sodas at the malt shop conjures up nostalgia for many, and Archie Comics, featuring the gang from Riverdale — Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Reggie et al — has endured for more than 80 years, enchanting new generations despite massive changes in pop culture as well as changes in what it means to be a teenager.

Since debuting in December 1941 in Pep Comics #22, Archie Andrews and his friends have delighted readers with their relatability and the ease with which they adapt to the changing times. “Readers could see themselves in Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Jughead Jones and Reggie Mantle, though that last one might be a tougher pill to swallow, remembering times they themselves had been in a similar pickle,” said Michael Bollinger, senior cataloger at Hake’s Auctions in York, Pennsylvania. “That’s a big part of the success of Archie — the wholesome ideal of teenage life. The addition of an ever-expanding cast of characters over the years also helped invite new readers to explore the beloved and enduring world of Riverdale.”

There have been many Archie spinoff issues and related imprints as well as animated series on television — at least one in each decade from the 1960s to the 1990s. There also have been several live-action TV specials and a CW series, Riverdale, which ran from 2017 to 2023.

“Another thing Archie Comics had going for it was diversified [comic book] titles. If you wanted teen humor, there were Archie and Jughead titles,” said Todd Sheffer, production manager at Hake’s Auctions. “If you wanted a more feminine take on teenage life, the Betty and Veronica comics had you covered.” Early issues of the original series prove tempting to many collectors, as demonstrated by a copy of Archie Comics #2 from spring 1943 featuring cover art by Bob Montana, who created the original illustrations for the core Archie characters. It earned $4,932, including the buyer’s premium, in March 2020 at Hake’s Auctions.

The umbrella of Archie Comics stretched to include superhero stories that introduced Archie to characters such as the Shield and the Black Hood. These offerings were published under Archie’s Red Circle Comics, which started out as a fantasy/horror imprint, producing comics such as Chilling Adventures in Sorcery, Sheffer added.

While contemporary Archie Comics don’t command prices as high as those for issues from the 1940s through the 1970s, they do attract audiences and collectors. The recent stories are a bit more drama-driven and some, such as Afterlife with Archie and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, delve into the horror genre.

The market for comic books is robust and durable, especially for franchises with strong appeal and longevity. “The Archie line of comics continues on, both in regular comic book format as well as their beloved ‘digest’ format books,” Bollinger said. “Collectors still clamor for issues featuring Riverdale beauties Betty and Veronica on the covers as well as a dedicated group of collectors who enjoy searching for covers and stories featuring hidden double entendres, making for stark contradictions of the typically wholesome Archie content.”

Golden Age comics continue to command interest and top prices, and keen Archie collectors never cease searching for key issues. “Unsurprisingly, the first appearance of Archie, Jughead and Betty in Pep Comics #22 remains one of the top contenders, alongside Veronica’s debut in Pep Comics #26 and Archie Comics #1,” Sheffer said. The latter issue, which was the inaugural issue of the solo-series comic book showcasing the red-headed teenage boy, was one of the most popular with buyers. First issues always bring high values and scarcity drives up demand, but very few examples of any of these three prizes have come to market in recent years. An early-but-not-as-early copy that satisfies collectors is Pep Comics #36, which was Archie’s first cover appearance in this particular series in February 1943. A copy with a 7.0 grade brought $7,000 plus the buyer’s premium in November 2020 at Weiss Auctions.

For interesting cover artwork designed to pull readers inside the issue, there is Archie Comics #4 (September-October 1943, which made $1,753, including the buyer’s premium, in March 2020 at Hake’s Auctions. The colorful, action-packed cover also features a plug by NBC for the Archie radio show.

Other issues targeted by those looking to round out their collection include the introduction of Archie’s longtime frenemy Reggie in Jackpot Comics #5, which published in Spring 1942; Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s first appearance in Archie’s Mad House #22, released in October 1962; and the debuts of Josie and fellow Pussycat Melody Valentine in Archie’s Pals ‘n’ Gals #23, which had a Winter 1962-63 date.

Archie collectors also pursue pieces of original comic book artwork as well. An inked cover artboard for Archie’s Pals N’ Gals #203, published in January 1988, realized $501 including the buyer’s premium in July 2017 at Hake’s Auctions. The board depicts Veronica’s home economics assignment being attacked by a tool-wielding teacher as her friends look on.

“The original issues from the 1940s are highly sought after but many collectors feel that the Archie books hit their stride in the 1960s,” Bollinger said. A box lot of Silver Age comics books from the Archie-verse brought $2,100 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2021 at Weiss Auctions. It included Archie annuals and several different imprints.

“In recent years, there has been a boom in collectible variant covers, with many bringing strong prices on the secondary market,” he added. “These typically feature Betty and/or Veronica sporting various swimsuit styles.”

Though malt shops have gone the way of the dodo and teenage fashions have changed dozens upon dozens of times since 1941, the gang from Riverdale continues to lure new fans and shows no signs of slowing down.