Some elements of American pop culture transcend time or place and become iconic, as though they were always there. Archie Andrews, the quintessential American teen, and his friends, Jughead, Reggie, and especially Betty and Veronica, have spent over seven decades portraying the ups and downs of teenage life. Their stories prove as durable and identifiable for audiences today as the day they first appeared on newsstands.

Archie quickly took over the hero anthology Pep Comics shortly after his first appearance and was promptly given his own title, thereby sealing his status as the top teen comedy hero. The success of the comic took MLJ Publishing from a scrappy latecomer to a major powerhouse in the comics market. Despite an enormous print run, Archie Comics 1 has survived in astonishingly low numbers and top tier Archie collectors are notoriously known as the "black holes" of the collecting community, as once they're in a collection, they're never to be seen again. Archie Comics 1 is likely the single most difficult major Golden Age key to obtain after Pep Comics 22, Archie's first appearance. One of the most demanded and revered of comic book keys, this book never fails to elicit excitement when copies surface and regularly breaks records.

It's hard to overstate just how scarce this comic is, and just how rabid collectors have become for even the most beaten of copies. This handsome 6.0 example, sturdy and supple, presents this American classic for a new generation of fans. ComicConnect has sold two copies of Pep 22 for astonishing, record-breaking numbers, and we have numerous fans of Archie lined up and ready to take a swing at this treasure as well -- we recommend bidding early and bidding aggressively, as we expect this book to blow past its Overstreet value effortlessly.

Overstreet Guide 2013 FN (6.0) value = $19,000.

If you are a new customer planning to make a first-time purchase over $25,000, please contact us at 212.895.3999 or [email protected] so that we may approve your account for bidding. (This policy was instituted to protect consignors and bidders against bids from fraudulent accounts, and to ensure the integrity of the bidding process.).