Inside the Guide: Pep Comics #22
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Archie Andrews is just an average boy next door from a nice small town where he has a goofy best friend and two girls that regularly turn his head. A straightforward premise to be sure, but Archie and the cast of Riverdale characters have entertained generations of funny book readers.
Archie was introduced in Pep Comics #22, published by MLJ Magazines Inc. When John L. Goldwater, Bob Montana, and Vic Bloom created Archie in 1941, his first appearance had a cover price of 10¢.
When Robert M. Overstreet published The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #1 in 1970 a Near Mint copy of Pep Comics #22 was valued at $10. Archie’s debut issue moved up to $1,550 in the 20th edition of the Guide.
The book took a huge jump for the Guide #40 in 2010 when it was valued at $50,000. In 2016, a year before the Riverdale TV show premiered, that issue was priced at $280,000. The next year, it gained another $40,000 in the Guide #47, growing to $320,000. When the Guide reached its milestone 50th edition in 2020, it was up to $385,000. For 2023’s Guide #53 a Near Mint copy of Pep Comics #22 rose to $440,000.
