Archie Comics has been around for more than 80 years and released thousands of comic books since it first debuted back in 1939. Over time, some of the comics covers have lived on in infamy, as double-entendres, the meaning of words changing, and hilarious situations have led to some seriously salacious and funny covers being printed.
Since Archie Comics often showed the exploits of Archie Andrews trying to romance Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge, the books have featured some-now inappropriate covers that definitely developed a new meaning over time. There are literally thousands of books to choose from with a bevy of covers that would make you look twice. So, we chose five of the most blatant examples, which have climbed in popularity and value in modern times.
Betty and Me #16 - "Beat Off"
Perhaps the most iconic double-entendre even featured in comics, Betty and Me #16 features Archie rescuing Betty and telling her that he "had to beat off three other guys!" to do so. This issue is atop the pantheon of inappropriate Archie Comics and has seriously risen in collectibility. A mid-grade copy of the book has recently sold for 300 USD.
Archie #271 - "Pearl Necklace"
One of the funniest inappropriate comic covers comes from Archie #278, where Archie is shopping for a birthday present for Veronica. After picking out a frisbee and suggesting "I bet this frisbee flips out Veronic on her birthday!" Betty responds by telling him "it sure will, Archie! She's expecting a pearl necklace!" A low-grade copy of the innuendo book has sold at low-grade for around $70-100, while a near-mint 9.6 CGC copy recently sold for nearly $1,400.
Archie #78 "Feel of the Clutch"
Archie #78 from 1956 showcased Archie showing Betty how to drive and let's just say things got interesting. Once Archie tells Betty "to get a feeling of the clutch," she responds by telling him "that's even more fun than learning to drive!" This innuendo hasn't had a ton of sales given its age, but a low-grade copy has sold for around $150 last month.
Archie #55 - "Did Archie Get There Yet?"
One of the earliest Archie Comics featured a pretty hilarious innuendo. On the cover of Archie Comics #55, Hiram Lodge asks his daughter "did Archie get there yet?" to which Veronica responds "not quite Daddy!" as she shared a kiss with him. Even though this comic came out in 1952, it's hard to believe that this one wasn't intentional. A mid-grade copy was recently sold for $60.
Archie #511 - "In The Pink"
The most modern example on this list is a book from 2011, where Archie is on the beach linked up with Betty and Veronica, where he says "my horoscope predicted I'd be in the pink today!" It's a risqué double entendre that's sort of a call-back to the covers of old. Despite being less than a decade old, a high-grade copy will still cost at least $150.
So, there you have it. Over the past 80 years, Archie Comics has printed some seriously funny and inappropriate covers that have surprisingly become collector's items. If you're looking to pick up a copy, it's going to cost you, however.