Betty and Me 16 1 1

[SLR5]

I was very lucky to find a nice copy of Betty and Me 16 a little over four years ago at Wizard Con in Minneapolis, Minn.   I had been actively looking for many years.  It's a raw F/VF copy with vivid colors and great page quality--about OW/W.  The OSPG notes the book contains a Classic cover with risque dialogue.  I have two questions for collectors of Archie Comics and SA in general.

 

1)  Is it the only book which is noted as "Classic cover with risque dialogue" in the SA (Golden Age as well)?

2)  Is the book extremely difficult to find?  Personally, I never found one at SDCC, Terry's Show in the OC in SoCal or at Wonder Con.

3)  Should the book be labeled scarce?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Aman619]

I have seen that few dealers bring interesting Archie's to conventions. Either the demand isn't there, or dealers THINK thee demand is too low to cater to. So it's hard to gauge scarcity.

[SLR5]

Thanks for your observations.  Yes, it's always possible but I would think that Archie collectors would want a copy.  

[chrisco37]

It's the only Archie book I've ever actively looked for.    Don't see it too often, but I wouldn't classify it as scarce.  I've seen a few copies over the years at shows.  I don't think I've ever seen a true HG copy in the wild though (pretty sure people have posted HG copies here before). 

I bought mine a few years back from Rob (fer-de-lance on the boards).   He usually has multiple copies of "key" books, although I don't recall if he had more than one of these. 

[Readcomix]

 I don't know that it's scare everyone but Archies of that era in grade are not easy to find. It has a risqué dialogue counterpart that isn't called out but also fetches healthy prices: Archie 271, the infamous "pearl necklace" cover.

[Readcomix]

Another gem from that early bronze Archie period is called out; Betty and Me #40, called out as Archie and Betty share a cabin. But it's sought after because they get naked. There's also the two-part heroin story in Pals n Gals 71-72; it doesn't get the prices the others do, but it's another stand-out early bronze Archie.

[rob_react]

I think it took me about a year to buy one. 

[Dr. Love]

graded 7.5 on Ebay now

[greggy]

[Robot Man]

I really don't think it's scarce. I have bought a half a dozen over the years at flea markets and buried in dealer's boxes when it was under the radar.

[SLR5]

Both are beauties.  Wish I could find a copy that looked like either one of those.  However, I'm satisfied with my F/VF for now.

[Ferdelance]

On 7/27/2017 at 6:38 AM, chrisco37 said:

It's the only Archie book I've ever actively looked for.    Don't see it too often, but I wouldn't classify it as scarce.  I've seen a few copies over the years at shows.  I don't think I've ever seen a true HG copy in the wild though (pretty sure people have posted HG copies here before). 

I bought mine a few years back from Rob (fer-de-lance on the boards).   He usually has multiple copies of "key" books, although I don't recall if he had more than one of these. 

He does 

[Action252Kid]

They had one of these on the most recent Pawn Stars .   

[Readcomix]

Just realized I answered your question with early bronze Archies.....for some reason, though I have a copy, I had Betty and Me 16 placed in about 1972 in my head. Still, my answer stands as  I cannot think of any other Archie silver called out for risqué dialogue, just the bronze ones I mentioned. 

I have to readjust my mental framework and lump this in with silver Archie keys, not bronze. Sorry!

[jsilverjanet]

On 7/29/2017 at 9:20 AM, greggy said:

 

[catman76]

ugh I hate stuff like this. It's not risque dialogue, it's just people being perverted is all it is. He did beat off three other guys to save her, they are all bruised up and he's saving her. It's like insufficiently_thoughtful_persons that have to giggle and laugh when they hear or see the word "gay" used in anything from a long time ago. I just hate stuff like this.

[Silver]

I love silver age Archie's, I'm not an avid collector, but I have a few. There are other Archie's with "double entendres", the Betty and Me 16 isn't my favorite among them. I have had a low grade beater (pun intended) for years, I never really went looking for a higher graded copy. It isn't rare or even scarce, it just has higher demand than typical Archie's of the period. 

[Dave2739]

On 8/2/2017 at 7:35 PM, catman76 said:

He did beat off three other guys to save her, they are all bruised up and he's saving her.

[Timely]

On 8/2/2017 at 7:35 PM, catman76 said:

ugh I hate stuff like this. It's not risque dialogue, it's just people being perverted is all it is. He did beat off three other guys to save her, they are all bruised up and he's saving her. It's like insufficiently_thoughtful_persons that have to giggle and laugh when they hear or see the word "gay" used in anything from a long time ago. I just hate stuff like this.

Really? Ever hear of a double entendre?

 

do͞obl änˈtändrə,ˌdəbl änˈtändrə/

noun

noun: double entendre; plural noun: double entendres

1. a word or phrase open to two interpretations, one of which is usually risqué or indecent.

   synonyms:

   ambiguity, double meaning, innuendo, play on words "much of the comedy is derived from racy double entendres"

   • humor using double entendres.

 

[Timely]

BTW... the book is not rare.  I know a guy who probably has 60-70 copies at this point, but I don't know how many other collectors he had to BEAT OFF to get them!?!