L.B. Cole Channels Archie Romance, Popular Teen-Agers at Auction

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Standard Publications’ Popular Teen-Agers began out precisely what it appears like: a teen comedy like Archie Comics with L.B. Cole covers.

Star Publications’ Popular Teen-Agers is an unlikely suspect for that writer’s second most long-lived title out of the practically 50 collection the writer produced 1949-1954. The collection continued its numbering from the similarly-themed School-Day Romances starting with problem #5. Perhaps writer and canopy artist L.B. Cole opted to go along with a title that was far more on the nostril — in different phrases, the unique idea of the title was to be a teen humor collection just like the extremely well-liked Archie Comics. However, by problem #9, the collection had reverted to the standard Star Publications mannequin, utilizing reprinted materials, typically from the Fox Feature Syndicate romance line on this case, with new L.B. Cole covers. Additionally, the Popular Teen-Agers title was shrunk on the quilt in favor of extra apparent romance titling like “Love” and “Romance.”

Nevertheless, L.B. Cole made this alteration in technique work, and the title lasted via 4 years of strange covers by Cole. Two of those have been reprinted in 1958 by Accepted Publications. You can get a number of problems with Popular Teen-Agers up for public sale within the 2023 October 26 – 27 Romance Comics Featuring L. B. Cole Showcase Auction #40224 at Heritage Auctions.

Popular Teen-Agers #5 (Accepted Publications, 1958) Condition: FN. L. B. Cole cowl. Reprints Popular Teen-Agers #5 by Star Publications (1950). There is a few foxing on this copy. Overstreet 2023 FN 6.0 worth = $36.

Popular Teen-Agers #10 (Star Publications, 1952) Condition: FN. L. B. Cole cowl, the primary “Secrets of Love” model. Spanking panel. Overstreet 2023 FN 6.0 worth = $2,513.

Popular Teen-Agers #9 (Star Publications, 1951) CGC VG 4.0 Off-white pages. L. B. Cole cowl. Overstreet 2023 VG 4.0 worth = $142. CGC census 10/23: 4 in 4.0, 5 increased.

Popular Teen-Agers #21 (Star Publications, 1954) Condition: GD. L. B. Cole cowl. Water harm, and the highest staple is popped from the again cowl. Overstreet 2023 GD 2.0 worth = $41.

Popular Teen-Agers #7 (Star Publications, 1951) Condition: VG+. L. B. Cole cowl. Manny Stallman artwork. A chunk is lacking from the underside of the backbone, the underside staple is popped from the again cowl, and there’s a 1″ backbone break up at the underside. Overstreet 2023 VG 4.0 worth = $86.

Popular Teen-Agers #6 (Accepted Publications, 1958) Condition: VG/FN. Reprints Popular Teen-Agers #6 by Star Publications (1951). L. B. Cole cowl, a sizzling pink variation of the unique. Overstreet 2023 VG 4.0 worth = $24; FN 6.0 worth = $36.