Archie Comics #81

Dating from the summer of 1956, this issue of Archie captures a perfectly timed domestic comedy right on its cover: Archie stands nervously in a living room as an older gentleman relaxes in an armchair with a newspaper, quipping that a fancy dinner at the Ritz with Veronica will start the evening on a full stomach — to which Archie ruefully replies he'll finish it on an empty wallet. Veronica herself is shown at a mirror in a striking red-and-black dress, admiring her look, blissfully unaware of the financial dread her date is already feeling. Harry Lucey's clean, expressive linework gives every character a wonderful sense of personality, and the cover's warmth and wit are a great showcase for why this series charmed readers for decades.