Dave Luebke, owner of Dave's Comics, holds a photo of the first Archie comic book that he sold for $38,837 US. (Steve Helber/ AP Photo)Dave Luebke, owner of Dave's Comics, holds a photo of the first Archie comic book that he sold for $38,837 US. (Steve Helber/ AP Photo)

Dave Luebke sold his copy of the first Archie comic book for $38,837 US on Friday when Dallas' Heritage Auction Galleries made an offer.

The Richmond, Va., comic store owner is protesting Archie's engagement to rich girl Veronica by selling his rare first issue of the comic.

The buyer, who did not want to be identified, is a longtime Archie reader.

Luebke, who has over a million comics in stock, was angry to learn that the comic book character was getting engaged to the wrong girl.

"Not Veronica," said Luebke. "This is serious."

Luebke says that 99 per cent of his customers agree that Archie should be marrying girl-next-door Betty rather than spoiled rich girl Veronica.

Last May, Archie Comics revealed that after 68 years the love triangle would come to an end when Archie Andrews marries Veronica Lodge.

The No. 600 issue shows Archie on one knee proposing to Veronica. The comic is one of six issues that will take place in the future after the teens have graduated from college said editor-in-chief of Archie Comics, Victor Gorelick.

The Archie gang will return to high school after the six-issue story arc said Gorelick.

Archie Comics was first founded in 1939 and features the fictional teenage characters Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Forsythe "Jughead" Jones. The gang lives in a fictional town called Riverdale, where they attend Riverdale High School and encounter humorous dilemmas.

Archie's proposal issue, comics No. 600, is slated to be released Aug.19.

with files from The Associated Press