I haven't read comics for a long long time, but maybe some of these 'retro' choices would suit?
2000AD is a British sci-fi comic which started off as pulp and then rode the popular comics wave the late Eighties/early Nineties very successfully. This timelapse video of front covers illustrates that transition (it hits the late eighties at around 1:10 I believe) :
There was a lot of good writing in there.
The Best of 2000AD gives a taster; dunno if it's available in the States and it does have a rather British sense of humour.
One of my favourites at the time was Swamp Thing, esp the Alan Moore years. It was an awesome strip:
And here is a guy dressed as Swamp Thing at a convention (that's him on the left).
Another one I enjoyed was Lone Wolf and Cub:
All or none of these may still be popular for all I know; but I'd recommend checking them out for any young whippersnappers that may be unaware of them.
