If you don't remember, Sam Hill is Archie Comics' private detective. He had a comic book series back in the early 1950s, which you can read on most public domain websites. Read here for some of his back story.
It's been a few years since I've read any new stories featuring Sam Hill. So once I discovered "The Case of the Long Con" -- featuring writing by Ian Flynn, pencils by Jeff Schultz, inks by Jim Amash, colors by Glenn Whitmore, and lettering by Jack Morelli -- I had to rush out and pick up this comic book digest!
It's not entirely clear why, but the story starts with Sam Hill coming to Riverdale to meet visit his old friend Pop Tate. Interestingly, he hints that Pop Tate was a bit of a rogue back in the day. He didn't clarify, but it's possible that he was thinking about the time that Pop sold his soul to the Devil.
Shortly after he arrives, we learn that all of Pop's customers have become victims of a mysterious pickpocket. Fortunately, Sam Hill proves to be the one person in the diner with the ability to sit back, not panic, and use his observational skills to solve the crime in one page.
All in all, it was a fun story. I just wish that we could see more of Sam Hill -- either in his own comic book or on television. Then again, I just learned that he will be returning next week in WORLD OF ARCHIE JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #85. So maybe that's a sign that Sam Hill will soon become a regular feature in Archie Comics' digests! Which would be really fun!