Archie (comic Book)

''Archie'' (also known as ''Archie Comics'') is an ongoing comic book series (published from 1942 through 2020 in two volumes) featuring the Archie Comics character Archie Andrews. The character first appeared in '' Pep Comics'' #22 (cover dated December 1941). Archie proved to be popular enough to warrant his own self-titled ongoing comic book series which began publication in the winter of 1942. The last issue of the first series was published in June 2015.

A second series began publication in July 2015 (briefly replacing the first series), featuring a reboot of the ''Archie'' universe with a new character design aesthetic and a more mature story format and scripting, aimed at older, contemporary teenage and young adult readers. It ran until September 2018. Archie Comics resumed the first series in October 2018. The title concluded in September 2020.

Publication history

Archie first appeared in ''Pep Comics'' #22 in 1941 and soon became the most popular character in the comic. Due to his popularity, he was given his own series which debuted in winter 1942 titled ''Archie Comics''. Starting with issue #114, the title was shortened to simply ''Archie''. The series ended with issue #666 (June 2015) to make way for a new series set in Archie Comics' "New Riverdale".

A new volume of ''Archie'' debuted in July 2015 as part of the New Riverdale relaunch. It is written by Mark Waid with art by Fiona Staples. Archie Comics Publisher/CEO Jon Goldwater has said that the new series will harken back to the comic's roots by showcasing more edgy and humorous stories as well as present the origins for the character and his friends as well as how the famous love triangle between Archie, Betty, and Veronica began.

Fiona Staples left the series after issue #3 while Annie Wu provided artwork for the fourth issue. Veronica Fish was the guest artist for the fifth and sixth issues before being named the regular artist for the series in February 2016. Fish left the series after issue #10 but continued to provide the regular cover art up to issue #12. Thomas Pitilli and Ryan Jampole provided guest artwork for issues #11 and #12 with Joe Eisma being named the new regular artist starting with issue #13. Pete Woods took over as series artist beginning with issue #18 in March 2017. Woods served as the artist until #22 in July 2017. Audrey Mok & Kelly Fitzpatrick provided artwork from #23 onward in August 2017.

Volume 1 (1942–2015)

Significant issues

* #429 (Love Showdown, Part 1)

Issue #429 started one of Archie Comics most famous story lines, the ''Love Showdown'' where Archie gets a love letter in the mail and Betty and Veronica both swear it wasn't from them. The story was continued in Betty #19, Betty and Veronica #82, and concluded with Veronica #39.

* #600–606 (Archie Marries Veronica/Archie Marries Betty)
In May 2009, Archie Comics released plans for what they would call "The Archie Story Of The Century" and announced that Archie Andrews would ask Veronica Lodge to marry him in Archie Comics # 600, the first issue of a six-part story arc detailing their engagement, marriage and life together. The publishers of Archie Comics did not expect the response they received from readers and longtime fans telling them they made a mistake in Archie's choice. ''The New York Times'' later revealed that the whole story would be simply a fantasy and that the first half of the story would show Archie's life with Veronica, and the second half would show his life with Betty.

* #608–609 (The Archies & Josie and the Pussycats)
This two-issue arc follows Archie Andrews and Valerie Smith falling in love when their two bands go on tour together. This is Archie Comics' first interracial relationship.

* #631–634 (Archie Marries Valerie)
The four issue arc follows a potential future where Archie married Valerie Smith and had a daughter with her named Star. It is similar to the ''Archie Marries Veronica/Archie Marries Betty'' arc. Issue #634 details a bunch of potential futures where Archie may have married Cheryl Blossom, Sabrina Spellman or Ethel Muggs.

* #641–644 (Archie Meets Glee)
Archie and his friends cross paths with the cast of ''Glee'' thanks to one of Dilton's science experiments gone wrong.

* #656 (Here Comes Harper!)
Features the first appearance of Veronica's cousin, Harper, who is physically disabled and needs to use a wheelchair to get around.

Collected editions

Early issues of ''Archie'' have been collected into hardcover 'Archive Editions' by Dark Horse Comics, including original games pages and ads. IDW published archival hardback editions titled ''Archie's Americana'' which collect key issues from each decade since the 1940s. Similar hardbacks were produced showcasing work by favourite ''Archie'' creators.

Some key ''Archie'' storylines have also been collected as trade paperbacks.

Dark Horse Archive Editions

IDW Collections

Trade paperbacks

'Best Of' Collections

Volume 2 (2015–2018)

Story

The first issue focuses on Archie's recent split with Betty Cooper due to the "lipstick incident" that everyone is gossiping about trying to find out what it is. It also sets up the eventual formation of The Archies and the arrival of Veronica Lodge.

Reception

IGN gave the first issue a 9.5 out of 10 calling it "a joy in every sense of the word. It's a book that warms you, each turn of the page providing a welcome blast of character and heart." as well as calling it "one of the best new debuts to hit shelves this year." Comic Book Resources said that "the publisher rchie Comicshas created their best book in years." and that it "is must-read comics for anyone looking for fun, engaging characters and beautifully drawn, on-trend style." Meanwhile, Den of Geek gave it five stars calling Fiona Staples' art "glorious" while saying that Mark Waid "does an impressive job of creating a Riverdale that feels modern and real."

Collected editions

The series has so far been assembled into the following collections:

Volume 1 cont. (2018–2020)

Collected editions

Cultural Impact and Legacy

Boasting a nearly eight-decade run, ''Archie'' is widely regarded as an iconic staple of pop culture. The series is credited with codifying several of the archetypes found in subsequent teen and young adult media, such as: the girl next door, the mean girl, the popular jock, and most importantly, the love triangle; the dynamic between Betty, Veronica, and Archie is perhaps the most referenced and lampooned example of this particular trope in media.

''Archie'' has been parodied several times in the American stop-motion animation sitcom ''Robot Chicken'' on Adult Swim. Beginning with a segment in the episode "Veggies for Sloth," which saw the characters get gruesomely killed off one-by-one in a send-up of the ''Final Destination'' franchise. The comics were also the subject of the series' eleventh special, ''The Bleepin' Robot Chicken Archie Comics Special''. The voice cast featured Fred Armisen as Archie, Amy Sedaris as Betty, Betty Gilpin as Veronica, Jason Mantzoukas as Jughead, and Jane Lynch as Miss Grundy. The special also featured characters from other Archie Comics titles, including ''Sabrina, the Teenage Witch'' (voiced by Clare Grant,) and ''Josie and the Pussycats''; Josie McCoy is voiced by Rachael Leigh Cook, reprising her role from the 2001 film adaptation.

On January 26, 2017, '' Riverdale'', an American teen drama television series based on the ''Archie'' comics, premiered on The CW. The cast included KJ Apa as Archie, Lili Reinhart as Betty, Camila Mendes as Veronica, Cole Sprouse as Jughead, and Madelaine Petsch as Cheryl Blossom. The show utilized the characters and locations from the comics, while updating the technology, storylines, lingo, and representation of people of color and other marginalized groups for modern audiences. Its darker, edgier ambience was a notable departure from the light-hearted tone of the comic series, with a mystery surrounding the murder of Jason Blossom being the lynchpin for the first season's storyline. Upon its announcement, ''Riverdale'' was met with a polarized response from the general public; many could not find the appeal of a wholesome, family-friendly stalwart title getting the "subversive" treatment .

Nevertheless, the show enjoyed positive critical reception for its first few seasons, and introduced ''Archie'' and its characters to a whole new generation. Acclaim for the show waned over its lifetime, as audiences and publications alike were baffled by the later seasons' incomprehensible storylines and overall decline in quality. The series finale, "Chapter One Hundred Thirty Seven: Goodbye Riverdale" aired on August 23, 2023, thus concluding a seven-season run. The show's end, coupled with several other shows on the network being cancelled that year, prompted Alex Zalben of ''Decider'' to mourn "... a sad ending to one of the most reliably earnest and inclusive places on television, and it’s possible we may never know its like again."

''Riverdale'''s success led to the creation of '' Chilling Adventures of Sabrina'', a companion series based on the comic title of the same name. Starring Kiernan Shipka as the title character, it premiered on Netflix on October 26, 2018 and ran for two seasons before its 2020 cancellation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shipka reprised her role as Sabrina in the season 6 ''Riverdale'' episode "Chapter Ninety-Nine: the Witching Hour(s)." Another spin-off, '' Katy Keene'', premiered on February 6, 2020, and was cancelled after one season.

References

{{Archie Comics titles

Comics magazines published in the United States
Archie Comics titles
1942 comics debuts
2015 comics endings
2015 comics debuts
2020 comics endings
Comic book reboots
Magazines established in 1942
Magazines disestablished in 2015
Teen comedy comics
Romantic comedy comics