I am a somewhat dedicated fan of Archie comics (though this doesn't come up very often in conversations around here) although I do tend to focus more on one series (that being Betty and Veronica Double Digest, but in my experience the tendency is to think of these series as juvenile and square and no fun. I admit that the choice of format and the fact that the characters haven't aged or really had any significant character development in the past 60 years is maybe not as conducive to them being excessively popular, but really I think that the creators of the comics are aware of that and have been making a concerted effort to become more relevant (even though seemingly no one has noticed.) So despite these attempts there are still articles that I have run across that suggest such imaginary stories as this:
Originally created for the Comics AllianceGranted that may in fact be an interesting story, but then so to was the gang meeting President Obama, or joining the rock band KISS, or being visited by Michael Strahan (I got to find out who he was because of that). Routinely around summertime convention time they put out a convention issue to stay relevant and in the most recent issue of Archie Comics the gang even had their genders reversed in what was one of the most interesting issues I think they have ever made. This being the case, I am not sure why people ask "does anyone even read these anymore?" or other questions to that degree. I think in most ways that the stories, though they are sometimes unrealistic in their depiction of traditional values, still manage to keep up-to-date in a way that a lot of comics don't. After all the injection of teen based reality into comics often feels unnatural (for instance in the few Blue Beetle comics that I have read) but in Archie they seem completely in place.
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I found universe future of Betty or Veronica marriage very interesting. I wish paperback showed the number of each issue number so I know fill it in right.
I've read a couple Archie comics here and there, and Archie fits more into what I call the "Funny Papers". You see these comics in the Newspaper (Garfeild, Peanuts, Funky Winkerbean, etc). Archie comics are comics that can't really decide what it wants to be. It presents itself as a newsstand comic comparable to the Action Comics and other comics we see on the shelves, but at the same time it retains that essence as to why I read the comics out of the Sunday newspaper, and that is normally just to be entertained for the moment. Archie has gone on for ages though, so evidently it works for the book. Perhaps it is that "funny papers" style of writing that keeps it seemingly unpopular. If it changed that style though I would think it would make Archie comics loose what make them individual and unique in their own right.
Totally agree. I think there's relevance to be had in Archie Comics as well as a good ole fun time which has always been a reason why I have and always will be a fan of this comic. And if I may be funny here a moment...is that...Jughead marrying a hamburger? ::Chuckles:: Hehe see the conventional thing would be to say that Veronica is marrying Betty but I've made a total turnaround by pointing to what Jughead's doing instead. Awesome blog Razzy :)
I have a huge stack of Archie digests and double digests. My favourite one was when Betty washed her hair and I got to see it down rather than in that ponytail? Completely freaked me out, lol. Plus, Betty and Veronica books had the unlikeliest of things happen, which is ME rooting for the blonde, lol. But to be fair, it really irked me that the brunette had to be portrayed as the bad guy and the blonde was the sweetie-pie....k --- getting off topic now...
I think the Archie books are still relevant and an interesting study in how things have changed over the decades, socially. I will always be the one pouring over garage sales and side flea markets to get my hands on those old, earflopped pages of aged digests from the Gang. A great way to pass the hours on the beach. That Reggie still gets under my skin....but Jughead? Yummy! :)
