Three Odd Stories from Spire's Christian Archie Comics...

[espanolbot]

Trigger warning for implied rape

The first one, where Jughead and Archie appear to meet a phantom hitchhiker...










I want them to meet La Llorona next. ^^ Maybe Reggie can bump into Kuchisake-onna. ^^

I have no idea what Jughead means in this. And what does it mean in relation to Christian propaganda exactly? Other than Veronica is judgemental?



And now a strip that has some very unpleasant implications about Reggie.










The psychological impact of Archie's dithering when it comes to Betty and Veronica are revealed.

Comments

[icon_uk]

I think the second one's implication is that Veronica is quick to criticise others for their faults because she is concerned that she has those faults herself and so puts other people down first to make her feel better about herself.

[auggie18]

"Hey Archie, why don't we talk about which of these girls is the nicest right in front of them?"

Dick move, Jughead. Even metaphorical girls have feelings.

[flint_marko]

Taken out of context the panel is a little disturbing, but I don't think the story is actually trying to imply Reggie's a rapist. With the comparison to Jughead and his orange, I think what they're saying is that Reggie only cares about making out with girls and leaves them when he's done.

[dejadrew]

Maybe that was the intent, but the scene in the car is disturbing whatever the context. I mean, look at her expression and body language. She is not an enthusiastic and willing participant. Possibly she's just startled that he's moving so quickly rather than alarmed, as the lipstick marks on Reggie's face in the next panel might indicate she got into it after the initial shock, but he still didn't wait for a yes.

[sistermagpie]

I wonder if she looks like that because it's assumed that no nice girl would like to make out? I mean, if they showed her making out with him enthusiastically it would probably require a lesson for her on behaving in an unladylike manner. So they go for what was probably the standard view for them at the time, that make-outs happen because boys leap on girls who would rather be holding hands.

[dejadrew]

Which doesn't make it not rapey, it just means that at the time, rape was considered to be normal to the point of mandatory.

[sistermagpie]

Absolutely! It made me think of that Santorum donor and his "joke" about how in his day girls used aspirin for birth control--they just put it between their knees.

It's part of this whole no-win (for women) set up where guys are expected to not be able to control themselves totally and girls are the gatekeepers guarding their virtue. Because at the end the girl looks like she's been mauled, yet it still doesn't look like it's being presented as an actual assault. Betty's just supposed to avoid that sort of thing by knowing how to love correctly.

[espanolbot]

Considering some of the ways that Riverdale's been depicted, somehow I have a feeling that implied assault is just the beginning of the problems that the town has...

[sistermagpie]

LOL! It's nice that they can laugh about segregation!

[intertobamf]

"And I think you can learn more about real love on your knees than anywhere else!"

Hmm.

[donnblake]

I wanted Archie to choose me instead of Veronica, so I got down on my knees.

Sheesh.

[dejadrew]

Guh, why are Hartley's Archie faces so... maniacal? It is apparently a much finer line than you'd think between "lit from within by God's love" and "burning with homicidal intent."

I should repost the scans from Archie's Parables that got lost when the first SD went down, I think I still have them floating around photobucket. To my mind, it's the most crackiest of this cracked out Christian series. Sheriff Archie versus Charles "Black Bart" Darwin, Archie and the gang help a suicidal pelican find Jesus...

[auggie18]

....please post those. They sound amazing.