Archie's 80th anniversary: Choose
Jun. 13th, 2021 10:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)

Beginning in 2015, Archie Comics launched the New Riverdale era, rebooting some of its titles as either ongoings or minis, with writing and art by some of the biggest names in comics. Arguably the most successful of these was Mark Waid's run on the rebooted Archie (#1-32, 2015-2018). Waid told a continuous, issue-by-issue story which kept the main cast's characterization pretty much the same but began the continuity afresh, with certain characters meeting for the first time or having somewhat different backstories. More significantly, whether a given scene consisted of outrageous slapstick, poignant relationship drama, "teen politics" comedy of manners, or a tense hostage incident, Waid consistently applied his gift for engaging, intelligent and witty dialogue.
In this post, we see the resolution, for now, of a long-standing relationship tangle.
( 'It wasn't about the coin.' --'It's never about the coin.' )
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The year 2010 saw two of the most important and innovative developments in Archie Comics in many years. One was the launch of Life with Archie: The Married Life which, despite its initial misguided packaging together with teen celebrity infotainment pieces, was the first title in which the Riverdale cast not only grew to adulthood but, in both timelines, faced more complex life problems and underwent actual character development.
The other was the introduction of the publisher's first gay character. And not as a mere token minority, but as a likeable, non-stereotypical individual with a variety of interests. As a result, he instantly became a fan-favourite character and part of the main cast.
( 'You won't believe these characters! But you know -- I think I'm going to like it here!' )
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Our anniversary commemoration reaches the twenty-first century with this look at social and athletic highlights (or lowlights in most cases) of Riverdale High's junior class.
( What? Your high school DIDN'T have a dubiously sane former drill sergeant as V.P.? )
Archie's 80th anniversary: "Moose!"
May. 29th, 2021 03:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)

Let's say you're writing a story about one of Archie Comics' most one-note and stereotypical characters: the stupid, foul-tempered jock Moose Mason. What do you do? If you're Mark Waid in 2018, you reinvent him as a shy, simple but very sweet jock who--
Oh, but we're still on the 1990s era in this series of posts, aren't we. Well then, if you're Mark Waid in 1991, you lean into the stereotype with all you've got, take the angry brutishness way over the top, and play it for screwball comedy.
( 'Hydrants... billboards... carnage...' )
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In my opinion, this isn't just one of the best Archie Comics tales from the nineties; it's one of Archie Comics' best stories, period. It shows a degree of character depth and introspection that was rare before the Archie renaissance of the tens.
( 'Do you want to lose someone who might REALLY care about you?' )
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Long before Cheryl and Jason Blossom were the victim and victimizer within a taboo relationship in Afterlife with Archie, or respectively mentally disturbed and dead in the Riverdale TV series, they were more lighthearted elitist troublemakers in the old Archie Comics continuity. That doesn't mean what they got up to wasn't envelope-pushing in its own way for the relatively family-friendly venue. Especially in this, their first appearance, 1982.
( 'Maybe it's time to shake them up around here!' )
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Okay, okay. Archie doesn't face off against Marvel's Natalia Romanov in this one. Instead, while on a scouting mission at a rival school, he faces temptation from someone else by that moniker. Has our hashtag-haired hero met his match?
( Classic 70s story spotlight? Or excuse to post some hot Stan Goldberg girls? You decide )
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If you know Archie Comics at all, you must know the Archies. "Sugar, Sugar." "Jingle Jangle." More than one hit animated series. Far out, baby! But dig this: America's #1 bubblegum group (whether fictional or real -- well, real studio musicians) started out in the comics as an affectionate parody of the TV show The Monkees. That's right, complete with nonsensical plots, random costume and scenery changes, cheeky repartee and general carrying on. For example, there was the time the Archies fell victim to a tropical island vacation contest scam.
( Hey, hey, they're the Archies )
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Of all the regular writer/artist team-ups in the long history of Archie Comics, one of my favourites is Frank Doyle and Dan DeCarlo. Once his editors gave DeCarlo permission, circa 1959-1960, to draw in his own style rather than that modelled after Bob Montana (because he said he'd work much more quickly that way), his pencilling helped establish the house style the publisher would use for the next four decades at minimum. Doyle brought to the table his witty dialogue, eye for characterization, and a willingness to stretch and sometimes subvert the conventions of comics storytelling. Together, the two men created a number of the most memorable and frequently reprinted Archie stories.
Today's post, as this 80th anniversary series moves on to the sixties, shows how at times, Doyle and DeCarlo created stories capable of more than just making us laugh.
( 'My daddy [...] does not DROP IN to see people!' )
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In this story from the fifties, town troll Reggie uses the "just telling the truth" loophole as a way to ruin things for his peers while avoiding reprisals. But watch out, Reg: more than one can play that game!
( 'Just be a clean-living, red-blooded American boy like me and you've got nothing to worry about!' )
Archie's 80th anniversary: Fan Clubbed!
Apr. 27th, 2021 06:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)

SNL Church Lady: "Well. We like ourselves, don't we."
No sooner did rock 'n' roll replace swing as teenagers' favourite music, in the mid to late fifties, than Archie Comics picked up on the phenomenon. In this 1957 story, the gang meets -- some with greater enthusiasm than others -- one Purley Gates, an obvious expy of a certain teen idol from Memphis.
( 'I wouldn't worry about that twitch, Farley!' )
Archie's 80th Anniversary: Archie's debut
Apr. 21st, 2021 06:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)

"Chick?"
This year (December, to be precise) marks eighty years since the first appearance of America's Typical Teenager, Archibald "Archie" Andrews. Whether as a star athlete (or hopeless klutz), a ladies' man (or perpetual failure in love), Riverdale High's/the entire town's reliable go-to problem solver (or bane of Hiram Lodge's and Waldo Weatherbee's existence), pure-hearted superhero (or petty mob enforcer... Riverdale Season 2, I'm looking at you)... Archie's been many things over the years, yet still one of the most instantly recognizable characters in American pop culture. Let's celebrate him and his world with some representative posts from across the decades!
( 'He hates Archie, so if you value life and limb, call him Chick.' For all of one story )
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Well all reet, hepcats! Let's head back to the 1940s for some classic Archie shenanigans.
( 'Now smell this poisoned flower -- Smell! SMELL' )
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If not, this'll be the single greatest trolling in Archie Comics history. :I
( 'But then it hasn't been about Archie for a long time, has it?' )
( 'But then it hasn't been about Archie for a long time, has it?' )
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Mr. Lodge is about to destroy Sweetwater Swamp, a wetlands reserve between Gotham and Riverdale that is the home of dozens of rare plants that can't be found anywhere else in the world for development. This doesn't sit well with environmentalists. Two of them, Harley & Ivy, attempt to use reason to convince Lodge not to do it, but when that fails, they decide to kidnap his daughter to persuade him. They arrive at the heroes and villains themed costume gala Lodge is throwing to celebrate the groundbreaking, dressed as themselves. Unfortunately, Betty & Veronica are also dressed as them, and Veronica is not happy about two people showing up in the same costumes.
Meanwhile, a group of Gotham criminals are seeking revenge on Harley and Ivy. They are Lenny the Lamprey, Peach-Head Henry (Ivy turned his head into a peach), and Giggles Magee (He's sad all the time, but can't stop laughing because of what Harley did to him).
To add to the drama, the Blossom twins have been kept out of the gala by Veronica.
Oh, some trivia... The earliest Batman stories were set in New York City, but the location was changed to the fictional Gotham City, Gotham being a nickname for New York. The earliest Archie stories were set in the real life Riverdale neighborhood in New York City before Riverdale was made it's own fictional town, a suburb of the Big Apple, while Gotham is now a sister city of New York. Yeah, Gotham and Riverdale are representations of the same place.
But first, some music...
We'll make the winter springtime
And Jingle Jangle singtime
Right on through the summer and the fall
So darlin', don't be weepin'
And please don't you be sleepin'
When I come a-creepin' down the hall
( Read more... )