It's back to school time for most American teenagers. America's perpetual teenager, Archibald Andrews, is going back to Riverdale High for the sixty-ninth time.
Archie's creator, Bob Montana kept an illustrated diary during his high school years from 1936 to 1939 describing life at Haverhill High School in Massachusetts.
"The city on the Merrimack inspired the fictional town of Riverdale, home to Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and others in the comic gang who were patterned, in some cases, on Montana's friends from his student days at Haverhill High from 1936 to 1939." —Mark Reynolds, The Boston GlobeRead more about Bob Montana and the Haverhill roots of Archie Comics in NOW 60 YEARS OLD, ARCHIE HAS ROOTS REACHING TO HAVERHIlL.
Archie Comics are chock full of dumb jokes, predictable behavior by a small ensemble cast, stylized teen sheen on lustrous hair and turned up noses, and dependable, clean entertainment.
Read the 2002 Scoop article on the history of Archie Comics in relation to the overall trend in American comic publications of the last half century.
The very first cover of an Archie comics book.
It's been a big year for Archie Comics. Archie finally decides whom to marry. I think. In alternate futures. Read this to get a handle on the fantasies. Also, a new character has entered the Riverdale scenario. Meet Kevin Keller.
Between the ages of 10 and 12, I had a high stack of Archie Comics in my bedroom. Now that I've written this, I'm in the mood to roll over, kick my feet up and leaf through a few!
Read Jim Windolf's 2006 Vanity Fair article on Archie Andrews at 65 — American Idol.
Coming up very soon (but not quite yet) is publication of The Classic Archie 1940 Newspaper Comics.
Archie: The Classic Newspaper Comics Volume 1
is available at Amazon.Visit the Official Archie Comics page.
Click here for a simple Archie primer with links that include video of The Archies singing their 1969 hit song "Sugar, Sugar."
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UPDATE
WHAT?
Archie dies.
