I never read too many Archie comics as a kid.
There were probably a couple, when I was around 8 years old. Then I discovered the DC and Marvel groups, and began throwing away dimes and quarters on Spider-Man, Green Lantern, Fantastic Four and bunches of others. Archie and his teenage pals from Riverdale — Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle, Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones — were dull compared to guys with power rings, cosmic surfboards and repulsor rays.
But Archie comics had some characters that knocked out the superhero set. During the 1960s, there were no comic book females who looked like Betty and Veronica. Lois Lane in a pillbox hat was the best they could do.
But Betty! She’s still the button-nosed teen with the blue eyes and big smile who often wears her blond hair in a pony tail — even when she’s working on car engines. And Veronica! The brassy, ruby-lipped high school girl still loves her long black hair with the deep blue highlights, colorful wardrobe and her father Hiram’s fortune.
Anyone who knows Archie knows about the love triangle that’s been in place since 1941, when Bob Montana’s teenaged twit first appeared. Archie befriended both B & V, and the girls kind of competed for the front seat in the redheaded goofball’s always broken-down jalopy.
Now the Archie Comics brass are taking an overdue cue from the DC and Marvel guys, and pushing pencils to push Archie to finally push the proposal question. Will Archie ask Veronica, marry into a fortune and forever lounge around the Lodge pool? Or will he ask Betty, go to the movies every Friday night and watch as she changes the oil in the car every month?
The “Archie — The Proposal” issue is on sale today at news stands. The 32-page magazine has been in comic book speciality stores since mid-August. I’ll give the Archie Comics group credit; they always seem to find ways to keep their characters in the public eye. In 2007, the characters were drawn in a more realistic style for a summer story line and attracted a bunch of reporters — including me — for feature stories. Who knows what they’ll do next — maybe kill off a character or two. Great way to get rid of Dilton Doily.
Even guys who never really read comic books can participate in the Betty or Veronica debate. It’s simple, and the question occasionally came up when former Gazette news man Morgan Lyle was sitting at the desk across from mine, and we tired of the “Bear versus Shark” debate.
“Betty? Or Veronica? Who would you rather ... spend time with?” That was the question.
For me, the answer was simple. It had to be Betty. Seems like she’s just more down-to-earth, more fun to be with. Veronica needs too much pampering, too much maintenance. And I don’t trust anyone with a butler.
For Archie, the decision is out of his hands. I’ve heard artists and writers were going to pair Archie and Veronica all along, and stick poor Betty with that imbecile, Jughead. Reggie Mantle is completely out of the mix, and I don’t even think he has a shot at Big Ethel. If he tries to get fresh with Midge, Moose will most certainly slay him.
The love issue will not persuade me to invest in another Archie, although I should have some allegiance to the brand. One of Archie Comics’ more obscure books is “That Wilkin Boy,” which features a teenage moron — much like Archie — with the dumbest first name in comics history. I’m not even going to mention it here ... you’ll have to find out for yourself, if you’re really that curious.
Archie has found his “Sugar, Sugar.” The only nagging concern I have about the proposal story line — and it only nagged me for 10 seconds — was why didn’t Cheryl Blossom get a piece of Archie?
Cheryl was the perky redhead with green eyes that writers had to move out of the series during the 1980s because she was too “sexy” for an Archie comic. In one adventure, she got tossed off a public beach for trying to start a topless trend! Google search Cheryl Blossom, and see for yourself.
One sexy redhead!
One of these days, I’m going to have to ask Morgan Lyle: “Betty?"
"Or Cheryl?"
