There’s a lot going on in Riverdale and with America's boyfriend, Archie Andrews!
Over the years, we have been introduced to a number of Archie's friends, extending outside the core gang of Riverdale, like Sabrina Spellman, and Josie and the Pussycats from Greendale. Outside of the pages of Archie Comics, we have TV shows, and movies too. So here's a little more Archie knowledge for you to brush up on!
Archie was inspired by a 1930s teenage heartthrob
Archie was partly based on the Andy Hardy movie series, starring Mickey Rooney. When Andy Hardy isn’t rejecting girl-next-door Betsy Booth (Betsy/Betty, get it?), he’s dating a slew of Veronica-like girlfriends that include Donna Reed, Ann Rutherford, and Lana Turner. Like Archie, Andy is an average guy who somehow attracts girls who are way out of his league—and thus the Archie universe’s gender dynamics were formed.
Archie can get dark, too
Afterlife With Archie started in 2013 and the storyline of this horror comic shows that Riverdale is overrun by zombies. Hot Dog is killed by a car, so Jughead begs Sabrina to bring him back to life. When she does, zombie Hot Dog bites Jughead, who then turns into a zombie, and the terror escalates from there. Afterlife With Archie has been selling well and is getting good reviews.
Only one issue from Archie Comics was ever reprinted
In 2010, Archie Comics introduced its first gay character in Veronica 202, Kevin Keller. The issue promptly sold out, and Archie Comics ordered its first reprint ever in its 72-year history. Clearly, the character struck a nerve. Archie Comics then gave Kevin his own series in the following year, making him the first gay male with a solo series in mainstream comics.
Archie was a superhero named Captain Pureheart
In 1966, Archie became a Superman-like character named Captain Pureheart with powerful strength and the ability to fly using "jet-boosters.” Along with Betty, aka Superteen, and Jughead as Captain Hero, Captain Pureheart battled villains like The Ice Cube and Evilheart (i.e. Reggie) using super bad breath, exploding bubble gum, and the power of a pure heart. Not surprisingly, Captain Pureheart was canceled owing to a lack of sales.
Cheryl Blossom’s disappearance for few years
Cheryl Blossom inexplicably disappeared from the Archie comics in 1985 for a few years because the buxom redhead was deemed too hot for a children’s comic. She returned in 1994, and Archie tried to keep her return to Riverdale from Betty and Veronica because he can’t choose between the three of them.
Archie cartoons never do that well
There have been six animated Archie TV shows since 1969, ranging in theme as well as style. The Archie Show was straight from the comic books. The New Archies tried to update the animation to please kids from the 1980s. Archie's Weird Mysteries took on B-movie monsters like mummies and a 50-foot Veronica. Unfortunately, not one show lasted more than a year.
Archie bounced from girl to girl and fad to fad, never knowing what he wanted to do, making the comic interesting and unpredictable for all its readers.
