Betty and The Beast

 

It looks like Archie Andrews has met his match. Maybe a well-timed Sentinel attack will distract the competition.

Green Arrow & Black Canary Meet Archie and Betty & Veronica

 

Archie, Betty and Veronica were the original "guy checking out a cute girl walking by, thus upsetting the girl he's with" meme.  Archie didn't know how good he had it - no matter which of the two was on a date with him, he always thought the grass was greener elsewhere and his eyes and attention would wander.  Adding a Blonde Bombshell like Black Canary to the mix would be sure to complicate matters further.

Captain Universe and Archie

 

An energy from space that gives ordinary people amazing powers?  Sure, I can roll with that.  The two hottest girls in high school fighting over an awkward redhead? Now you are really stretching credibility (if my personal experience is anything to go on).  Still, in the world of comics, the impossible happens on a daily basis.  No wonder they provided an escape from the real world for so many of us as kids.

Cherry Poptart and Archie

I always wondered back in the day if Cherry Poptart creator Larry Welz got in trouble for making his title character look so similar to Archie Andrew's wholesome next door neighbor, Betty. Goodness knows that Cherry certainly got into some situations that Riverdale's sweetheart would never have been a part of, and I can't imagine that the executives at Archie Comics didn't notice.

Archie's Super-Teens Meet Nightwing and Flamebird

Superman's Silver Age tales could be very hokey, but there is an undeniable charm to them.  I loved all of the high-concept ideas that sprung from the world of Krypton.  The Bottle City of Kandor was one such cool concept, and the idea that Superman had a second super-heroic identity there just made it more fun.

The Thing and Betty & Veronica

Another holiday-themed issue today. I have to give Archie Comics credit for being able to keep themselves in the headlines lately. For the past several years there aren't more than a few months that go by before I read about a marriage, a death, a new character reflecting modern times, or a political guest appearance. They do seem to have the ability to attract media attention, but I wonder how much that translates into additional sales. I'm sure it can't hurt. I did read Archie when I was a kid and have to admit that despite having red hair, I identified more with Jughead than the main character. For one thing, I didn't have the two cutest girls in high school fighting for my affection! I never thought that Archie Andrews appreciated how lucky he was.