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Ever think while reading Archie comics, "I wonder how Archie dies"? No? Well too bad, because you're going to find out. In issue #36 of "Life With Archie," a series that looks into Archie's future, post-high school days, the character will be killed off. Archie Comics CEO Jon Goldwater tells CNN, "Archie dies as he lived—heroically. He dies saving the life of a friend."
Even though this is the end of Archie, it won't be the end of Archie—the main, non-"Life With Archie" series will continue to follow Archie and his Riverdale pals. This brief foray into the future is just one of the many things our hero has had to face since his creation in 1941.
1. Archie was inspired by a 1930s teenage heartthrob
Publicity photo of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland for film Love Finds Andy Hardy, public domain, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Archie was based—in part, at least—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 Lana Turner, Donna Reed, and Ann Rutherford. 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.
2. Archie Andrews was on the radio
From 1943 to 1953, The Adventures of Archie Andrews radio show played primarily on NBC. The show’s intro featured a squeaky-voiced Jughead saying, “Aw relax, Archie, ree-lax!” Oddly, this show for preteens often featured Archie’s parents more than Archie himself. Sample plots include “Archie Gets Dressed for a Date With Veronica,” “Mr. Andrews Wallpapers a Room,” and “Buying a Hammock.”
3. When the Monkees refused "Sugar, Sugar," it went to The Archies
Supposedly, when producer Don Kirshner offered the Monkees “Sugar, Sugar” (which songwriter Jeff Barry denies happened), they refused it, demanding artistic control and a more mature sound. The situation grew so heated, Mike Nesmith put his fist through a wall, saying, “That could have been your face.” So Kirshner went on to create The Archies—formed by the teenagers on TV's The Archie Show—a band that couldn’t talk back or hit things. It was the number one song of 1969.
4. Archie was a superhero named Captain Pureheart
Courtesy of Dial B for Blog
In 1966, Archie became Captain Pureheart, a Superman-like character 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 from lack of sales.
5. Archie’s Christian comics existed
Courtesy of Comics Alliance
In 1973, an artist for Archie Comics named Al Hartley got permission to use the characters in a series published by Spire Christian Comics. In the 49 issues that followed, Archie and friends undergo evangelical hijinks that include converting a hippie to Christianity; convincing a reporter of the importance of prayer; and demonstrating what happens when schools stop teaching the Bible in an Old West town. (It’s okay: They open a Christian bookstore.)
6. Archie cartoons never do that well
There have been six animated Archie TV shows since 1969, ranging in style and theme. 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. Not one show lasted more than a year. Let’s hope the newest animated show, It’s Archie, will fare better.
7. There was an Archie TV movie? Of course there was.
Archie: To Riverdale And Back Again aired on NBC in 1990. In it, Archie (played by Christopher Rich) goes to his 15-year high school reunion and runs into the gang, now live-action adults. The movie is impressive in its thorough depiction of Riverdale—Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead even perform a song similar to “Sugar, Sugar.” But will Archie finally pick between Betty and Veronica, or stay with his fiancée?
8. Kevin Keller, the gay Archie character, made history
Courtesy of Kevin Keller Facebook
In 2010, Archie comics introduced its first gay character, Kevin Keller, in Veronica 202. 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 2011, making him the first gay male with a solo series in mainstream comics. Kevin is also going to become a superhero called The Equalizer as part of his ongoing storyline this May.
9. Archie is branching out into Young Adult books
This summer, Archie is entering the young adult market—or Betty is, at least. Diary Of A Girl Next Door: Betty by Tania del Rio will be from her point of view. Betty has always kept a diary, so she seems like a natural choice. The book is a combination of first-person text and illustrations that Betty “drew,” much in the style of Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.
10. Afterlife With Archie takes on adult horror
Courtesy of Afterlife with Archie Facebook
Afterlife With Archie is a mature horror comic where Riverdale is overrun with 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. There are even rumors of a movie. It seems that Archie's afterlives never end.
11. Archie Gets a 'Girls' Makeover
In 2015, Lena Dunham will write a four-part series for Archie Comics. According to Entertainment Weekly, the story will "follow Archie and the gang when they run into a new reality show filming in Riverdale."