# Archie (comic book)

Archie (also known as Archie Comics) is an ongoing comic book series (published from 1942 through 2020 in two volumes) featuring the Archie Comics character Archie Andrews. The character first appeared in Pep Comics #22 (cover dated December 1941). Archie proved to be popular enough to warrant his own self-titled ongoing comic book series which began publication in the winter of 1942. The last issue of the first series was published in June 2015.
A second series began publication in July 2015 (briefly replacing the first series), featuring a reboot of the Archie universe with a new character design aesthetic and a more mature story format and scripting, aimed at older, contemporary teenage and young adult readers. It ran until September 2018. Archie Comics resumed volume 1 in October 2018. The title concluded in September 2020.

## Publication history

Archie first appeared in Pep Comics #22 in 1941 and soon became the most popular character in the comic. Due to his popularity, he was given his own series which debuted in winter 1942 titled Archie Comics. Starting with issue #114, the title was shortened to simply Archie. The series ended with issue #666 (June 2015) to make way for a new series set in Archie Comics' "New Riverdale".
A new volume of Archie debuted in July 2015 as part of the New Riverdale relaunch. It is written by Mark Waid with art by Fiona Staples. Archie Comics Publisher/CEO Jon Goldwater has said that the new series will harken back to the comic's roots by showcasing more edgy and humorous stories as well as present the origins for the character and his friends as well as how the famous love triangle between Archie, Betty, and Veronica began.
Fiona Staples left the series after issue #3 while Annie Wu provided artwork for the fourth issue. Veronica Fish was the guest artist for the fifth and sixth issues before being named the regular artist for the series in February 2016. Fish left the series after issue #10 but continued to provide the regular cover art up to issue #12. Thomas Pitilli and Ryan Jampole provided guest artwork for issues #11 and #12 with Joe Eisma being named the new regular artist starting with issue #13. Pete Woods took over as series artist beginning with issue #18 in March 2017. Woods served as the artist until #22 in July 2017. Audrey Mok & Kelly Fitzpatrick provided artwork from #23 onward in August 2017.

## Volume 1 (1942–2015)
### Significant issues

* #429 (Love Showdown, Part 1)
Issue #429 started one of Archie Comics most famous story lines, the Love Showdown where Archie gets a love letter in the mail and Betty and Veronica both swear it wasn't from them. The story was continued in Betty #19, Betty and Veronica #82, and concluded with Veronica #39.
* #600–606 (Archie Marries Veronica/Archie Marries Betty)
In May 2009, Archie Comics released plans for what they would call "The Archie Story Of The Century" and announced that Archie Andrews would ask Veronica Lodge to marry him in Archie Comics # 600, the first issue of a six-part story arc detailing their engagement, marriage and life together. The publishers of Archie Comics did not expect the response they received from readers and longtime fans telling them they made a mistake in Archie's choice. The New York Times later revealed that the whole story would be simply a fantasy and that the first half of the story would show Archie's life with Veronica, and the second half would show his life with Betty.
* #608–609 (The Archies & Josie and the Pussycats)
This two-issue arc follows Archie Andrews and Valerie Smith falling in love when their two bands go on tour together. This is Archie Comics' first interracial relationship.
* #631–634 (Archie Marries Valerie)
The four issue arc follows a potential future where Archie married Valerie Smith and had a daughter with her named Star. It is similar to the Archie Marries Veronica/Archie Marries Betty arc. Issue #634 details a bunch of potential futures where Archie may have married Cheryl Blossom, Sabrina Spellman or Ethel Muggs.
* #641–644 (Archie Meets Glee)
Archie and his friends cross paths with the cast of Glee thanks to one of Dilton's science experiments gone wrong.
* #656 (Here Comes Harper!)
Features the first appearance of Veronica's cousin, Harper, who is physically disabled and needs to use a wheelchair to get around.

### Collected editions

Early issues of Archie have been collected into hardcover 'Archive Editions' by Dark Horse Comics, including original games pages and ads. IDW published archival hardback editions titled Archie's Americana which collect key issues from each decade since the 1940s. Similar hardbacks were produced showcasing work by favourite Archie creators.
Some key Archie storylines have also been collected as trade paperbacks.

#### Dark Horse Archive Editions

| Title | ISBN | Release Date | Collected Material |
| Archie Archives Volume One | 978-1-59582-716-6 | May 10, 2011 | Pep Comics #22–38, Jackpot Comics #4–8, Archie Comics #1–2 |
| Archie Archives Volume Two | 978-1-59582-791-3 | September 27, 2011 | Jackpot Comics #9, Pep Comics #39–45, Archie Comics #3–6 |
| Archie Archives Volume Three | 978-1-59582-833-0 | November 22, 2011 | Pep Comics #46–50, Archie Comics #7–10 |
| Archie Archives Volume Four | 978-1-59582-856-9 | February 14, 2012 | Pep Comics #51–53, Archie Comics #11–14 |
| Archie Archives Volume Five | 978-1-59582-857-6 | May 1, 2012 | Pep Comics #54–56, Archie Comics #15–18 |
| Archie Archives Volume Six | 978-1-59582-915-3 | August 14, 2012 | Pep Comics #57–58, Archie Comics #19–22 |
| Archie Archives Volume Seven | 978-1-59582-977-1 | November 13, 2012 | Pep Comics #59–61, Archie Comics #23–25, Laugh Comics #20–21 |
| Archie Archives Volume Eight | 978-1-59582-995-5 | March 19. 2013 | Pep Comics #62–64, Archie Comics #26–28, Laugh Comics #23–24 |
| Archie Archives Volume Nine | 978-1-61655-2855 | March 19, 2014 | Pep Comics #65–67, Archie Comics #29–31, Laugh Comics #25–26 |
| Archie Archives Volume Ten | 978-1-61655-3975 | August 27, 2014 | Pep Comics #67–69, Archie Comics #32–34, Laugh Comics #27–28 |
| Archie Archives Volume Eleven | 978-1-61655-7027 | July 1, 2015 | Pep Comics #70–72, Archie Comics #35–36, Laugh Comics #29–31 |
| Archie Archives Volume Twelve | 978-1-61655-7058 | February 10, 2016 | Pep Comics #73–75, Archie Comics #37–39, Laugh Comics #32–34 |
| Archie Archives Volume Thirteen | 978-1-5067-0020-5 | October 19, 2016 | Pep Comics #76–78, Archie Comics #40—41 Laugh Comics #35–37 |

#### IDW Collections

| Title | ISBN | Release Date | Collected Material |
| Archie's Americana Volume 1: Best of the 1940s | 978-1-60010-931-7 | September 6, 2011 | Pep Comics #22, 25–26, 31, Jackpot Comics #6, Archie Comics #1, 7, 30, Jughead #1, Laugh Comics #23, 25, 27, 28. 36 |
| Archie's Americana Volume 2: Best of the 1950s | 978-1-60010-945-4 | October 18, 2011 | |
| Archie's Americana Volume 3: Best of the 1960s | 978-1-61377-079-5 | March 27, 2012 | |
| Archie's Americana Volume 4: Best of the 1970s | 978-1-61377-194-5 | July 10, 2012 | |
| Archie: The Best of Dan DeCarlo, Volume 1 | 978-1-60010-654-5 | July 6, 2010 | |
| Archie: The Best of Dan DeCarlo. Volume 2 | 978-1-60010-873-0 | April 19, 2011 | |
| Archie" The Best of Dan DeCarlo, Volume 3 | 978-1-61377-101-3 | January 24, 2012 | |
| Archie: The Best of Dan DeCarlo, Volume 4 | 978-1-61377-481-6 | March 19, 2013 | |
| Archie: The Best of Harry Lucey, Volume 1 | 978-1-60010-993-5 | October 18, 2011 | |
| Archie: The Best of Harry Lucey, Volume 2 | 978-1-61377-214-0 | October 19, 2012 | |
| Archie: The Best of Samm Schwartz, Volume 1 | 978-1-61377-041-2 | November 29, 2011 | |
| Archie: The Best of Samm Schwartz, Volume 2 | 978-1-61377-394-9 | December 25, 2012 | |

#### Trade paperbacks

| Title | ISBN | Release Date | Collected Material |
| Archie Marries... | 978-0-8109-9620-5 | October 1, 2010 | Archie Comics #600–606 |
| Archie: A Rock N' Roll Romance | 978-1-936975-33-4 | February 25, 2015 | Archie Comics #631–634 |
| Archie Meets Glee | 978-1-936975-45-7 | August 6, 2013 | Archie Comics #641−644 |
| Archie: Rockin' the World | 978-1-61988-907-1 | January 13, 2015 | Archie Comics #650–653 |

#### 'Best Of' Collections

| Title | ISBN | Release Date | Collected Material |
| The Best of Archie Comics: 75 Years, 75 Stories | 978-1-62738-992-1 | October 27, 2015 | |
| The Best of Archie Comics Volume One | 978-1-61988-955-2 | October 25, 2015 | |

## Volume 2 (2015–2018)
### Story

The first issue focuses on Archie's recent split with Betty Cooper due to the "lipstick incident" that everyone is gossiping about trying to find out what it is. It also sets up the eventual formation of The Archies and the arrival of Veronica Lodge.

### Reception

IGN gave the first issue a 9.5 out of 10 calling it "a joy in every sense of the word. It's a book that warms you, each turn of the page providing a welcome blast of character and heart." as well as calling it "one of the best new debuts to hit shelves this year." Comic Book Resources said that "the publisher [Archie Comics] has created their best book in years." and that it "is must-read comics for anyone looking for fun, engaging characters and beautifully drawn, on-trend style." Meanwhile, Den of Geek gave it five stars calling Fiona Staples' art "glorious" while saying that Mark Waid "does an impressive job of creating a Riverdale that feels modern and real."

### Cultural Impact

Archie Comics have now become a staple of pop culture and are considered iconic. The characters contributed to the formation of stereotypes and archetypes that are well known today, such as: the girl next door, the mean girl, the popular jock, the love triangle...
The iconic love triangle between Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge has become a staple in the way media portrays a love triangle.

### Collected editions

The series has so far been assembled into the following collections:
| Title | Format | ISBN | Release Date | Collected Material | Issues Published |
| Archie, Volume One | Paperback | 978-1-62738-867-2 | March 29, 2016 | Archie #1–6 | September 2015 – March 2016 |
| Archie, Volume Two | Paperback | 978-1-62738-798-9 | November 30, 2016 | Archie #7–12 | April 2016 – September 2016 |
| Archie, Volume Three | Paperback | 978-1-68255-993-2 | May 9, 2017 | Archie #13–17 | October 2016 – April 2017 |
| Archie, Volume Four: Over the Edge | Paperback | 978-1-68255-970-3 | September 19, 2017 | Archie #18–22 | May 2017 – July 2017 |
| Archie, Volume Five: The Heart of Riverdale | Paperback | 978-1-68255-970-3 | May 14, 2018 | Archie #23–27 | August 2017 – May 2018 |
| Archie, Volume Six | Paperback | 978-1-68255-869-0 | October 30, 2018 | Archie #28–32 | May 2018 – September 2018 |
| Archie: Varsity Edition, Volume One | Hardcover | 978-1-68255-839-3 | March 12, 2019 | Archie #1–12 | September 2015 – September 2016 |
| Archie: Varsity Edition, Volume Two | Hardcover | 978-1-68255-799-0 | November 12, 2019 | Archie #13–22 | October 2016 – July 2017 |
| Archie: Varsity Edition, Volume Three | Hardcover | 978-1-64576-997-2 | TBD | Archie #23–32 | August 2017 – September 2018 |

## Volume 1 cont. (2018–2020)
### Collected editions

| Title | Format | ISBN | Release Date | Collected Material | Issues Published |
| Archie by Nick Spencer, Volume 1 | Paperback | 978-1-68255-783-9 | September 10, 2019 | Archie #700–704 | November 2018 – May 2019 |
| Archie by Nick Spencer, Volume 2: Archie and Sabrina | Paperback | 978-1-64576-979-8 | April 14, 2020 | Archie #705–709 | June 2019 – December 2019 |
| Archie & Katy Keene | Paperback | 978-1-64576-948-4 | September 10, 2020 | Archie #710-713 | July 2019 – July 2020 |