ARCHIE COMICS #44

and

PEP COMICS #79

(On Newsstands in March 1950)

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Wow, 19 days since my last post! So, today let's do two issues at once again, to make up for lost time!

Another great cover by Bob Montana. This one featuring everything you could want in an Archie cover: Veronica being sexy, Betty annoyed, Jughead amused by it all and Archie realizing he goofed up!

And not a bad looking copy I have there!

(from Archie Comics #44 - Feb. 1950, artwork by Bob Montana)

Reggie showing off some of the colorful phrases of the day…

(from Archie Comics #44 - Mar. 1950, artwork by Bill Vigoda?)

Gabby appears here and there throughout the early years, always identified by name, but this issue is a special one for her, as you'll see...!

(from Archie Comics #44 - Mar. 1950, artwork by Bill Vigoda?)

Betty surprises Archie with a sloppy one…

(from Archie Comics #44 - Mar. 1950, artwork by Bill Vigoda?)

Apparently it was all the rage at the time…

(from Archie Comics #44 - Mar. 1950, artwork by Bob Montana?)

I believe, the first mention of Matahatma Gahdi in an Archie Comic and an ad for Katy Keene #1!

(from Archie Comics #44 - Mar. 1950, artwork by Bill Vigoda?)

Gabby again? Yep, though here, NOT identified by name...

Were they trying to make her a regular character?

(from Archie Comics #44 - Mar. 1950, artwork by Bill Vigoda?)

Ad for the upcoming Archie Annual #2

(from Archie Comics #44 - Mar. 1950, artwork by various)

Jughead of course is making a joke in reference to the 'Dewey Defeats Truman' headline of November 1948... making this joke about a year and a half late to being topical. Guess it was still funny remark then...!

(from Archie Comics #44 - Mar. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

Ad for the upcoming Betty and Veronica #1!

(from Archie Comics #44 - Mar. 1950, artwork by various)

Georeg Frese drew some great females.. 

(from Archie Comics #44 - Mar. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

...but, uh, Jughead as a female - not so much!

Now, Jughead as a 

fortune teller is a hit though!

(from Archie Comics #44 - Mar. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

Another Bob Montana cover… in this instance I have a pretty crappy copy...

(from Pep Comics #79 - Feb. 1950, artwork by Bob Montana)

Betty roundhouse punches Archie in a way that would make Jack Kirby proud!

(from Pep Comics #79 - Feb. 1950, artwork by Bill Vigoda?)

Jughead story with more George Frese art! I really like the layout of this page..

(from Pep Comics #79 - Feb. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

———————————————————————

Archie’s Rival REGGIE #1

(On Newsstands in February 1950)

and

KATY KEENE #1

(On Newsstands in February 1950)

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Bondage cover! Uh… well that’s not… uh… anyway…

George Frese, who in his short time drawing Archie would emerge as one of my favorite Archie artists, gives us this great cover to Reggie #1!

(from Reggie #1 - Feb. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

It’s nice to see some regular themes show up… Reggie and Archie trading quality insults!…

(from Reggie #1 - Feb. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

Mr. Beasley being a perv…

(from Reggie #1 - Feb. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

How do you spice up a comic with Reggie as the main character? 

Betty and Veronica workout!

(from Reggie #1 - Feb. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

Mix in a little slapstick violence…

(from Reggie #1 - Feb. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

And then, more pretty girls - this time all roughed up from the game...

(from Reggie #1 - Feb. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

Talk about a tough book to find reprinted. As far as I can tell, it never has been... here's the cover...

(from Katy Keene #1 - Feb. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

But to make up for it, here's Katy Keene's very first story from Wilbur #5!

(from Wilbur #5 - June. 1945, artwork by Bill Woggon)