ARCHIE’S SUNDAY FINEST HC

Special Book Review!

Having the black & white newspaper strip collections of Bob Montana's Archie is really nice, but how about the color Sunday Full Page Strips? Oh yeah!

Once again, IDW has put together a really nice hardcover book, with a nice book mark tassel (that's Archie orange) and is even shaped like a traditional book shelf sized book.

Growing up in St. Louis, the Post Dispatch was one of two area newspapers, so of course I found this ad interesting in the intro for the book.

(from St. Louis Post Dispatch, date unknown, artist unknown)

Going back just 4 years, it’s refreshing to see Montana handling these characters and setting the tone for others to follow… he loved playing on Betty’s obsession with Archie! And we loved to see it!

(from Nov. 10. 1946, artwork by Bob Montana)

Montana consistently created interesting logo panels to start these Sunday stories, and here Betty makes sure she stands out!

(from Nov. 12. 1946, artwork by Bob Montana)

Gulp! Ah, the things they could get away with in a 1947 American Newspaper! 

(from Jan. 05. 1947, artwork by Bob Montana)

Jughead may not consider this his greatest moment, and.. neither does Archie!

(from Jan. 05. 1947, artwork by Bob Montana)

It’s ‘The Best I Ever Tasted!” - Yeah…. this may be my favorite Montana Sunday strip ever!

(from Jan. 05. 1947, artwork by Bob Montana)

Montana was so good at body language... Veronica relaxed, cool, well dressed - Betty working hard to get dressed up, tense posture...

(from May. 11. 1947, artwork by Bob Montana)

In Archie #20 (May/June 1946), a group of unnamed friends strip Archie and throw him into the local pond. Here in July 1947, Reggie and two others, do the same. What was going on in Riverdale?

(from July. 20. 1946, artwork by Bob Montana)

Veronica sporting a snazzy nightgown while Archie sports a shiner!

(from Dec. 14. 1947, artwork by Bob Montana)

Yeah… there are just some situations you’ll see in a 1948 newspaper strip… even thought they’re being done in a humorous non-serious manner… that you just won’t see today….

(from Jun. 27. 1948, artwork by Bob Montana)

Yoinks!

(from Jun. 27. 1948, artwork by Bob Montana)

More Montana brillance, playing on the Archie in a girl’s outfit, pulling Reggie into the mix. 

(from Jul. 11. 1948, artwork by Bob Montana)

Veronica sporting her 1948 Halloween costume! 

(from Oct. 31. 1948, artwork by Bob Montana)

Any great Archie strip has at least one panel that makes you HAVE to read that story… Betty at it again!

(from Dec. 12. 1948, artwork by Bob Montana)

Archie always on the prowl...

(from Aug. 7. 1949, artwork by Bob Montana)

This is NOT how Archie planned it....

(from Aug. 14. 1949, artwork by Bob Montana)

My assessment? This book is worth having as a part of your collection!

(from Sep. 24. 1950, artwork by Bob Montana)

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)

ARCHIE COMICS #43

(On Newsstands in January 1950)

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Another great cover by Bob Montana. Man, have I got a crappy looking copy of this book... I need to update that!

(from Archie Comics #43 - Jan. 1950, artwork by Bob Montana)

Archie dreams about his future… a future where he has long hair and Jughead is wealthy and married to Betty!

(from Archie Comics #43 - Jan. 1950, artwork by Bill Vigoda)

Miss Grundy gets in the path of Archie’s karma…and... Hey! You mean that's a wig?

(from Archie Comics #43 - Jan. 1950, artwork by Samm Schwartz?)

Yep. They were planning a Reggie solo comic even before the Betty and Veronica!

It seems kind of obvious now, but...

(from Archie Comics #43 - Jan. 1950, artwork by various)

A Katy Keene tie? Anyone remember these or have one?

(from Archie Comics #43 - Jan. 1950, artwork by Bill Woggon)

Archie becomes Veronica and Betty’s hair styling experiment… this is the Archie Hair issue!

(from Archie Comics #43 - Jan. 1950, artwork by Bill Vigoda)

What he goes through…

(from Archie Comics #43 - Jan. 1950, artwork by Bill Vigoda)

Now there’s an Archie you don’t see everyday…

(from Archie Comics #43 - Jan. 1950, artwork by Bill Vigoda)

Jughead solo story… Veronica seems especially 'perky' there and... is Jughead flirting with her?

(from Archie Comics #43 - Jan. 1950, artwork by Samm Schwartz?)

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