ARCHIE’s GIRLS BETTY and VERONICA #1

(On Newsstands in July 1950)

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I have a lower grade copy of this, highly under rated book, which had to wait for solo titles from Reggie and Jughead before it finally got it’s chance - and it would last for 37 years before being rebooted 2 months later and continuing to this very day!

(from Archie’s Girls Betty and Veronica #1 - July. 1950, artwork by Bill Vigoda)

This was a huge book for George Frese, who obviously Archie Comics had big plans for. Besides the Bill Vigoda cover (done in George’s style!), this book is ALL George. (Though - two of the stories ‘What’s Cookin’ and ‘You Can’t Win’ were taken pretty directly from Montana Sunday strips from 09/18/49 and 02/27/49. Not copied, but pretty closely mirrored...

(from Archie’s Girls Betty and Veronica #1 - July. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

The first issue would be extremely Betty heavy in it’s stories (this one Veronica doesn’t even appear in), and judging from this panel she was all about taking charge!

(from Archie’s Girls Betty and Veronica #1 - July. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

It’s so sweet. Two friends, hanging out together all day and then sleeping over at each other’s house. In the same bed.

C’mon! It’s the 50’s! 

(from Archie’s Girls Betty and Veronica #1 - July. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

ARCHIE COMICS #46

(On Newsstands in July 1950)

I’m not sure how many times I can say, “Great Montana cover”, especially knowing what one is coming up in a few months, but I have to say, that girl directly behind Veronica is one of my favorites

(from Archie Comics #46 - July. 1950, artwork by Bob Montana)

You’d think at this point in knowing each other, Archie would be smart enough to not ever entertain the idea of listening to a suggestion form Reggie Mantle...

(from Archie Comics #46 - July. 1950, artwork by Samm Schwartz)

nope...

(from Archie Comics #46 - July. 1950, artwork by Samm Schwartz)

Now here was an angle we hadn’t seen before…Weatherbee and Grundy at a Professional Wrestling match! 

And of course it turns into a big mess….

(from Archie Comics #46 - July. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

Books published by Archie Comics and on the stands in June of 1950

ARCHIE COMICS #46

ARCHIE’s GIRLS BETTY and VERONICA #1

ARCHIE’s PAL JUGHEAD #2

DARLING LOVE #6

PEP COMICS #81

SAM HILL PRIVATE EYE #1

ARCHIE ANNUAL #2

and

LAUGH COMICS #40

(On Newsstands in June 1950)

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The 2nd annual came out in June of 1950, and for the cover of it, Bob Montana presents the ultimate Archie dream, or, at least, the ultimate Archie dream he could actually publish...

(from Archie Annual #2 - June. 1950, artwork by Bob Montana)

Montana gave us the rare treat of not one, but two stories inside this year’s annual! For as much work as they’d done to create a ‘house style’ based on his art, it’s still always refreshing to see the real deal!

(from Archie Annual #2 - June. 1950, artwork by Bob Montana)

Betty’s always up for helping Archie out… even if it means taking off her costume from underneath her blanket to give to him!

(from Archie Annual #2 - June. 1950, artwork by what looks like a cleaner and smoother Bill Vigoda….)

Veronica probably hadn’t ever been asked THAT before...

(from Archie Annual #2 - June. 1950, artwork by George Frese?)

The second appearance of Moose (the first being in Jughead #1, Nov. 1949, Aug 2014 post) and still protective of ‘Lottie’.

(from Archie Annual #2 - June. 1950, artwork by Bob Montana)

These early Archie Laugh Comics are somewhat harder to find in decent condition, so I’m always proud of when I have one that looks this nice…not sure who the cover artist is - maybe Red Holmdale or a combined effort...

(from Laugh Comics #40 - June. 1950, artwork by ?)

Ah, yes. The innocence of the 50’s…in a comic strip with subtle sexual innuendos, it was just a matter of time before handcuffs showed up. Geoerge Frese was getting a lot of extra work!

(from Laugh Comics #40 - June. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

As if we still haven’t gotten the idea, Moose has yet another girlfriend (Carol), and Jughead has somehow got himself again in a compromising position. And Moose gets more action than anyone in Riverdale, what’s up with that?

(from Laugh Comics #40 - June. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

Did he say ‘shat’?

(from Laugh Comics #40 - June. 1950, artwork by George Frese)

Samm Schwartz was another artist getting plenty of work, including some of MLJ’s other fun features. He makes sure to let you know where his loyalties will always be though!

(from Laugh Comics #40 - June. 1950, artwork by Samm Scwartz)

Comics published by Archie and on the stands in June of 1950

ARCHIE ANNUAL #2

DARLING ROMANCE #6

LAUGH #40

SUPER DUCK #33

SUZIE COMICS #76

WILBUR COMICS #32

LAUGH COMICS #39

(On Newsstands April 1950)

ARCHIE COMICS #45

and

PEP COMICS #80

(On Newsstands in March 1950)

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Samm Schwartz was quickly becoming the go to guy at Archie Comics. He had a clean style and was able to easily incorporate the Montana House Style, so that regardless of the title the Archie books would have uniform appearance.

Oh and I have a sweet copy of this book don't I?

(from Laugh Comics #39 - Apr. 1950, artwork by Samm Schwartz)

Speaking of 'incorporating the Montana House Style', they also tended to incorporate the Montana story telling style, many times by straight out copying the story! You may remember a similar scene from my last post featuring a January 1947 News Paper Strip by Montana!

(from Laugh Comics #39 - Apr. 1950, artwork by Samm Schwartz)

That Betty!

(from Laugh Comics #39 - Mar. 1950, artwork by Samm Schwartz?)

Montana was still on his classic cover run in the Archie book, here featuring one of my favorites...

(from Archie Comics #45 - May 1950, artwork by Samm Schwartz)

...but on the inside, Samm Scwartz had become the feature artist of the book. He'd go on to be a fixture on Jughead's solo book for most of the next 40 years, but his  work on Archie would show others how the house style should look!

(from Archie Comics #45 - May 1950, artwork by Samm Schwartz)

He would bring his classic body language to the book that would influence everyone on it forever!

(from Archie Comics #45 - May 1950, artwork by Samm Schwartz)

And he understood the youth of the times... and he could draw females!

(from Archie Comics #45 - May 1950, artwork by Samm Schwartz)

Meanwhile, there was an artist named Harry Lucey who was getting his own title (Sam Hill) and would eventually make his own mark on the world of Archie! Here's an ad promoting it's drivable a few moths later!

(from Archie Comics #45 - May 1950, artwork by Harry Lucey in the ad)

Ok... I had a few nice copies in a row here... this one... not so much!

A nice gag all the same!

(from Pep Comics #80 - May 1950, artwork by Samm Schwartz?)

Meanwhile Bill Vigoda was getting a story to do here and there, and George Frese was doing a Jughead feature in Pep as well!

(from Pep Comics #80 - May 1950, artwork by Bill Vigoda)