ARCHIE COMICS #95 - Classic Artists of the Era

Whenever I find these early Archie Comics issues, especially pre-1960 in the $1 books, I HAVE to pick them up. Honestly, it's where they belong as there is only a handful of people who love and appreciate them. The Riverdale crowd isn't interested in this stuff and none of the artists are really 'hot' with the majority of collectors. Archie Comics is just kind of its own niche and I'm glad.

I mean... I look at this Harry Lucey cover and I'm so in awe of its perfection. Lucey was a smidge less cartoony than Dan DeCarlo, thus you get the attention to detail on Veronica's feet and sandals, Archie's feet, the stripes on Veronica's swimsuit (and Betty's) and the pattern on Archie's.

Even the radio and the lifeguard's chair. Man, I LOVE this cover.

(ARCHIE #95 cover-dated September 1958, on newsstands June 4th, 1958, with cover art by Harry Lucey)

Inside, his art is more in the 'house style' that Archie Comics incorporated, first introduced by Bob Montana, updated and modernized by Harry Lucey, then streamlined and perfected by Dan DeCarlo. Either way, Lucey's Betty and Veronica had smaller waists than any of the other Archie artists gave them...

(ARCHIE #95 cover-dated September 1958, on newsstands June 4th, 1958, with art by Harry Lucey)

What more could you ask for in an Archie comic, than a Harry Lucey cover, a Harry Lucey story and then a Dan DeCarlo story? By this point, DeCarlo had been drawing at Archie Comics for 7 years, and even though he was still the 'new guy' in the bunch (Vigoda and Lucey had been there, at this point for over 15 years), he fits in perfectly with the look of the line of books. 

(ARCHIE #95 cover-dated September 1958, on newsstands June 4th, 1958, with art by Dan DeCarlo)

It's rather amazing that really, in Archie Comics' long history with the characters, there's really only a handful of artists who worked on the book consistently. DeCarlo and Lucey were two of those legends. I'm not as big of a fan of Bill Vigoda's work, but he was there through the transformative years, and was the first to try and emulate Bob Montana's house style in the comic, so I'd include him (and of course Montana).

(ARCHIE #95 cover-dated September 1958, on newsstands June 4th, 1958, with art by Dan DeCarlo)

As sultry as Harry Lucey drew Betty and Veronica, Dan DeCarlo (who certainly had his past experience drawing bad girls) gave the two a more wholesome look, that was still sexy, but with a sweetness that fit the whole idea of Archie Comics and what they, especially post-Code wanted to portray. 

Harry Lucey is my favorite, but man, DeCarlo is amazing. 

(ARCHIE #95 cover-dated September 1958, on newsstands June 4th, 1958, with art by Dan DeCarlo)

In 1958, Harry Lucey was THE artist of Archie Comics as a brand in the Comic Books (Bob Montana had long since gone to 100% making the newspaper strip an iconic part of Americana), and here's a good example of one of his ads. 

(ARCHIE #95 cover-dated September 1958, on newsstands June 4th, 1958, with art by Harry Lucey)

Every so often I'd see a panel by Bill Vigoda and think, "Now THAT is really good!" This is one of those panels.

You have to give the guy credit, he was like the energizer bunny who kept going and going and going, taking on anything the company would give him to do. He started with MLJ in 1943, did his first Archie story in 1944 (a Betty and Veronica story in Archie Comics #10) and worked all the way through until 1973. 

I just realized, the guy doesn't even have a Wikipedia page... I need to do something about that...

(ARCHIE #95 cover-dated September 1958, on newsstands June 4th, 1958, with art by Bill Vigoda)

TIPPY TEEN #1 - This Looks Familiar!

Wally Wood had a long and storied career in comics, and there's plenty to go into, but of note today was his and Publisher Harry Shorten's Tower Comics. Shorten had worked as a writer and Editor at MLJ (Archie Comics) in it's early days and Wood had worked for nearly everyone.

Tower Comics is primarily remembered for it's Thunder Agents by Wally Wood, but the LONGEST RUNNING comic they published was Tippy Teen, an obvious Archie Comics influenced Teen Humor book.

(TIPPY TEEN #1 cover-dated November 1965, on newsstands September 1st, 1965, cover art by Samm Schwartz)

Shorten brought in Samm Schwartz from Archie Comics to Edit and oversee the book, so naturally, Schwartz got work for Archie artists Harry Lucey, Dan DeCarlo, and Bob White.

Harry Lucey did the first story and... that looks a LOT like Archie, Betty and Veronica (with hair colors the same, but styles switched) and blonde-haired guy (Animal) as a cross between Moose and Jughead. From what I've read, these characters were designed (homaged) by Schwartz.

(TIPPY TEEN #1 cover-dated November 1965, on newsstands September 1st, 1965, art by Harry Lucey)

And the innuendo was there from the beginning...

(TIPPY TEEN #1 cover-dated November 1965, on newsstands September 1st, 1965, art by Harry Lucey)

As well as Harry Lucey's famous female poses. If the stories were true, and Lucey would turn his art in with the female characters not wearing any clothes, uh... the inkers certainly got an eyefull!

(TIPPY TEEN #1 cover-dated November 1965, on newsstands September 1st, 1965, art by Harry Lucey)

The second story was done by Dan DeCarlo. 1965 was DeCarlo coming into his prime. And this... this looks like a variation of Betty and Veronica with all of the small detailed touches of 1965 home life. 

(TIPPY TEEN #1 cover-dated November 1965, on newsstands September 1st, 1965, art by Dan DeCarlo)

There are moments when you just do a double-take and think... dd they take this STRAIGHT out of an Archie comic? Hey... I love DeCarlo's work (and Harry Lucey and Samm Schwartz), so I love this issue. So it's ok!

(TIPPY TEEN #1 cover-dated November 1965, on newsstands September 1st, 1965, art by Dan DeCarlo)

I like how they brought back some sexual innuendo too. Not much, but you didn't see anything like THIS in Archie anymore. The art was by longtime journeyman Bill Williams and fits in pretty well. GCD seems to think Samm Schwartz inked him here, but it can be hard to say.

(TIPPY TEEN #1 cover-dated November 1965, on newsstands September 1st, 1965, art by Bill Williams)

The problem with doing an Archie rip-off... eh homage, is that they've already done almost every storyline you can think of already and ripped THEMSELVES off repeating stuff numerous times. Here, Harry Lucey rips George Frese off with story he drew in Ginger #1 from 1952. Who'd ever remember, right?

(TIPPY TEEN #1 cover-dated November 1965, on newsstands September 1st, 1965, art by Harry Lucey)

Some of the panels are straight up lifts, and even though Lucey does spice it up a bit and make minor changes - when you read them back to back, it's very clear... still, back in 1965 very few people would've even noticed.

(TIPPY TEEN #1 cover-dated November 1965, on newsstands September 1st, 1965, art by Harry Lucey)

Lots of Pin-ups to take up space...

(TIPPY TEEN #1 cover-dated November 1965, on newsstands September 1st, 1965, art by ....)

(TIPPY TEEN #1 cover-dated November 1965, on newsstands September 1st, 1965, art by ....)

(TIPPY TEEN #1 cover-dated November 1965, on newsstands September 1st, 1965, art by ....)

(TIPPY TEEN #1 cover-dated November 1965, on newsstands September 1st, 1965, art by Samm Schwartz)

And... the Beatles-esqe storyline (which I always loved) in which Tippy actually gets to play with the band. 

This series isn't loved by many, but I'm one who still appreciates it... especially this first issue with Lucey and DeCarlo. 

(TIPPY TEEN #1 cover-dated November 1965, on newsstands September 1st, 1965, art by Bill Williams)

LIFE WITH ARCHIE #109 (and #23) - Remembering Amnesia!

No, that isn't the cover to Life with Archie #109, it's the cover to Life with Archie #23. I'm starting this post off with it because it's another cool old comic I picked up for $1 at a recent show.

Featuring a fairly ho-hum cover (as far as Archie Comics and Life with Archie in particular goes) from the nevertheless under appreciated Bob White, the story inside (Sy Reit) isn't much to talk about either. However, it went on sale on August 1st, 1963, FIVE DAYS before I was born.
That's kinda cool.

(LIFE WITH ARCHIE #23 cover dated October 1963, on newsstands August 1st, 1963, with cover art by Bob White)

Hink Brinkley is on a search for 'America's Most Loveable Teenager' (of all the cockamamie things), and lo and behold, there he is in Riverdale - Archie himself. That's pretty much it. They search. They find him. Mr. Lodge thinks it's horrible, then concedes he IS loveable. 

Yoinks.

(LIFE WITH ARCHIE #23 cover dated October 1963, on newsstands August 1st, 1963, with art by Bob White)

We jump ahead 8 years and here for the topic of discussion today is Life with Archie #109 with a cover by, according to me, Dan DeCarlo (with inks by Ridy Lapick). The give away is Veronica's side profile.

Again, as far as Archie covers go and Life with Archie covers in particular, this one is another ho-hum entry. 

(LIFE WITH ARCHIE #109 cover dated May 1971, on newsstands March 9th, 1971, with cover art by what looks to me like Dan DeCarlo)

But then we get to the story. And we start off with a flower pot crashing down on Archie's head. As low brow as it may sound, this always gets a chuckle out of me, and we even get to see Archie's goofy care free grinning face PRE-CRASH.

What can I say? I'm sometimes easily amused by the simplest of things. 

(LIFE WITH ARCHIE #109 cover dated May 1971, on newsstands March 9th, 1971, with art by Dan DeCarlo?)

It gives Archie amnesia and he honestly doesn't remember a thing. Jughead tries to get him to kiss Midge, hoping a punch from Moose will bring him back to normal, but even in this state Archie is too aware to fall for it.

Instead, he runs into Betty at POPS, and he is delighted she's CRAZY about him. He can't believe his good fortune!

(LIFE WITH ARCHIE #109 cover dated May 1971, on newsstands March 9th, 1971, with art by Dan DeCarlo?)

Of course, Veronica shows up and she's having none of that, but...

(LIFE WITH ARCHIE #109 cover dated May 1971, on newsstands March 9th, 1971, with art by Dan DeCarlo?)

What a great ad for (the comic of course) the 'groovy' fashions showing up in comics in 1971! But what the hell is Jughead wearing?

(LIFE WITH ARCHIE #109 cover dated May 1971, on newsstands March 9th, 1971, with art by Dan DeCarlo - almost sure of it.)

To finish things off we get a great panel from (I think) Bill Vigoda, that... looks rather amateur-ish to be quite honest, but perfectly conveys its message. I can't help it - I think it's funny.

(LIFE WITH ARCHIE #109 cover dated May 1971, on newsstands March 9th, 1971, with art by Bill Vigoda?)

A nice $1 comic to read on a lazy evening.

ARCHIE COMICS #71

(On Newsstands September 8th, 1954)

The evolution of Bill Vigoda's 'look' - Archie with Beaver teeth, females who look like blow up dolls - still managed to render Jughead perfectly.

(from Archie Comics #71 - September 8th, 1954, artwork by Bill Vigoda)

Archie's a Lifeguard and Betty is trying to get noticed. The perfect set up for a story!

Who'd let Archie watch their beach???

(from Archie Comics #71 - September 8th, 1954, artwork by Samm Schwartz?)

Archie has his game plan all figured out...

(from Archie Comics #71 - September 8th, 1954, artwork by Samm Schwartz?)

And here comes Betty. Yep. Walked right into that one!

Interesting to note, especially this being an Archie Comic, that this story occurred just three months before the Comics Code went into effect (the last week of December), otherwise Archie could've never gotten away with punching Betty in the eye!

 Even in a humor story!

(from Archie Comics #71 - September 8th, 1954, artwork by Samm Schwartz?)

ARCHIE COMICS #72

(On Newsstands November 10th, 1954)

Whenever I complain about Bill Vigoda's style, especially his 'women as a blow up doll' look, I always point to Betty on this cover as a prime example.
However... honestly I don't mind his 'look' at all for Archie.
(from Archie Comics #72 - November 10th, 1954, artwork by Bill Vigoda)

Holy Smokes... I know Archie is kind of a nerd and the book is aimed at wholesome fun, but this story just cracks me up. Archie Comics gearing up for the Comics Code already!

(from Archie Comics #72 - November 10th, 1954, artwork by Samm Schwartz?)

We were a year and 2 months away from Elvis Presley's first TV appearance, but Bill Haley and the Comets had already started Rock n Roll with 'Rock Around the Clock' just 4 months earlier.

This look would spread pretty quickly...

(from Archie Comics #72 - November 10th, 1954, artwork by Samm Schwartz?)

A fine example of profiling if I've ever seen it!

Over the years, Archie would actually show a lot more tolerance for those different than him, and this 'holier than thou' attitude would be replaced by more of a 'Ah shucks, we're really all the same' demeanor.

Which I like better.

(from Archie Comics #72 - November 10th, 1954, artwork by Samm Schwartz?)