Undercover Archie

ARCHIE ANNUAL #24 - Length and Suggestiveness!

I bought this ok looking copy for $4

This 48 page Annual came out in 1972 and features a couple of 'Still going strong Harry Lucey' stories, though it sports a humorous Dan DeCarlo cover. (See what I did there?) Lucey was in the last couple of years of working for Archie Comics, retiring in 1976 with Archie Comics #254 (July 1976) after being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease. Inker Chic Stone completed the art for the rest of the stories in the issue... 35 years Harry Lucey drew for Archie Comics...

(ARCHIE ANNUAL #24 cover-dated 1972, on newsstands May 30th, 1972, with cover art by Dan DeCarlo)


There was just something about the way Lucey drew his females. DeCarlo was great at making them look wholesome and yet sexy, but Lucey had a way of making them look 'sexual'.  The way they turn their body, the length of their skirt... he was a master at it...

(ARCHIE ANNUAL #24 cover-dated 1972, on newsstands May 30th, 1972, with art by Harry Lucey)

For Archie himself... not so sexy. Though no less suggestive. But funny. 

(ARCHIE ANNUAL #24 cover-dated 1972, on newsstands May 30th, 1972, with art by Harry Lucey)

Now talk about somebody who was at Archie Comics even longer... Bill Vigoda! His first Archie story was in Archie Comics #8 in 1944 (he started at MLJ in 1943) and he would work there until  January 1973's Reggie & Me #68. Vigoda drew for Archie Comics for 30 years...

Within two months, Stan Goldberg, who'd been freelancing some work with Archie Comics since 1969 (when his Marvel work suspiciously started looking more Archie like) started to transition his workload from Marvel to Archie. By the end of 1973, Goldberg was done at Marvel and full time at Archie Comics.

Bill Vigoda probably said more than "Oh! Whoopee Twang!"

(ARCHIE ANNUAL #24 cover-dated 1972, on newsstands May 30th, 1972, with art by Bill Vigoda)

I sometimes wonder if they had a library of these half page strips sitting around and then they'd occasionally plug them into an issue to take up some space. It's tough to tell who drew them at times because they always look hurried and a little less polished. But they're funny most of the time...

(ARCHIE ANNUAL #24 cover-dated 1972, on newsstands May 30th, 1972, with art by ?)

Not sure who drew this ad, but Betty and Veronica look like they both have some big ass FEET. I like Betty's pose and her hat though... The Summertime Giant Series was always something I looked forward to. Well... I looked forward to picking them up when I saw them anyway!

(ARCHIE ANNUAL #24 cover-dated 1972, on newsstands May 30th, 1972, with art by ?)

And here's Harry Lucey again. That's a random girl from the High School by the way, but I'm sure you know who's behind the water fountain there.

(ARCHIE ANNUAL #24 cover-dated 1972, on newsstands May 30th, 1972, with art by Harry Lucey)