Undercover Archie

LAUGH COMICS #160 - Those hidden Pepper Appearances!

I bought this ok looking copy for $2

This rather innocent-looking $2 comic came out on the newsstands in May of 1964 and sometimes we forget (because some of these old worn Archie Comics can be cheap) is that THAT was the same month as Amazing Spider-man #15 and Superman #170.  Of course... the 'Beatles' reference should've given it away immediately... I'm not too sold on that 'Beatles haircut' that Dan DeCarlo drew either (and it's rare to say that about anything he drew!)

(LAUGH COMICS #160 cover-dated July 1964, on newsstands May 1st, 1964, with cover art by Dan DeCarlo)

Whenever a story started out with Archie in his jalopy, you could pretty well count on it being a problem for him. It's a funny contrast to see him in that and Reggie next to him in his sleek sports car convertible. (Hey, Archie's IS a convertible too!)

(LAUGH COMICS #160 cover-dated July 1964, on newsstands May 1st, 1964, with art by Bob White)

Archie's just not the same guy anymore. I know it's not 'PC' and all of that, but his never-ending lust for any beautiful girl within eyesight was a part of the character for 50+ years... 

(LAUGH COMICS #160 cover-dated July 1964, on newsstands May 1st, 1964, with art by Dan DeCarlo)

Josie may be remembered for having 44 issues with Pepper, before becoming Josie and the Pussycats (her last appearance was actually in #41, so they must've been planning ahead), though really she had a lot more appearances than that. like most Archie world characters, they appeared as side stories in Laugh and Life with Archie, and really anywhere they could fit in an additional story.

*Note: Technically, according to the indicia, it was 'Josie' for #1-3, 'She's Josie' for #4-16, just 'Josie' again for #17-44 and then, of course, 'Josie and the Pussycats' for the rest of the series (#45-106).

(LAUGH COMICS #160 cover-dated July 1964, on newsstands May 1st, 1964, with art by Dan DeCarlo)

I loved these Summer Specials. 

(LAUGH COMICS #160 cover-dated July 1964, on newsstands May 1st, 1964, with art by Harry Lucey)

Not sure where Archie is possibly quoting from but I wracked my Google search as much as possible. I thought for sure it might be some James Bond quip that eluded me (at this point 'Dr. No' and 'From Russia With Love' had been out and 'Goldfinger' was coming in the summer), but... zilch.

(LAUGH COMICS #160 cover-dated July 1964, on newsstands May 1st, 1964, with art by Dan DeCarlo)