ARCHIE #115 Harry Lucey OA cover

Tonight, November 21, 2013, someone over at Heritage Auctions (www.ha.com) is going to be the new owner of this piece of Original Art. It's the cover to Archie #115, and it won't be me who buys it (Waahhh!). 

It'll probably end up going for close to $4000, maybe more. 

It sure is sweet.

It's a special issue, because it's one of the only issues where they didn't employ the red or blue to the logo backing, and instead used pink. Not sure why... but it's pretty unique. 

Just thought you'd like to see it!

STARCHIE! - Mad Magazine #12 (June 1954)

Mad Magazine came into existence, when William Gaines, having grown tired of the interference of the Comics Code Authority to his line of EC Comics, decided to branch out into humor. Written and edited almost entirely by the great Harvey Kurtzman, and featuring the art of such greats as Wally Wood, Will Elder, Jack Davis, and John Severin, the first issue debuted in August of 1952.

After, what has been reported as a lackluster first 3 issues, Kurtzman introduced the first straight parody of an entertainment icon: Superduperman, after Superman and Captain Marvel. That skewering of a topical entertainment property would become standard operating procedure for the magazine from that point on and make it one of the great success stories of comic related publishing ever.

(from Mad #4 - April 1953)

About a year later, Kurtzman decided that Archie, in it's height of popularity, was a good target for satire. Thus was born 'Starchie', in issue #12.

Featuring Starchie Andrews, Bottleneck, Salonica and Biddy, and a host of others (as well as some cameos from other cartoon characters), it was written by Harvey Kurtzman and drawn by Will Elder.

Every Archie fan should own a copy of this in one form or another, as satire is really a celebration of the popularity of it's target (like a comedy roast), and at the end is a list of books reprinting it, BUT

here for your enjoyment, is the entire 8 page story. 

THE FOX #1

2013 - Mark Waid/Dean Haspiel

Archie Comics has decided to bring back 'The Fox' again, a Golden Age great, even thought hey've had some uneven success over the years with their superhero line. Which is a shame really, as I think the Shield, the Black Hood, the Hangman, and even Madam Satan, have some great potential if done correctly.

Well, in this instance, they've gone all out, to try and bring back one of their cooler characters, The Fox! With long time Marvel/DC/Boom writer Mark Waid (Kingdom Come, Daredevil) and the lesser known, but long time industry artist Dean Haspiel (Billy Dogma), they've put together a quality team.

On November 4th, Archie Comics announced a 2nd printing for the #1 issue, so that's a positive sign!

I could go into a massive dissertation on why these old MLJ characters haven't succeeded, but ultimately, who really knows? The comic book market today is more perplexing than ever.

A little history on the character, who's creation dates back to even before Archie and his gang were around. The Fox is (was) Paul Patten, a news reporter and photographer for the Daily Globe, who wears a camera on his belt to get action news pics. Hmmm, sounds a little like some inspiration for Spider-man later on...

(from Blue Ribbon Comics #4, June 1940)

Anyway, he debuted in Blue Ribbon Comics #4, a creation of writer Joe Blair and artist Irwin Hansen, (his costume would get much sleeker the next issue). The Fox would linger around for a few years, before Archie took over and the superheroes for MLJ went bye bye.

(from Blue Ribbon Comics #4, June 1940)

He appeared in Blue Ribbon Comics #4-22, and below is an example of his Golden Age costume as it regularly appeared.

(from Blue Ribbon Comics #22, March 1942)

After a very brief and unsuccessful revival in the 60's, it would then be another 20 years before they brought him back again. THIS time though, Alex Toth would bring his talents to the character.

Really, if you ever have a chance to track these (1983) Black Hood issues down (#2-3), for the Toth Fox stories in them (and they are cheap), they're worth seeing.

Toth is a master of the story telling form in comics, and though some think this particular work is a bit wordy, it's layout, design, pace, camera angles, everything about it is exceptionally well done. The best that any of these characters has been presented. And apparently, this short run was the inspiration for Mike Allred's Madman! (Which I love as well)

 (from Black Hood #3, October 1983)

(from Black Hood #3, October 1983)

Toth put the Fox in two diverse settings for these stories (Eden, Texas and Tangiers), and it would've been great to see him continue with it.  

Ok, fast forward to now, 30 years later (!) and the new series is here with a few variants covers. As much as I find this variant craze to be a bit gratuitous, Archie Comics has done a nice job of a) not going over board with it... yet, b) printing enough of them that the price is still right and c) utilizing some artists that actually make some interesting covers that are collectible.

(Fiona Staples variant for the Fox #1)

In the 60's, the Fox had become Paul Patten Jr., the son of the original Fox, and that's who we meet in this new series. He is, according to Haspiel: "... a superhero with no superpowers whose civilian identity as a photojournalist keeps him in the business of getting into and out of trouble. He's just moved back from Japan with his wife and son to rekindle a relationship with his estranged daughter when he discovers that he's a freak magnet."

Nothing wrong with that! A superhero that DOESN'T attract trouble would be pretty boring. 

Haspiel's art in the first issue, has a loose, pop art feel to it (did I just use the term 'pop art?'), enhanced, at times, by the coloring of Allen Passalaqua. A little more 'Laura Allred style' please, and it would give it the pizzaz you see below.

The art is clean and easy to follow, and not unlike reading a Batman Adventures comic, which is ok by me. If I had to nitpick, I'd say a strong inker might tighten it up.

Unnecessary side note: I still have my original copy of Haspiel's Opposable Thumbs from 2001. Man, that was 12 years ago...

(I like it! From the second story in the Fox #1)

Okay, my take on the story is this: They throw a lot at you in the first issue, and as hard as it is to get into a super hero these days, Waid and Haspiel make it go down smooth. We see him in action right away, and then meet his wife, hear about his daughter, find out some of the things that are going to go into knowing who this character is. 

It's fun, it's action packed from the get-go, it's got potential, and I'm going to follow it and see how it goes. Who knows? Maybe this is the writer/artist team to get these old MLJ super heroes up and going again! I hope so.

(Preview art, main story, the Fox #1)

ARCHIE COMICS #11-14 (On newsstands September 1944 to March 1945)

It was a new era beginning for Archie Comics, the 'Bill Vigoda' era, and it would begin with one of the goofier covers in the history of Archie Comics. 

Janice Valleau had inked Pep Comics 42-44, 49-50, and Archie Comics 4-11, as well as pencil the Betty and Veronica feature since issue 7, but issue 11 would be her last. Not sure why, but a year later she would begin a nice run of 'Toni Gayle' stories (Famous fashion model who also is a detective!) in Young King Cole Comics.

Here of course, we're more interested in how she handled those Betty and Veronica stories!

(from Archie #11 Nov/Dec 1944)

Archie had put Mr. Weatherbee through quite a bit in the first couple of years, but he was about to get a temporary reprieve, for whatever reason, and the regular victim of Archie's mischief was his own father. It was almost as if the school board received the note below from 'The Bee' and simply told him to avoid Archie as much as possible.

It worked, though he'd soon find he had a double nemesis to deal with.

(from Archie #11 Nov/Dec 1944)

Vigoda would do the next couple of Betty and Veronica features in Archie Comics, meaning he was doing pretty much the entire book. His art style was still a little rough, but he made sure to remind us that the girls like to lay around in their underwear when they talk on the phone!

 (from Archie #12 Jan/Feb 1945)

Despite the changes that were happening and others that were on the way, the focus was on Archie getting into silly situations and Betty and Veronica being sexy. They couldn't always combine the two in a story (unless it had to do with a date),  but they started to make sure they did it for the covers.

And when those two weren't around, Archie had plenty of other characters to mix with!

(Archie in a wig, Miss Grundy in a towel from Archie #13 Mar/Apr 1945)

But many times, Vigoda's 'cheesecake' had more cheese than cake.

 (from Archie #13 Mar/Apr 1945)

  (from Archie #13 Mar/Apr 1945)

Though at other times, he seemed to get it just right. Nevertheless, there'd soon be other artists' once again doing the Betty and Veronica feature.

 (from Archie #13 Mar/Apr 1945)

As for Weatherbee, he'd go from being a helpless victim of Archie to being a somewhat deserving victim of Betty and Veronica. The 'wolf' side of his persona started to come out and it always ended up biting him!

 (from Archie #13 Mar/Apr 1945)

BOOK REVIEW: 
The ART of BETTY and VERONICA (2013) 

Edited by Victor Gorelick and Craig Yoe

160 pages - $29.99 srp - Hardcover
B&W and Color material
IDW publishing

Craig Yoe has put out another great Archie book (to go along with many of his other comic related books, see: (http://yoebooks.com). Focusing on Betty and Veronica, you'd think would be a no-brainer, but here we are 70 years on and this is the first real book ABOUT the two Archie girls!

Full of original art, covers, stories, and an overview of the pair in each of the decades, it's a great book to have as a part of your Archie collection! And IDW publishing, so you know you have a quality put together book!

There are special surprises like this Bruce Timm sketch below:

Or how about the original art from a full Harry Lucey story? When do you get to see that? (from Laugh Comics #98, May 1959)

There is, of course, tons of Dan DeCarlo art in the book, as Yoe is a huge fan and, let's face it, he's probably the most popular Archie artist, but I also love this book for the Harry Lucey art that's been included! 

(from Archie Giant Series Magazine #171, Feb. 1970)

Also included is a full Betty and Veronica story by Irv Novick, showing the two fighting and competing with each other. Many of the B&V stories were like that back in the day, and if that isn't enough for you, I'll have plenty more of it here at Undercover Archie!

(from Archie #27, July-Aug 1947)

Very enjoyable collection, very much worth having.

Hopefully they'll continue bringing us more of these! 

And if they need any ideas...Now that we have a DeCarlo Jetta collection from Yoe, how about a George Frese/Harry Lucey Ginger collection!

ARCHIE COMICS #3-10 - The Harry Sahle Issues
On newsstands May 1943 to July 1944

Harry Sahle's short run on Archie Comics and the Archie stories he did in Pep Comics, probably don't get the credit they deserve in the history of the character. Sahle (and writer Ed Goggin on much of it) would expand and flesh out many of Montana's ideas and even hit upon a few of their own.

While creator Bob Montana was away in the military (though mostly still in the New York area), Sahle and Goggin worked to ease the fears of MLJ, who worried what would happen to their sudden hit, without it's original writer/artist.

They had nothing to fear, as it kept getting bigger!

Harry Sahle splash from Archie #4:

Just based upon my own observations of the way things occurred, it seems like MLJ wasn't completely happy with the way Sahle was rendering some females (as B & V were a necessary focus). It's possible the 29 year old artist wasn't as yet comfortable adding that sizzle, as some of his efforts to do it look a bit forced and rehashed. (from Archie Comics #5):

His strength was at creating double splash pages, and his 'portraits' of the characters were really well done.

(from Archie Comics #6):

(Jughead from Archie Comics #7):

(Veronica from Archie Comics #8):

Sahle splash page from Archie Comics #6

They started using Janice Valleau (signed as 'Ginger') as an inker, but even her time on the book would be short lived....

(from Archie Comics #6):

....though for a couple issues she would be doing the art for the 'Betty & Veronica' stories in each issue. 

(from Archie Comics #6):

(from Archie Comics #7):

But the comedy side of it, was handled well, and the Goggin and Sahle's stories had some memorable moments!

(from Archie Comics #6)

One of the more peculiar Archie covers during this time. 

(from Archie Comics #8):

There are of course, still those moments that make you wince...that I'm sure Archie Comics would prefer not to reflect on, but to their credit, the Dark Horse Archive series doesn't leave this stuff out. And whereas there could be debate on taking it out, ultimately it is what it is, and it's a part of the history of this series...

(from Archie Comics #8):

Archie's popularity continued to grow, regardless of who was doing it, and whatever anyone thinks of Sahle's time on the book, the run had it's share of 'Archie' moments.... 

(from Archie Comics #8):

Though I could've maybe gone without seeing this...

(from Archie Comics #8):

In the summer of 1944, MLJ put together their best issue of Archie yet. Within a year, this type of one panel cover gag would be common place in the comic for years to come...

(from Archie Comics #9)

The first story, an imaginary tale of Archie in the dinosaur days called 'Archie the Caveman', showed there was no limit to what could be done with the character.  This type of pre-historic setting would be revisited over the years, as would other doppleganger type of stories. The characters and personalities had been established, and it was easy to just plug them into any situation!

Sahle stepped up the sizzle in this issue. It almost seems like a last ditch effort to hold on to the book..

Janice Valleau would do another Veronica and Betty story, having seemingly taken over that part of each issue...

But it wasn't the case. In Archie #10, Bill Vigoda did a 5 page Veronica and Betty story, and then starting with Archie #11 (November 1944) and Pep Comics #51 (December 1944),  he would take over both books for essentially the next three years.

Sahle, and I swear this is true, would go from being the main Archie artist in both Pep and Archie, to doing 4 page Oscar the Dog stories for next couple of months. Hunh? Needless to say, he was soon on his way to Quality and helping establish the female teen character Candy for the next 12 years.

He would never draw Archie again....