PEP COMICS #62-66 (July 1947 - March 1948)

LAUGH COMICS #22-26 (Spring 1947 - April 1948)

Al Fagaly was also doing the covers for Laugh Comics and Pep Comics... 

(from Laugh Comics #22 - Spring 1947)

Occasionally Bill Woggon would treat us to a Betty and Veronica story...

(from Laugh Comics #22 - Spring 1947)

Even Fred Andrew's wasn't above losing his cool in the presence of a beautiful woman...

(from Laugh Comics #22 - Spring 1947)

But mostly Mr. Andrew's had a different kind of woman causing him trouble...

(from Laugh Comics #23 - Summer 1947)

Plenty of long time Archie fans, would've loved to be in this position!

(from Laugh Comics #23 - Summer 1947)

Veronica cheesecake from Irv Novick...

 (from Laugh Comics #23 - Summer 1947)

Al Fagaly had a sort of 1920's-30's art deco style to some of his women...

(from Pep Comics #64 - Nov 1947)

One of the funniest early Archie stories... reprinted in Archie Americana Series, Best of the Forties; Archie his first 50 years, the Best of Archie Comics, and now in the Archie Archives Volume Eight!

Check out Archie's eyes!

 (from Pep Comics #64 - Nov 1947)

As usual for a funny Archie story, Mr. Weatherbee takes a beating...

 (from Pep Comics #64 - Nov 1947)

some of it deserved...

 (from Pep Comics #64 - Nov 1947)

but that dummy causes more confusion...

 (from Pep Comics #64 - Nov 1947)

From Laugh Comics #24, it can be said that with Novick and Woggon doing the Betty and Veronica stories, Bill Vigoda was obviously watching and learning...

(from Laugh Comics #24 - December 1947)

Half Undressed Angry Betty! SEE! He gets it!

 (from Laugh Comics #24 - December 1947)

Even though Laugh Comics would feature stories from Wilbur, Suzie, Katy Keene, and others... it was Archie and his gang that was featured on the cover.

(from Laugh Comics #25 - Feb 1948)

The story in Laugh Comics #25 featured a number of rarities, a) Archie dating someone other than Betty or Veronica, b) Jughead with a 'date', and c) Archie getting stabbed in the hand with a fork.

Despite all of that, the story was essientially a copy of  Bob Montana's "Case of the Missing Mistletoe" story from Archie #1. NOT a retouched copy... I take it they were past that... but the same basic idea.

 (from Laugh Comics #25 - Feb 1948)

Though it ends up double good for Archie this time....

 (from Laugh Comics #25 - Feb 1948)

Another good Al Fagaly cover, with a more Montana-ish looking Betty...

(from Pep Comics #65 - Jan 1948)

Veronica likes Weenies!

 (from Pep Comics #65 - Jan 1948)

Good, clean fun that you just wouldn't see in an Archie Comic today...

(from Pep Comics #65 - Jan 1948)

Great cover. I might like some of Fagaly's Pep and Laugh covers better than the Archie ones...

(from Pep Comics #66 - Mar 1948)

Mr. Lodge tells Veronica to shut up!

Also: Anyone else notice this story, drawn by Irv Novick, has a somewhat more defined inking to it?

 (from Pep Comics #66 - Mar 1948)

Hmmm....

 (from Pep Comics #66 - Mar 1948)

These stories and more can be found in:

EMERALD CITY COMIC CON 

March 28-30, 2014

I went to Seattle last weekend for Emerald City Comic Con (my third year in a row) and I wanted to do a quick post on my Archie related fun!

Archie artist Dan Parent was there, and I picked up a copy of his Sketch Book (Volume One)...

Forgive my scan - there's a lot of cool stuff in it... if you get a chance pick one up!

Also picked up some comics:

ARCHIE COMICS #30-31

(On Newsstands November 1947 - January 1948)

Early on, Archie’s already had his share of dressing as a woman, but in this story he actually switches clothes with Veronica.

(from Archie Comics #30 Jan/Feb 1948)

Seems Archie thinks men are better dancers (when it comes to the Jitterbug anyway) and he sets out to prove it, though he ends up regretting Reggie as a partner.

(from Archie Comics #30 Jan/Feb 1948)

...though Veronica as a boy dancing with Betty has an interesting take on it...

(from Archie Comics #30 Jan/Feb 1948)

Wertham may have missed this one out of context... Interesting reading choices for Veronica!

(from Archie Comics #30 Jan/Feb 1948)

Well here it is. How often have you thought, Archie should just punch that Reggie right in the jaw. He has!

(from Archie Comics #30 Jan/Feb 1948)

Though... every once in awhile Reggie cracks a joke that makes me laugh...

(from Archie Comics #31 Mar/Apr 1948)

You think they were hard on Big Ethel? Look at some of the other girls in Archie’s class. 

Oh, and in case you’re keeping track, that’s a Gabby appearance (center in the Black and Green).

(from Archie Comics #31 Mar/Apr 1948)

Archie puzzle page from issue #31. Not sure who did the art, but it’s not the best rendition of those characters...

(from Archie Comics #31 Mar/Apr 1948)

Yeah....I'll bet you do!

(from Archie Comics #31 Mar/Apr 1948)

Not sure why I got such a kick out this, but I had to include it...

(from Archie Comics #31 Mar/Apr 1948)

Though he gets his revenge (temporarily). Cat Lovers are NOT going to like to see this!

(from Archie Comics #31 Mar/Apr 1948)

They actually had to show the fabric torn in this or else that would’ve been one of the funniest Archie panels ever....

(from Archie Comics #31 Mar/Apr 1948)

Betty threatens to MURDER Veronica!

(from Archie Comics #31 Mar/Apr 1948)

---------------------------------------

Some of these stories can be found in:

INDIANA COMIC CON

Indianapolis, IN

March 14, 2014

Indiana Comic Con (Archie Edition) - I drove the four hours to Indianapolis, as sort of a warm up to my crazy comic convention season where I'll be going to at least 7 shows in the next four months!

One of the highlights of the show for me was picking up a couple of original art pieces from Andrew Pepoy. When they were putting together the Archie Dailies book, there were some pieces of Bob Montana's art that weren't quite up to reproduction standards and had to be recreated.

Andrew with this wonderfully recreated Bob Montana Betty...

 A close up of the artwork... I love this piece! As close as I'm ever going to get to a Bob Montana piece of this size!

And the cover for Archie the Complete Daily Newspaper Comics - The Swinging Sixties that it was used for... I'll be reviewing this at some point, but I can say with all certainty right now that... I love the cover!

And while I was at it, I went and picked up one of the regular strips that Andrew had to recreate for it... with Veronica and Betty both in it!

Andrew Pepoy, of course is known for creating one of the most popular Archie variants covers EVER, with this little beauty below.

(Afterlife with Archie #1 - Pepoy Variant)

Here's the unedited version!

It took Archie Comics a couple of months to realize... Hey! This might be a good idea!... so they had Andrew do another 'nighty' variant, this one for the upcoming (next month) Afterlife with Archie #5. 

Ask your local comic shop to reserve one for you!

(Afterlife with Archie #5 - Pepoy Variant)

And the just announced variant for #7 featuring Betty and Veronica both!

(Afterlife with Archie #7 - Pepoy Variant)

AND there was THIS incredible variant for Archie #646!

(Archie #646 - Pepoy Variant)