JUGHEAD #1

(On Newsstands in November 1949)

Archie Comics on the Newsstand for the Month of November 1949

(Thanks to Mike’s Amazing World of Comics - I love his web site! Check it out! http://www.dcindexes.com/index.php?site=)

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I can’t stress enough how important this comic is to the history of Archie Comics. Jughead was Archie’s best friend. Could he sustain his own comic?

(from Jughead #1 - cover date 1949, artwork by George Frese)

In November of 1949, what secondary character got their own comic? Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen? Nope… that was still four years off. Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane? Nope, that was still 8 years off!

Luckily, I have some knowledgable comic collectors who read this blog, and maybe they can tell us who, if ANY secondary character was able to hold his own in book as long lasting as ‘Archie’s Pal Jughead”…. 

(from Jughead #1 - cover dated 1949, artwork by most likely Samm Scwartz)

Look at this, they were so sure of themselves, they were advertising a Reggie comic in Juggy’s first issue! Reggie Mantle!

Did they forget WHO (besides Archie) was the most important pair of characters in this series?

(from Jughead #1 - cover dated 1949, artwork by most likely Samm Scwartz)

The first appearance of Moose (here as Moose ‘McGee’), who was a lot more mean and dangerous looking in this early story than later examples.

(from Jughead #1 - cover dated 1949, artwork by Samm Scwartz - as credited in the Best of Archie Comics - 2011)

And he has no issue with intimidating Archie and Jughead…

(from Jughead #1 - cover dated 1949, artwork by Samm Scwartz - as credited in the Best of Archie Comics - 2011)

Of course Lottie Little makes quite the impression in this story, but she’s not to be confused with Harvey Comics ‘Little Lotta’!

(from Little Lotta #8 - January 1957, artwork by Warren Kremer.)

We even get a story with Souphead, some GGA, and what looks to be an all Samm Scwartz comic! What more could you ask for?

(from Jughead #1 - cover dated 1949, artwork by Samm Scwartz)

Betty and Veronica don’t show up until the very last full story in the book. Archie Comics had a LOT of confidence in Jughead as a character and Samm Schwartz as a (writer? and) artist!

(from Jughead #1 - cover dated 1949, artwork most likely by Samm Scwartz)

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LAUGH COMICS #36

(On Newsstands in October 1949)

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Archie Comics on the Newsstand for the Month of October 1949

(Thanks to Mike’s Amazing World of Comics - I love his web site! Check it out! http://www.dcindexes.com/index.php?site=)

With Bob Montana doing the covers (as well as the newspaper strip) and the artists doing the work on the inside of the book trying to emulate Montana’s ‘House Style’, Archie was about to experience an even greater surge in popularity and sales.

(from Laugh Comics #42 - dated Dec 1950, artwork by Bob Montana)

Betty surprises Archie with a kiss!

(from Laugh Comics #36 - On Newsstands in October 1949 - (artwork by Samm Schwartz)

Many times throughout the years, Betty would ‘smell blood’ and think Archie was available and that this would be her big chance.. and… High Heels and Nylons…

(from Laugh Comics #36 - On Newsstands in October 1949 - (artwork by Samm Schwartz)

It’s always a benefit to find one of these issues with the Paper Dolls still in them!

(from Laugh Comics #36 - On Newsstands in October 1949 - (artwork by Bill Woggon)

Dig that new fangled TV set!

(from Laugh Comics #36 - On Newsstands in October 1949 - (artwork by Bill Woggon)

Want to see what the entire Newsstand looked like for the month of October 1949: (Thanks to Mike’s Amazing World of Comics - I love his web site! Check it out! http://www.dcindexes.com/index.php?site=)

THAT's A LOT OF COMIC BOOKS!

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The DEATH OF ARCHIE!

(Well...not the REAL Archie, but...)

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I'm a little behind on my posting schedule (said every blogger at some point), so I thought I'd share some thoughts on the variant covers of the Death of Archie 2 part story from Life With Archie #36-37 (a great series, you should most definitely check it out!)

Fiona Staples (most recently of 'Saga' fame) has been doing some great Archie variant covers, my favorite being that Life With Archie #24 Josie and the Pussycays variant (I have a Signature Series copy of it!)

Sticking to that Rock 'n' Roll theme, her variant for this is really wonderful...

Mike Allred (Madman, iZombie) is one of my favorite artists, and he doesn't disappoint here...

I thought Cliff Chiang's cover was one of the most underrated... really a powerful statement... Betty and Veronica walking in unison... Jughead doing what he does best at his friend's grave (and removing his never removed hat in respect)....

Tommy Lee Edwards - not my favorite, but.... well done.

It's hard for Francesco Francavilla to do anything I DON'T like, and THIS is just beautiful, from the camera angle to the colors... the rain...

I've heard some criticism of this Adam Hughes variant, but I liked it. The girls of course, are his specialty and his focus, though fittingly their sexuality is downplayed here. It's interesting how many of these artists focused on that soda glass...

Ramon Perez has really been doing some great work, and I love this variant in particular. Wish i could get up to the Boston Comic Con this weekend and get him to sign a few of these for me...

This has probably been the most criticized of all the covers, and I just can't figure out why. Personally, I think Alex Ross has captured what the gang would look like in real life better than anyone I had ever seen and yes, it IS kinda creepy.... but I love it!

Walt Simonson is a great artist, a master of his craft, but I was a bit disappointed with this one... and I don't get the Thinker statue...

Jill Thompson is awesome, and I really like what she's done here... more Archie variants from Jill please! 

See... to me... THIS is kinda creepy...

This is the second print cover to the magazine sized issue collecting both #36-37 (I was too lazy to scan my 1st print - it has an intense purple 'hue' to the grey area)... pretty graphic...

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ARCHIE COMICS #42

(On Newsstands in November 1949)

Another great Bob Montana cover, featuring a horny-as-usual Archie, an indifferent Jughead, and a sexy female that is NOT Veronica or Betty…

(from Archie Comics #42 - dated Jan-Feb 1950, artwork by Bob Montana)

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B&W Inside front cover ad for Archie, Suzie and Wilbur.

(from Archie Comics #42 - dated Jan-Feb 1950, artwork by Bob Montana)

It starts off as an innocent exchange between Betty and Archie, but turns into a school holiday! A fun story, and I’m really liking Ray Gill’s artwork.

(from Archie Comics #42 - dated Jan-Feb 1950 (artwork by Ray Gill)

What makes a great Archie artist is an appreciation of Betty, and how to tell a good Betty story. ‘Ignorance is Bliss’ is one of those quintessential Betty stories…  

(from Archie Comics #42 - dated Jan-Feb 1950 (artwork most likely by Ray Gill)

All the talk usually centers around Dan DeCarlo and Harry Lucey, but man oh man, Samm Schwartz caught on quick and was around for such a long time….

(from Archie Comics #42 - dated Jan-Feb 1950 (artwork by Samm Schwatz)

Archie’s had some embarrassing moments, but thinking he’s invisible ranks up there pretty high…

(from Archie Comics #42 - dated Jan-Feb 1950 (artwork by Ray Gill)

Especially once he goes outside!

(from Archie Comics #42 - dated Jan-Feb 1950 (artwork by Ray Gill)

Not sure I can explain this…

(from Archie Comics #42 - dated Jan-Feb 1950 (artwork by Ray Gill)

In what is probably my favorite issue to read of Archie yet, Samm Schwartz(?) gives us a Jughead story to close things out…

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Find some more modern Archie stories here:

Or find some of the older classic stories in these great collections:

ARCHIE ANNUAL #1

(On Newsstands in October 1949)

Big things were brewing at MLJ publishing, and not just with Romance knock offs!

Archie Annual #1 hit the stands in October of 1949, with a Bob Montana cover and a whopping 116 pages of new material!

(from Archie Annual #1 - art by Bob Montana) 

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I’m sure in the editorial meetings there was some speculation as to if they could sell a big 25 cent Archie Comic, even if it had 116 pages of all new material, but I guess they figured it was worth a try!

On the inside front cover, they went all out to remind everyone that this was for YOU THE READER and as a FIRST EDITION (all caps!) it just might be worth something some day and it’s all Brand New (in Italics) and yadda yadda yadda...

Sheesh! We like Archie already! We’re gonna buy it!

(from Archie Annual #1 - o/s Oct 1949)

You’ll notice Ray Gill signed the opening splash, but to the right of Archie’s leg we see Samm Scwartz’s (Sam S) scrawled on the floorboard.

According to Grand Comics Database (www.comics.org), this was Gill’s script and Schwartz’s art. Not sure, but my guess is it’s a combination of Gill and Schwartz art, though it’s certainly possible Gill wrote the story (based on a premise we’d seen in Archie before).

(from Archie Annual #1 - ‘Notes to You’ - art by Samm Schwartz and Ray Gill)

What we’d see throughout is a collaborative effort from the artists (I believe), here again with art by Samm Schwartz and Ray Gill.

(from Archie Annual #1 - ‘Notes to You’ - art by Samm Schwartz and Ray Gill)

Archie gets more than he bargained for in a dance with Veronica’s mom... 

(from Archie Annual #1 - ‘Gym Dandy’ art by Samm Schwartz and Ray Gill)

An ad for Darling Love and Darling Romance...

(from Archie Annual #1)

A Jughead solo story - they should give him his own comic already (heh heh) - Here, Archie checks out a female passerby, as Reggie messes with Jughead.

(from Archie Annual #1 - ‘Who’s Zoo’ - art by unknown, but it looks like it has some Red Holmdale in it.)

Getting pretty fancy with these ads, putting the actual comic in it!

(from Archie Annual #1)

Here Bill Vigoda and Ray Gill team up...

(from Archie Annual #1 - ‘The Rug Cutter’ - art by Bill Vigoda and Ray Gill)

A full page ad for Laugh, Suzie, and Wilbur

(from Archie Annual #1)

Another Jughead solo story (sort of), done by an artist I don’t recognize - anyone have any ideas on it?

(from Archie Annual #1 - ‘The Pin-up’ - artist unknown)

Bill Vigoda

(from Archie Annual #1 - ‘The Bugaboo Buster’ - art by Bill Vigoda)

Samm has a clever way of signing his name to the art!

(from Archie Annual #1 - ‘Fat’s the Spirit’ art by Samm Schwartz)

They may have filtered out some of the sexuality, but there are still things you would not see in today’s Archie Comic!

(And there’s actually a good message in the story as Archie learns a lesson.)

(from Archie Annual #1 - ‘Fat’s the Spirit’ art by Samm Schwartz)

I’m not going to give away the story, but seriously, there’s a good message in it all…

(from Archie Annual #1 - ‘Fat’s the Spirit’ art by Samm Schwartz)

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Find some more modern Archie stories here:

Or find some of the older classic stories in these great collections: