The Bizarre Origin & History of ARCHIE: From Comics to Riverdale Explained!

Archie Comics is home to iconic characters like Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, and Archie Andrews himself. And with The CW wrapping up the season finale of the Riverdale tv show, let's take a look back at Archie Comics as a company to explain their bizarre origin and history that involves untimely deaths, toxic lawsuits, and an unlikely friendship that would take Archie and the Riverdale gang from the 1940s to the modern world!

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———————SOURCES———————

Twelve-Cent Archie - Bart Beaty
Archie and Betty and Veronica and Zombies
The evolution of Archie Comics: updating the Riverdale gang for the 21st century
The Battle for a Comic-Book Empire That Archie Built
The Legend of Nancy Silberkleit
Archie Comics employees file lawsuit against ‘bully’ boss

[gray]

My Uncle started working at Archie comics in the 70s when he was 18, and he still works there today! He started out as an intern and is now editor in chief, if you look on the very bottom of the start of the comics then you will see his name ‘Victor Gorlick’ and he gives me Archie comics all the time and it’s so great

[rileywilliams]

My mother was a big Archie fan. She passed away in May, and 2 days ago at the supermarket I stopped to look at the Archie comic collections and remember how she loved to receive a new copy. I should buy a copy myself to honor those memories.

[ericagarcia]

I still love the old-fashioned-like-drawing of archie. It's like a history in there and kind of unique for me. Even though I'm not yet born on those years. I LOVE THE COMICS ARCHIE FOREVER <3

[zachgamemaster]

My first exposure to Archie was a tv show called Archie's Weird Mysteries. A show that has strange things happening to Riverdale, from Veronica growing 50 feet tall to a robot football player to Vinny using a time machine. So hearing that people wanted to keep Archie the same made me scratch my head. I only got into it because the show was different.

[realar]

My grandpa was Archie in the original 70's cartoon!!!

[TheGoldenNeil]

I remember my first Archie book. It was my great grandmother's house, and she has a copy of an Archie Double Digest, and I believe it was from the early 1990's. I also later found three large Archie comics, probably from the 70's. Archie is one of those books that will always have a special place in my heart, no matter what happens to the characters or stories.

[alicewilloughby]

I remember an issue where Archie got lost in the snow with an injured ankle, and was confronted by a starving, elderly wolf. He was eventually rescued and the wolf taken to a zoo. The ending line was; "Archie swears that the last time he visited her, she wagged her tail." I think this was in the 1980's, though I can't be sure

[typhoonzebra]

WHY!?!? Why did they not call themselves Gold and Silber? It's a great name.

[guyincognito]

Nancy seems like she could've been the inspiration of Riverdale's Cheryl.

[antwan]

This is probably the best backstory I've heard about a comic book.

[calebleland]

I myself having been an Archie fan for nearly all of my 41 years, I love Riverdale. Yes, it's a huge step away from the comics, but there are a lot of nods to the comics, and it's entertaining enough to have kept me watching. I respect Geoff's opinion, though, and it's always nice to know there are still some Archie fans other than me out there. Great video, Scott and company!

[HitoHito]

Fun Fact: There was this Punk Band in the early 90s called "Jughead's Revenge" but disbanded after Archie Comics sent them a Cease and Desit Letter. They're back now, but they are now known as "Jugg's Revenge"

[gorefan]

i don't think jughead is asexual i think he doesn't care about romance at all he only cares about food

[ghostriderjinetedelfanta]

Growing up as an adolescent, before manga/anime, Archie was the only comics to deal with adolescent & teenage concerns like dating or school life. I can't relate to being bitten by a radioactive spider or being an alien w/superpowers. I can relate to, being afraid to ask a girl I like on a date or to go steady. Not being invited to the party, everyone else is going to. Not having a date for prom. Or just trying to get enough money to take a girl out for a nice date.

[Markstubation]

Can we get an 'Afterlife with Archie' animated movie? I mean Scooby-Doo has a whole bunch of animated movies...

[rodrigoarellano]

I love you covering other comic companies cough *image history video* cough

[cool_grey]

anybody watch archie' s weird mysteries?

[NerdSyncProductions]

Gonna preemptively point out things that aren’t mentioned in the video that people will most likely yell about:
• Archie/Punisher crossover
• Jughead’s sexuality
• Josie and the Pussycats movie

Sorry 😕

[cakredi]

Wes Anderson should make Archie's big-screen version.

[toyosiadesina]

I always kind of wished Riverdale was more like Dan Harman's Community, but like, in highschool instead of community college.