# I haven't read Archie comics in 25 years; what's new? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 7, 2004, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642 "2004-12-07T23:07:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/1 "2004-12-07T23:07:03Z")
I see they now have a redhead named Cheryl who apparently out-bitches Veronica. What’s her story, and what else has been going on while I wasn’t looking? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/2 "2004-12-07T23:13:23Z")
Does anyone even get the “Veronica Lodge” joke anymore? ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/3 "2004-12-07T23:16:58Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Does anyone even get the “Veronica Lodge” joke anymore? Was there a joke? Obviously I didn’t get it when I used to read Archie comics twenty five years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/4 "2004-12-07T23:20:12Z")
When Archie comics started in the 1940s, Veronica Lake was a big star. ---
**Author:** ![Milkman\_Dan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Milkman\_Dan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milkman_Dan)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/5 "2004-12-07T23:20:48Z")
Cheryl Blossom first appeared sometime in the eighties and drew a flood of complaints from parents when she was shown about to take her bikini top off on the beach, IIRC. She has made occasional appearances since then. What is the Veronica Lodge joke? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/6 "2004-12-07T23:21:14Z")
Well, it’s later that same day… ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/7 "2004-12-07T23:30:32Z")
I believe Cheryl appeared during the mid-'90’s “Love Showdown” story. The story was hyped as the moment when Archie, after Betty and Veronica give him an ultimatum, finally decides which girl he wants to be with. (It made the papers.) Although I didn’t read it, I believe that the climax of the story was that instead of picking Betty or Veronica, Archie flummoxed them by saying he was wanted Cheryl! So, the girls foget the ulitmatum and they occasionally team up to prevent Archie and Cheryl from having a good time when they’re out together. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/8 "2004-12-07T23:36:30Z")
Has there been any much needed progress in the hot girl-on-girl action aspects of the comic? ---
**Author:** ![Milkman\_Dan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Milkman\_Dan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milkman_Dan)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/9 "2004-12-08T00:54:35Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > I believe Cheryl appeared during the mid-'90’s “Love Showdown” story. Bzzzt, wrong. From the[Archie web site](http://www.archiecomics.com/acpaco_offices/askthearchivist/ask_december.htm)- “Cheryl originally burst upon the Archie universe in BETTY & VERONICA #320 (Oct. 1982).” ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/10 "2004-12-08T01:19:13Z")
Jughead has a little sister named Jellybean. I don’t recall when she first appeared, though. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/11 "2004-12-08T01:30:14Z")
Well, at lot has changed… Betty is a bright tomboy who thrives on rejection. Veronica is a sexy snob who only wants what she can’t have. Jughead is a woman hating compulsive eater (except for that one girlfriend in the wheelchair) Big Ethyl is his biggest fan Reggie is an egomaniacal jerk Moose is a big jealous lug Midge is the hot little number who puts up with him and Archie is the befuddled teenage boy with a fondness for bright magenta sweaters and tight brown slacks who’s at the centre of it all! I actually bought a digest last week but I’m saving it for Xmas. It is no doubt full of references to "Sandra Jessica Marker, the star of Ronnie’s favourite show “Shopping in the City”) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/12 "2004-12-08T01:32:28Z")
Oh, and Dilton is a nerd. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/13 "2004-12-08T01:33:32Z")
> [@Cat Fight](#): > > Oh, and Dilton is a nerd. Didn’t he have a girlfriend? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/14 "2004-12-08T01:41:44Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Didn’t he have a girlfriend? He’s traded up, & several of them are good looking. Lately, he getting more action than Reggie! [http://www.archiecomics.com/7.html?7](http://www.archiecomics.com/7.html?7) ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/15 "2004-12-08T02:40:15Z")
And they haven’t let Moose be portrayed as stupid, or say, “D’uh!” in _ages_. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/16 "2004-12-08T03:12:57Z")
Does Mr. Lodge still dislike Archie? Is Mr. Wetherbee still in desperate need of a clue? ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/17 "2004-12-08T03:41:04Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > When Archie comics started in the 1940s, Veronica Lake was a big star. Also, the Lodge family of “proper Bostonians” exemplified the concept of “old money”. [Henry Cabot Lodge](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=L000393) served in the United States Senate from 1893 to 1924. His grandson, [Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.,](http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0830133.html) was a Senator when Archie debuted as a character [in 1941.](http://www.archiecomics.com/arcoment_offices/brand_history.htm) Veronica’s obviously one of the Southern Lodges, though. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/18 "2004-12-08T05:11:50Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Well, it’s later that same day… I seriously don’t know which is harder to believe. That someone is making a Golden Girls reference or that I get it. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/19 "2004-12-08T05:50:28Z")
> [@fishbicycle](#): > > And they haven’t let Moose be portrayed as stupid, or say, “D’uh!” in _ages_. There was a _very_ unfortunate though well-intentioned “very special episode” type story (early-mid '80s) where they decided “HEY! We need to raise awareness about the scourge of dyslexia! So Moose isn’t a moron, he’s just got dyslexia”. Um…but since he patently _was_ a moron, the image they conveyed was that “Dyslexics are morons.” IIRC, they had to apologize for it. That was an idea never mentioned again (as far as I know). Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642/20 "2004-12-08T05:58:38Z")
Do they still occasionally reprint strips from the Fifties, like they did when I read 'em? Boy, the whole dyslexia fiasco brought to mind this one comic where the characters are transported into a rose-colored version of the early 1900’s. Because y’know, back then, “the people were purer” as well as the air, and “women were treated as more than equals.” I didn’t get it then, but I get it now. Heh. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-read-archie-comics-in-25-years-whats-new/278642.md?page=2)