Betty Or Veronica: Archie Will Finally Answer The 82-Year-Old Question
Archie Comics is about to give a real answer to a question more than 80 years in the making: Betty or Veronica?
Since debuting in "Pep Comics" #22 back in 1941, Archie Andrews, the main protagonist of the iconic Riverdale-based comic series, has been torn between his two loves, Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge — with the former being the blonde next door and the latter, the dark-haired rich socialite. While Archie has never officially decided on whom he wants to be with on a permanent basis, a new story may give fans a long-desired answer. In the "Archie: The Decision" one-shot (by Tom King, Dan Parent, Bob Smith, Rosario "Tito" Pena, and Jack Morelli, Archie will seemingly put an end to the discussion about who he should be with.
King, whose writing work is playing a key influence in James Gunn's upcoming DCU slate, said he's delighted to jump into the Archie Comics world. "As a massive Archie fan, this is just a pure joy project for me," King said in a press release. "I wanted to do something zany and cool and screwball and hysterical and gorgeous and harebrained and maybe a little tiny itty-bitty bit profound as a tribute to my Golden and Silver Age Archie heroes — people like Dan DeCarlo, Harry Lucey, Bob Bolling, Bob Montana, and Samm Schwartz. And who better to do that with than the modern Archie maestro, Dan Parent, who inherited and brilliantly carried on the legacy of those giants."
Will Archie actually make a decision?
Archie Comics has never been afraid to tell bold, unexpected stories set in its universe. "Archie Horror Presents: The Cursed Library" is currently taking Riverdale to Hell, while a chilling new chapter featuring Ginger Snap in "Chilling Adventures Presents... Welcome to Riverdale" introduces a bizarro version of the fictional town. However, "Archie: The Decision" isn't the first time Archie Comics hinted at Archie Andrews finally choosing between Betty and Veronica.
2009's "Archie" #600" (by Michael Uslan and Stan Goldberg) centered on the story "Archie Marries Veronica Part 1: The Proposal." Some readers thought the story meant that Archie would finally make his decision, but the comic turned out to be part of a six-issue arc, with later stories also spotlighting what would happen if "Archie Marries Betty." It all ended up being a figment of Archie's imagination, with no real impact on the present-day events of the comic.
The new one-shot appears to offer a more decisive take, but until Archie Andrews actually sticks with his decision, it remains to be seen if the story will have a lasting impact. Even King admitted in Archie Comics' press release he isn't sure if the answer is solvable. "This is an epic, riotous story featuring scores of Archie characters where Dan and I wrestle with the greatest dilemma in the near 85-year history of comics," he said. "I'm not sure we can solve it, but, like all of Riverdale, we're going to have a ton of fun trying."
Viewers can see what choice Archie makes when "Archie: The Decision" arrives in comic book stores and online retailers on August 28.