Big Ethel
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"Big" Ethel Muggs (originally Ethel Dinklehof) is a fictional character by Archie Comics. She is a student of Riverdale High School, known to her schoolmates by the nickname Big Ethel.
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[edit] History and character
Portrayed in the early era as a tall, ugly, somewhat boy-crazy individual, she had a huge infatuation with Jughead Jones, usually resorting to devious means to get Jughead in her clutches. She is usually portrayed running after Jughead. Ethel has also pursued Jughead by appealing to his appetite; the Betty and Veronica comic title often featured real recipes that Ethel used to make her way to Jughead's heart through his stomach. Earlier issues featuring Big Ethel show her bearing a strong resemblance to Jughead, also, with her prominent nose, dark hair, and angular build. In the late eighties, Ethel was occasionally drawn with braces on her teeth, which have always been buck.
In the later era, she's been portrayed as an average, somewhat likeable individual, whose infatuation for Jughead has lessened quite a bit. She now has other interests that keep her mind from Jughead, including Archie Andrews, to keep her company. This actually tends to make Jughead a bit jealous, and she has even been on one memorable date with Archie in one story. That date showed another side of Ethel, where she was funny, smart and attractive. The same story also introduces Hank, a friend of Ethel's who works at a local club Archie and Ethel visit on their date. (Archie's Riverdale High #8)
It is later revealed that Hank was originally a pen pal of Ethel's, and she sent him a picture of Veronica instead of herself because of her low self-esteem. Hank meets Veronica (standing in as Ethel), and dumps her because of her vanity. He soon runs into the real Ethel, and tells her she is the most exciting girl he has ever met, and Veronica can't hold a candle to her. When she questions his sincerity, he replies that he does mean it, and she is even more beautiful than Veronica. (Archie & Friends # 12)
In a storyline that ran in Jughead in the early 1990's, Ethel tells Jughead she is tired of chasing him, and begins a romantic relationship with Jeffrey, a blind teen. During this time, Jughead also has a semi-romantic relationship with Anita, a paralyzed African-American teen. Both Jughead and Ethel display jealousy at the others' relationship, and the storyline is eventually dropped. (Jughead #29)
Ethel also has a pet poodle named Clementine. In some stories, Ethel uses Clementine as bait to lure Jughead and Hot Dog to her, since Hot Dog has a crush on Clementine.
Ethel also appeared on the Archie cartoons, most notably in "How to Catch a Man" segments on Archie's Funhouse. [1] She also appeared on the New Archies cartoon and tie-in comic book series.
[edit] To Riverdale and Back Again
In the made for TV movie To Riverdale and Back Again (Archie's 15-year high school reunion), one of the running gags was that Jughead was continually running away whenever he heard that Ethel was looking for him. When he finally decided to accept his fate and go to her house, he was amazed to discover that Ethel was a late bloomer and was in fact a gorgeous fashion model, who still had a crush on him. At the end of the movie, Jughead chooses to stay in Riverdale (with his son) and pursue a relationship with Ethel. Ethel is played by Cindy Ambuehl.
[edit] Prototypes
An early prototype for the Big Ethel character appeared in Archie Comics #30 (1948). In the story "Patch as Catch Can", Archie is trying to avoid having a patch sewn on his pants by Betty ("the gal who can sew her patch on a boy gets him to take her to the hop"). While running from her, he finds a boy on a tandem, and jumps aboard. He soon realizes the boy is actually a very unattractive girl, whom Archie refers to as a "Zombie". He jumps off the bike, and continues to dodge Betty throughout the story. In the end, he ends up strung from rope tied to a flag pole, and the "Zombie" returns and sews a patch on Archie's underwear. The story ends with Archie lying on the railroad tracks, sayin "It's no use, Jug. This is a much easier way out."
The "Zombie" character was later renamed Ophelia Gleutenschnable. She turned her romantic desires toward Jughead and relentlessy pursued him. In contrast to later stories, Jughead willingly went on dates with Ophelia. In one gag, Archie asks Jughead why he asked Ophelia to the dance, and Jughead replies that she is different. Archie asks how she is different, and Jughead says "She's the only one who'll go with me!". Eventually, Ophelia evolves into Big Ethel. [2]
[edit] Titles
Ethel has never had her own series, but has been a supporting character mainly in the various Jughead series, as well as some of the Betty series (with whom she has a close friendship). She also has solo stories in the various Archie anthology titles. In 1982, she co-starred in the Spire Christian Comics title Archie and Big Ethel. [3]
