Betty and Veronica (comic book)

Betty and Veronica (also known as Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica) are comic book series published by Archie Comics focusing on "best friends and worst enemies" Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge, both girlfriends of Archie Andrews. These three characters along with Jughead Jones and Reggie Mantle are the five main characters of this long-running series of comics, which has been published in two volumes. The series has several spin-offs with similar titles. Typical stories feature the two high school girls as they hang out with each other, shop, and fight for Archie's affections. Together the pair form the female part of the classic love triangle which has been a staple of the comic series since 1942. Betty and Veronica have also been featured in the various other titles published by Archie Comics, and each has her own title.

Betty first appeared in Pep Comics #22, also the first appearance of both Archie and Jughead. Veronica made her debut a few months later, in Pep #26, as an immediate rival to Betty for Archie's affections.

Blonde Betty is the sweet wholesome hometown "girl next door," in contrast to brunette Veronica, a spoiled and often selfish rich girl. The girls were featured in other Archie comics before launching into their own title, Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica, in 1950. In issue #4 artist Dan DeCarlo did his first work for Archie, beginning a fifty-year career with the publishing house.

Publication history

Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica was first published on March 1950 and ran for 347 issues ending in April 1987. Some significant issues included issue #118 (October 1965), where Betty becomes the superheroine Superteen, a spoof on popular superhero comics of the era as well as issue #320 (October 1982) which introduced the long-running character Cheryl Blossom, from Pembroke, a redhead who competes with Betty and Veronica for Archie.^[1] The run additionally included eight annual publications published from 1953 to 1980.^[2]

A new Betty and Veronica series launched with a #1 on June 1987. This volume ended in late 2015 with 278 issues (625 overall issues if you count volume one).^[3] That series will be cancelled to make way for a new Betty and Veronica series which will take part in Archie Comics' "New Riverdale". The series will be written and drawn by Adam Hughes.^[4]

In 2004, a new line of dolls and fashion accessories was launched with the tag line 'Are you a Betty or Veronica?' and in 2005, a new series of traditional (non-comics) books were launched featuring the two girls and aimed at the pre-teen female market. At the end of 2005, an Australian girl-band, "The Veronicas", was adopted by the publishing house and incorporated in their marketing and products.

In 2007 a new look for the characters, with more naturalistic facial features, was floated for an experimental run.^[5][6] By 2008, the characters had clearly reverted to the traditional appearance.^[7]

Stories

Stories are usually centered around the daily life in Riverdale but occasionally they do touch on more serious subjects, including divorced parents and broken families, cheating, and other moral issues. Both characters have been featured in various public-information campaigns against illicit drug use and smoking, and for environmental protection. Issues will also include stories about dancing, sports, school, and part-time jobs, although religion is generally avoided. Stories will also include their friends such as Midge Klump, Ethel Muggs, Cricket O'Dell and Nancy Woods as well as Archie Andrews, Jughead Jones, and Reggie Mantle.

At New York Comic Con in 2013, Archie Comics announced that Betty and Veronica would leave Riverdale in Farewell, Betty and Veronica written by Michael Uslan with art by Dan Parent, and that two new female characters would replace them.^[8] The six-issue arc, titled Farewell to Betty and Veronica, was published from November 2014 to August 2015 through issues #272-277.^[9]

The Archie Library

Stories taken from the Betty and Veronica series have been reprinted in Archie Comics' digest series starring the two title females. This includes:

• Betty and Veronica Annual Digest Magazine (16 issues, Sept. 1989 - June 1997)
• Betty and Veronica Comic Digest Magazine (208 issues, 1980 - December 2010)
• B & V Friends Comics Digest (January 2011 to present)
• Betty and Veronica Double Digest Magazine (June 1987 to present)

References

External links

• Betty and Veronica vol. 1 at the Comic Book DB
• Betty and Veronica vol. 2 at the Comic Book DB