Everyone Loves Archie!

A couple of months ago (in Archie #600), Archie publications kicked off a six-issue storyline that had Archie marrying Veronica. In #603 the story goes for three more issues exploring a Archie/Betty wedded life. According to the company, the storyline brought world-wide attention back to the perennial teen (who first hit the stands in December of 1941.

The minaj a trois is the result of a storyline that has Archie traveling down memory lane, and taking first one fork and then the other, so as to get both sides of the marital issue.

Jon Goldwater, co-chief executive of Archie Comic Publications estimates that the first part of the story line sold some hundreds of thousands of copies. According to sources, the sales of #600 come in at just over 54,000 (by contrast,issue #597 sold around 2,500 copies. These numbers do not account for newsstand, supermarket

“This has really pushed ‘Archie’ into the consciousness of everyone’s mind,” Mr. Goldwater said. The plotline was mentioned on everything from the BBC to the “Late Show With David Letterman” to “The Rachel Maddow Show” and in newspapers worldwide. The response in India was especially enthusiastic, and so “Archie” will now be printed in five languages there. Archie Comic Publications plans to open its first international office in New Delhi next year and is also preparing some exclusive comics for that market that will include Indian characters.ket and international sales of Archie.

The marriage story arc has been written by Michael E. Uslan (executive producer of the Batman films) and illustrated by Stan Goldberg (a longtime Archie illustrator).

Neeedless to say it is the hope of the company for this “relaunch” of Archie and his gang may help launch the characters into feature films or even a new animated series. Archie Publishing has recently signed with Creative Artists Agency to represent the gang in Hollywood. Then, on the print side, the publisher is joining with the fellow comic-book publishers IDW and Dark Horse for several collected editions, in softcover and hardcover. IDW will reprint Archie newspaper strips, as well as best-of volumes devoted to the work of longtime Archie artists like Dan DeCarlo and Stan Goldberg.

Starting next year, Dark Horse will publish archive editions of Archie that begin with his first appearance in Pep Comics #22 in December 1941.

For more on this story go here.

THUNDER at SDCC

By now, many of you may have already heard this bit of info, but it is entirely possible that you might not have, simply because the characters involved were old before you were born, and have long languished in funnybook limbo.

OK, I’m exaggerating just a little bit, but truth to tell, they have long been out of the public eye. I’m talking — of course — about the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents.

It was announced at Comic-Con International: San Diego that the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents will (finally) be returning to the public eye.

According to a pair of announcements (and personal contact with the executor of John Carbonaro’s will), I can reveal this much: John’s heirs have We have partnered with Michael Uslan to further exploit T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents through all channels worldwide. They have also licensed DC to take the Agents to the next level (that is to say, publish comics about the Agents). Furthermore, the Agents will be integrated into the DC Universe.

No sale to anyone has been made - John’s heirs have retain all rights (and the control) of the characters.

What this means, is really anyone’s guess, but we can only see it as a good thing. The Agents are — and have always been — a viable concept. I, for one, that is a good thing. I don’t know what plans DC (or Uslan) has for the Agents, but I look forward to seeing them again back in print.

I can only hope that John and Wally are smiling.