After 67 Years, Archie Chooses Veronica

After almost 70 years, one of the literary world's great love triangles will finally resolve itself. Eternal teenager Archie Andrews — he of Archie comics fame — has finally chosen a bride. The drama will play out over six issues of the comic book, the first of which is out Wednesday.

Archie is an unlikely hero: an awkward but polite 17-year-old redhead. Somehow, he manages to hold the attention of both Betty, the blonde next door, and Veronica, the raven-haired rich girl. Archie is a typical suburban teenager: He has part-time jobs, he plays in a band, he loves his car. His averageness has also charmed generations of readers.

"He's not a Superman. He's not a Batman. He doesn't have all these powers," notes Victor Gorelick, who's worked at Archie Comics for more than 50 years and is Archie's editor-in-chief. "He just has the power of being able to have people like him."

Joe Ferrara, who owns Atlantis Fantasyworld in Santa Cruz, Calif., says he's seen people of all ages and all types pick up Archie. He calls the comic a rite of passage and a beginning point for the majority of people who like comics.

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The Archie comic book has been published for 67 years. And for 67 years, Archie has waffled back and forth between Betty and Veronica. There have been other girls, but these two are the ones Archie always comes back to.

Though Archie pops the question to Veronica — and she accepts — in true serial drama spirit, Gorelick points out that there are five more issues in the series yet to come.

"In spite of the fact that he's getting engaged to Veronica, everybody wanted it to be Betty. It's a long story. That's all I can tell you!"

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