Betty and Veronica Magazine
Encyclopedia
Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica and the subsequent series Betty and Veronica are comic book
series published by Archie Comics
focusing on "best friends and worst enemies" Betty Cooper
and Veronica Lodge
, both girlfriend
s 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-off
s 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 have each had their own title, usually for brief runs.
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 #6 artist Dan DeCarlo
did his first work for Archie, beginning a fifty-year career with the publishing house.
, from Pembroke, a redhead who compete with Betty and Veronica for Archie. The run additionally included eight annual publications published from 1953 to 1980.
A new Betty and Veronica series launched with a #1 (June 1987), sans the "Archie's Girls" part of the title. This has run 255 issues as of calendar date August 24, 2011.
Reprint stories have run in small-format "digest
" series including Betty and Veronica Annual Digest Magazine (16 issues, Sept. 1989 - June 1997), Betty and Veronica Comic Digest Magazine' (208 issues, 1980 - Dec. 2010) and Betty and Veronica Double Digest Magazine (June 1987 to present).
Stories are generally based on slices of "daily life" in Riverdale
but do on occasion 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. Archie Comics has always exercised a very strict code for the stories and drawings, recognizing the impact the comics have on children. Drinking, use of tobacco, drugs, nudity, and other controversial practices are carefully avoided, although modern politically-sensitive matters are often involved. Dancing, sports, school, and part-time jobs are all an important part of life in Riverdale, although religion is generally avoided. Although both characters (and their female friends, including Midge Clump, Big Ethel
, Cricket O'Dell, and others) are generally on the cutting-edge of teenage fashion, and fashion was often the subject of older stories, the extremes of teen female styles in the 1990s and first half of the 2000s have been avoided for the most part.
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. By 2008, the characters had clearly reverted to the traditional appearance.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series published by Archie Comics
Archie Comics
Archie Comics is an American comic book publisher headquartered in the Village of Mamaroneck, Town of Mamaroneck, New York, known for its many series featuring the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Jughead Jones. The characters were created by...
focusing on "best friends and worst enemies" Betty Cooper
Betty Cooper
Betty Cooper is a fictional character of Archie Comics, the blonde-haired daughter of Hal and Alice Cooper. Betty likes sports, and is also a cheerleader. Betty was created in December 1941. Her older brother Chic Cooper and older sister Polly Cooper have both moved out of Riverdale, their hometown...
and Veronica Lodge
Veronica Lodge
Veronica Lodge is a fictional character in the Archie Comics books series.-Fictional history and character:She is called both by her name Veronica and her nickname Ronnie...
, both girlfriend
Girlfriend
Girlfriend is a term that can refer to either a female partner in a non-marital romantic relationship or a female non-romantic friend that is closer than other friends....
s of Archie Andrews
Archie Andrews (comics)
Archie Andrews, created in 1941 by Vic Bloom and Bob Montana, is a fictional character in an American comic book series published by Archie Comics, as well as the long-running Archie Andrews radio series, a syndicated comic strip, The Archie Show, and Archie's Weird Mysteries.-Character and...
. These three characters along with Jughead Jones
Jughead Jones
Jughead Jones is a fictional character in Archie Comics who first appeared in the comic in December 1941. He is the son of Forsythe II; although in one of the early Archie newspaper comic strips, he himself is identified as Forsythe Van Jones II...
and Reggie Mantle
Reggie Mantle
Reggie Mantle is a fictional character in the Archie Comics book. His full name is given as Reginald Mantle, but he is usually called by his nickname Reggie, and sometimes refers to himself as "Mantle, The Magnificent." The character was introduced in 1942...
are the five main characters of this long-running series of comics, which has been published in two volumes. The series has several spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
s 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 have each had their own title, usually for brief runs.
Betty first appeared in Pep Comics
Pep Comics
Pep Comics is the name of an American comic book anthology series published by the Archie Comics predecessor MLJ Magazines Inc. during the 1930s and 1940s period known as the Golden Age of Comic Books...
#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 #6 artist Dan DeCarlo
Dan DeCarlo
Daniel S. DeCarlo was an American cartoonist best known as the artist who developed the look of Archie Comics in the late 1950s and early 1960s, modernizing the characters to their contemporary appearance and establishing the publisher's house style...
did his first work for Archie, beginning a fifty-year career with the publishing house.
Publication history
Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica ran 347 issues (cover-dated March 1950 - April 1987). In issue #118 (Oct. 1965), Betty becomes the superheroine Superteen, a spoof on popular superhero comics of the era. Issue #320 (Oct. 1982) introduced the long-running character Cheryl BlossomCheryl Blossom
Cheryl Blossom is a fictional character of the Archie Comics universe. She is a wealthy teenage girl, the privileged daughter of a software engineer.-History and character:...
, from Pembroke, a redhead who compete with Betty and Veronica for Archie. The run additionally included eight annual publications published from 1953 to 1980.
A new Betty and Veronica series launched with a #1 (June 1987), sans the "Archie's Girls" part of the title. This has run 255 issues as of calendar date August 24, 2011.
Reprint stories have run in small-format "digest
Digest size
Digest size is a magazine size, smaller than a conventional or "journal size" magazine but larger than a standard paperback book, approximately 5½ x 8¼ inches, but can also be 5⅜ x 8⅜ inches and 5½ x 7½ inches. These sizes have evolved from the printing press operation end...
" series including Betty and Veronica Annual Digest Magazine (16 issues, Sept. 1989 - June 1997), Betty and Veronica Comic Digest Magazine' (208 issues, 1980 - Dec. 2010) and Betty and Veronica Double Digest Magazine (June 1987 to present).
Stories are generally based on slices of "daily life" in Riverdale
Riverdale (Archie Comics)
Riverdale is a fictional town somewhere in the United States that is the setting for most of the various characters that appear in Archie Comics...
but do on occasion 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. Archie Comics has always exercised a very strict code for the stories and drawings, recognizing the impact the comics have on children. Drinking, use of tobacco, drugs, nudity, and other controversial practices are carefully avoided, although modern politically-sensitive matters are often involved. Dancing, sports, school, and part-time jobs are all an important part of life in Riverdale, although religion is generally avoided. Although both characters (and their female friends, including Midge Clump, Big Ethel
Big Ethel
"Big" Ethel is a fictional character by Archie Comics. She is a student of Riverdale High School, known to her schoolmates by the nickname Big Ethel, though this nickname has virtually fallen out of use since the 1990s...
, Cricket O'Dell, and others) are generally on the cutting-edge of teenage fashion, and fashion was often the subject of older stories, the extremes of teen female styles in the 1990s and first half of the 2000s have been avoided for the most part.
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
The Veronicas
The Veronicas are an Australian electrorock, pop-punk and rock band. Twin sisters Jessica and Lisa Origliasso formed the band in 1999 in Brisbane. They have their own line of clothing which was released in 2007....
", 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. By 2008, the characters had clearly reverted to the traditional appearance.