Archie #600

OK, sue me - I couldn't resist checking out this issue, especially after all the media attention it has received.

In case you missed it, this issue of Archie shows what happens when the eternal teen finally grows up. He marries Veronica!

Of course, most of the comics-reading world probably had the same reaction to this news: "What, is he stupid? Obviously Archie is supposed to marry Betty!"

Not to worry - writer Michael Uslan knows what he's doing: getting the attention of both fans and the media.

The story's structured in such a way that they have lots of leeway for future stories (as always, we try not to give away key plot points here at Chuck's Comic of the Day).

What I found most interesting was the art by Stan Goldberg. His depiction of the older (as in early 20's) Riverdale gang is largely the same, they're just a little... well, rounder. I suppose that is what happens to us as we get older (at least that's what happened to me).

Still, it's an interesting look at the future, although I'm surprised at the career plans the members of the gang have. With a couple of exceptions, they are not terribly ambitious. Did Jughead go to college to end up flipping burgers? Maybe it's the recession.

Archie is really an amazing phenomenon in comics - the series is pretty much the same as it was 60 years ago, but by keeping current with trends and fashions, and providing fun stories that young readers can relate to, it continues to be among the top-selling comics in the U.S. (and one of the few still managing hefty sales outside comics shops), and it shows no signs of slowing down.

Kudos to the company for coming up with a storyline that has me picking up my first Archie comic in years - and I'll probably be back for the rest of the issues in this series, too.

Grade: B