Classic Off-model Archie

Current habit: leafing through old Archie comics looking for unusual images. As we all know, Archie comics can take on a uniform look --all the girls, with the exception of Big Ethel, are drawn using the same basic body type. You hardly ever see the sort of zaftig-type Dan DeCarlo drew in his Humorama adult joke gags, or any other size or shape of woman for that matter. The adult women in most Archie comics have historically been either comic grotesques (Miss Grundy), slightly more adult variations on the teen girls (Josie, the art teacher), or slightly heavier hausfrau types (Archie's mom). These are a few exceptions recently discovered:


From "Reggie the Match Maker" --Archie's Pals & Gals Giant #18, 1961.
Reggie cons a kid into a date with his sister, only to wind up wrasslin with the wrong girl. Jumpin' Jaime Hernandez!


And speaking of Jaime Hernandez, "Fat Chance" (Betty and Veronica Spectacular Giant #145, 1967) gives us a peak at Veronica's unconscious anxieties as she morphs through a series of weight gains--sort of like Maggie in "The Race" from Penny Century #6.

Another habit: collecting names and addresses of Canadians who wrote to comic books in the 1950s and 60s.

The Canadian Comic Fan Project, Part One
If you are out there please contact me! From Betty and Veronica Summer Fun, 1967.

Eileen Boutcher
194 Pelham St
Lunenberg, Nova Scotia
age 11 & 1/2

David Zuckerman
2278 Noel St
Montreal 9, PO
age 12