Veronica Leaves Archie for Openly Gay Character

[Iconsting]

My beaver parents wouldn't let me read these comics.

 

[drisky]

I hope he has a personality, rather than just the gay one.

Also I apologize in advance for this joke: "The only way he could beat Jughead in a hamburger eating contest is if he could somehow control his gag reflex. I wonder where he learned to do that."

 

[AngloDoom]

I'm sure I don't need to remind you that all the above behaviours also exist within heterosexual couples?

Yeah, and those acts are still deviant behavior according to the law.

I see.

I understand your point now, but when you say these things are 'technically' frowned upon by the law, are they in any way enforced? I've no idea about US law (I believe your profile said you were American, I forget), but I've not heard of anyone - of any sexuality - getting in trouble due to sodomy or oral.
I mean, hell, pornography is blasted out around the world and homosexual behaviour, oral sex, or sodomy don't strike me as particularly 'covert' activities.
Or is it one of those 'laws' that's a bit redundant these days: like the law about it being illegal to not carry a bale of hay in your taxi in the streets of London?

 

[Go Fighting In The War Room]

Archie Comics is a kid-friendly series that focuses on lovable redhead teenager Archie Andrews

I have a friend who honestly hates Archie. She even made a pretty convincing essay showing that he's a horrible womanizer and sexist. It may be for the kiddies, but try to act like Archie to any girl, I can tell you that you're not gonna be dating for a while.

[sub]Don't ask how I know that[/sub]


OT: That's interesting, but I wonder what the fan fallout is going to be, back when Archie comics introduced a black character, along with Peanuts having one in the same school as Charlie Brown, people got angry at them for doing such a simple thing.

Ah well. So what happened with the wedding? Archie marry Betty instead?

 

[Sixties Spidey]

My childhood just died today.

 

[drisky]

Ah well. So what happened with the wedding? Archie marry Betty instead?

Wikipedia tells me that was just a dream. There was no real wedding, Archie comics aren't into the whole story progression thing.

 

[Booze Zombie]

... I feel as though that if this is your only complaint about the new character, then society is either doing something horribly right, or horribly wrong. "Oh fuck me, Jesus! Someone had the nerve, the unmitigated gall, to out-Jughead, Jughead! How dare he!" In a comic book series that has a constantly changing and developing plot, (I AM referring to superhero comics, although I do recognize the irony in claiming that stories centered around individuals in brightly-colored latex who use their incredible powers to save the world from similarly attired individuals who think that the best way to solve all their problems is with ray guns have a constantly changing and developing plot.) a character that can match the abilities of one of the main characters is often revered for their prowess and the differing personalities of the two rivals makes for an interesting dynamic.

That was kind of the point, we were comically ignoring the gayness of the new character "because it isn't a big deal".
Comical, eh?

And it's not that I'm unhappy that someone beat Jughead, but he is actually supposed to be the most hungry man in the universe as the food is quite litrally powering his amazing intelligence, so... how does some regular guy just walk in and beat him in some puny eating contest?

Presumeably this is the only time you see him eat like this, so this other character clearlyisn't a gay Jughead, he just waltz in and out eats the universe's most hungry super-genius because the plot says so.
It's just really strange...

My childhood just died today.

Why's that?
Are you saying a gay character ruins Archie for you?

Huh.

 

[Olikunmissile]

If you haven't read Archie Comics sometime in your life, you're either a robot or were raised by beavers.

...or you're, y'know, not American.

Win. Never even heard of them. Part and parcel of living on an island like Britain I suppose.

 

[Cgull]

Yep you had better lock up your daughters when Gay men are on the prowl

It has nothing to do with gay men (or women). Its the culture acceptance of deviant behavior, sexual or otherwise (ie criminal etc).

Yep, apparently you can catch 'The Gay' just by looking at them!

I'm actually assuming you're being tongue in cheek, if not, I'm intrigued (geniunely) by what you consider to be non-deviant, acceptable, behaviour (or vice-versa, whichever is easier to put across through the medium of posting).

ANYWAY back on topic - Never read an Archie comic as not something that's really known in the UK though the introduction of a gay character can only be a good thing, surely just a way of showing a new generation that homosexuals are exactly the same as anyone else. Kudos to whoever came up with it!

 

[geldonyetich]

Don't Veronica and/or Bettie leave Archie, like, every other season in order to try to drag some more readers into the fold?

 

[bobknowsall]

Oh god, I'm having Chasing Amy flashbacks.

Exactly what I was thinking.

BANKY: Archie, alright! Archie and the Riverdale gang were a pure and fun-lovin' bunch. You can't find dysfunction in those comics, because they were just flat out wholesome.
HOOPER: Archie and Jughead were lovers. *sips his drink*
BANKY: Shut the fuck up.
HOOPER: It's true. Archie was the ***** and Jughead was the butch - that's why Jughead wears that crown-looking hat all the time: he the king, of queen Archie's world.

Hahaha.

Hooper's probably one of my favourite characters in comedy because of that little debate, along with the "Star Wars is Racist" speech.


Classic.

 

[Escapefromwhatever]

Mind if I ask when you look said courses? As I have taken psychology 'courses' and 'deviance' is incredibly hard to define.

I'm too lazy to look this up. I've taken many, and the class that defined this was over a year ago for me. Just take some CJ 101 classes and one will define it. I'm not even a CJ major and I have already taken six classes for it. But yeah, finding the exact class requires me to dig through old papers and I'm not willing to do that. Try the internet.

I'm sure I don't need to remind you that all the above behaviours also exist within heterosexual couples?

Yeah, and those acts are still deviant behavior according to the law.

Yes, and in my State having a passenger in one's car who is under the age of 18 and not wearing socks is classified as statutory rape, but of course nobody enforces it. I bet that the laws that you are referencing are just silly old things that have no authority and are just waiting to die. I'm glad you brought them up, but I feel that is essential to say that they probably have no significance. Also, I'm pretty sure that the guy who sparked this conversation is a troll.

OT: Hmm. As much as I am glad for this, I have to wonder if it doesn't clash with the setting. Is Archie still supposed to be set in the 50s, or has time progressed?

 

[bobknowsall]

Is he going to be the only gay character in the comic? His dating prospects aren't going to be all that good then are they?

Yeah, he won't be getting any action whatsoever. If they actually pair him up with another gay character, many jaws will hit the floor, and Fox News will be all over it.

And that would he hilarious.

 

[bobknowsall]

Yes, and in my State having a passenger in one's car who is under the age of 18 and not wearing socks is classified as statutory rape, but of course nobody enforces it.

I'm sorry, but I simply must ask: What State do you live in that has such a batshit insane law? XD

 

[Woodsey]

Well, I guess I won't let my granddaughters read Archie. EVER.

Err, why?

OT: I've never even heard of Archie comics!

 

[Escapefromwhatever]

Yes, and in my State having a passenger in one's car who is under the age of 18 and not wearing socks is classified as statutory rape, but of course nobody enforces it.

I'm sorry, but I simply must ask: What State do you live in that has such a batshit insane law? XD

Indiana. I would say something witty here, but I can't think of anything, because I'm from Indiana.

 

[Xanadu84]

"keeping the world of Archie Comics current and inclusive"? What? Archie has never been about being current. The whole point of Archie Comics is that it's trapped in the 1940s/1950s. There was pretty much no such thing as an openly gay person back then, and it doesn't fit the setting at all. Let's leave these characters for NEW media, where they MAKE SENSE.

P.S. Thanks

Nostalgia has never been about accuracy. It's about cherry picking the best parts of the past, and fitting them together in a old fashioned style that hearkens back to the days of yore without having to muddle through all the bigotry and lack of internet. An openly gay character makes perfect sense for Archie. I don't criticize high fantasy games and movies for not showing enough festering boils and terrible treatment towards women, so I'm not going to criticize Archie for trying to include a more tolerant storyline whilst sticking to there 1950's cliches. I think the idea of being a stickler for historical accuracy in a setting where a Hamburger eating contests is a sign of a desirable mate is a little...silly.

Personally, I think its a good move. As far as I know, they aren't just doing this in response to low ratings, and are trying to throw in something to make there comics sell more. As far as I know, Archie has been an inconsequential background cultural artifact for a while now. Sounds like they are just deciding that its time to update, and looks like they aren't treating it like a big deal. They are just including another group in there cast. Depends on how they do it, of course.

Also, good for you, but I'm still not inspired to buy an Archie comic.