This photo provided by Archie Comics shows Archie in his final moments of life in a scene
from the comic book, “Life with Archie,” issue 36. Archie Andrews will die taking a bullet
for his gay best friend. The famous freckle-faced comic book icon will die in the July 16,
2014 installment of “Life with Archie” while intervening in the assassination of Kevin Keller,
Archie Comics’ first openly gay character. (Archie Comics/Associated Press)
Archie’s death latest comic book to inject reality
By Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — For most of Archie Andrew’s life, the red-headed comic book icon’s biggest quandary was whether he liked Veronica or Betty.
The character’s impending death comes in Wednesday’s installment of “Life with Archie,” a spin-off series that centers on grown-up renditions of Archie and his Riverdale pals. It brings a bold conclusion to Archie Comics’ four-year-old modern makeover of the squeaky-clean, all-American character.
Freckle-faced Archie (age 73) will meet his demise when he intervenes in an assassination attempt on senator Kevin Keller, Archie Comics’ first openly gay character, who’s pushing for more gun control in Riverdale. Archie’s death, which was first announced in April, will mark the conclusion of the “Life with Archie” series.
“I think Archie Comics has taken a lot of risks in recent years, and this is the biggest risk they’ve taken yet,” said Jonathan Merrifield, a longtime Archie fan who hosts the Riverdale Podcast about all things Archie. “If it shakes things up a little bit, and people end up checking it out and seeing what’s going on in Archie Comics, it will be a risk that was smartly taken.”
MORE