Archie Comics Are Dead. Cancelled?

 I have to say I'd heard about this but I think the Rolling Stone Culture online article by Ryan Reed needs to have a wider comic buyer audience.

Let's read the article first (seehttp://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/archie-andrews-to-be-killed-saving-gay-best-friends-life-20140714  )

Archie Andrews to Be Killed Saving Gay Best Friend's Life

After 73 years, popular comic book character will die jumping in front of assassin's bullet to protect friend Kevin Keller

By Ryan Reed

Archie Andrews in 'Life with Archie,' issue 37.

 Courtesy of Archie Comics 

Archie Andrews fans already know that their beloved, red-haired comic book icon is going to die while trying to save a friend's life. Now Archie Comics publisher and co-CEO Jon Goldwater has offered more specifics about the character's sacrifice: Archie will perish after intervening in an assassination attempt on the series' first openly gay character, Kevin Keller, The Associated Press reports.

The heroic act will take place in the 36th issue of Life With Archie (out Wednesday, July 16th), while the following installment will move forward one year and feature the Riverdale crew honoring the life and legacy of their fallen friend. The image to the left shows Archie right before his death.

"The way in which Archie dies is everything that you would expect of Archie," Goldwater said in a statement. "He dies heroically. He dies selflessly. He dies in the manner that epitomizes not only the best of Riverdale, but the best of all of us. It's what Archie has come to represent over the past almost 75 years."

The Life With Archie series, which relaunched in 2010, has followed the lives of Archie and his gang (romantic interests Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge, best pal Jughead Jones and jock Reggie Mantle) after graduating from high school and college. Keller first appeared in the Veronica spin-off in 2010 before anchoring his own solo title, which earned the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book in 2013; in Life With Archie, his character – a military veteran and senator – aims to secure stricter gun control laws after his husband, Clay, is shot while attempting to stop a robbery.

"We wanted to do something that was impactful that would really resonate with the world and bring home just how important Archie is to everyone," Goldwater continues. "That's how we came up with the storyline of saving Kevin. He could have saved Betty. He could have saved Veronica. We get that, but metaphorically, by saving Kevin, a new Riverdale is born."

While the CEO won't spoil the identity of Archie's killer, he confirms that the character is a stalker who wants to destroy Keller. Though it's sad seeing a comic hero meet his demise, Goldwater says the sacrifice can teach readers a valuable lesson: "We hope by showing how something so violent can happen to Archie, that we can  – in some way – learn from him."

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The question is, folks, just how much vomit is going to be held down by me here?  Archie Comics -Archie Comics- is going to kill off the character it is named after.  Hold it down, Terry.

But not only is he going to die but he is going to die bravely.  Yes -bravely.

He is going to die saving a relatively new gay character (remember when all those gays were the latest thing in comics?).

Someone at Marvel who said "Yeah, let's do Wolverine dies (again)" is not screaming: "WHY didn't we have Wolverine die saving a goddam gay?!!"

I think that right now my intestine has about four bucketfuls of vomit and bile.  And all those buckets have "Archie Comics" written on them.

So, small print runs of a title with 4-5 "variant covers" of each issue was not enough contempt to show loyal fans.

Archie Comics bosses -you know who I mean- have now decided to play the "death" card. And, oh my: "Archie saves a goddam gay!!!"  Does he also push a little puppy dog out of the way of a car while pleading for Middle East peace?

Room for a new LBTG character? They seem very popular for controversy.

Vomitable.

VOMITABLE

I could go on but I'm feeling nauseous. Hey -anyone taking bets on when Archie gets a reboot?

Until they become Jug Head Comics I guess the title Archie Comics is gone, right? Or will it be "The Late Archie Comics"?

Puke

Puke Bucket Addenda

You know I wrote: "Archie died saving a goddam gay!!"  as being  tongue-in-cheek  but it's been pointed out to me that on one comic forum these remarks can be found:

"Archie takes a bullet for a goddamm (sic) gay -not Betty or Veronica but a gay!"

"ARCHIE DIES SAVING A...GAY??!"

I used to save pennies as a kid so I'm not sure what trouble I'm in for.  Who give a **** whether the character is gay, straight or....whatever!  Surely the point of this "Double Sized Money Spinner Commemorative Issue is two fold: 1) Archie saves another human being (note to readers: if you see someone hanging on to the edge of a cliff, about to be hit by a truck or die in some way it does not matter if they are gay or not -you CAN save them).  2) It's a sickening money spinner by a company that no longer cares for its long term readers but is out for that fast buck whatever (no Betty or Veronica lesbian wedding??!!!).

I could add a third here but I think we all know Archie will be back. Now, if this is a genuine death and he never comes back (yeah, right) then Archie Comics has quite honestly shown stupidity that outshines their greed.


And I can't find this on US sites but the Guardian newspaper notes:

" But that doesn't mean Archie is gone for good: Life With Archie is just one of 16 publications that have detailed Archie and his fictional town of Riverdale since the comic was created in 1941. For fans who follow separate series, life at Riverdale high will continue as usual: Lena Dunham will create her own mini storyline next year. Even the series Life With Archie will continue – issue #37, set one year after Archie's death, will explore how Riverdale copes. Issues #36 and #37 will offer commemorative covers from high-profile comic book artists."


Oh the dignity.  Oh the humanity.  oh the money!