I used to collect and read the Archie comic books back in the day and still occasionally peruse them from time to time. Thanks to the TG Graphics and Fiction Archive site, I ran across an interesting gender bending Archie one in Issue 516 called 'The Other Side Of The Fence'.
His mother Mary Andrews was frustrated about the trials and tribulations of raising a teenage son and imagined what life would be like if Archie were her daughter instead of her son.
After imagining a grass is greener idyllic scenario, a lunch date with Mrs. Lodge and Mrs. Cooper gives her the 411 about the difficulties of raising teenage daughters. Both women confide to Mary that they considered her the lucky one and the trio of mothers quickly agree that whether you have sons or daughters, it's still a tough job to raise them.
It then concludes with Mrs. Andrews coming home, hugging her son and realizing she wouldn't change that for the world.One of the long running stories in the Archie comic book series is the love triangle between Archie Andrews, sophisticated spoiled rich girl Veronica Lodge and the loyal girl next door with the big heart Betty Cooper.
After 68 years Archie and the gang finally grow up starting with Issue 600, which hits the stands in August.
They skip the story ahead five years after their graduation from Riverdale High and as they are just starting their fresh out of college post-graduate lives.
The story is going to play out over the next six issues, but it's already leaked out which one of his high school honeys Archie proposes to.
It's Veronica.
I've always been rooting for Betty as you can tell, and hoped one day Archie would see the light and they'd one day get hitched. Hey I'm an unabashed romantic, so sue me.
While Betty was doing things for Archie, Veronica always seemed to me to keep Archie at arms length until she sensed that Betty was getting the upper hand. She'd then start paying more romantic attention to Archie until he was focused on her to Veronica's satisfaction, then once Archie's eyes were back on her, the cycle would start all over again.
Well, as you can see on the Issue 600 cover, Archie is proposing to her just as Betty is walking past the jewelry store and witnessed the whole thing.
But knowing how indecisive Archie has been, Betty may still have a fighting chance. Veronica only has the ring. Neither she nor Archie have walked down the aisle and said 'I do' yet.
So stay tuned, this could get interesting.
