Brendan Wright

The second compilation of the archived Archie comic books, from 1943 to 1944. The artwork and writing, by various creators, are quite a bit rougher than the series would become by the 1950s. And there are some other unpleasant aspects: the unthinking racism of the portrayal of a rare black character, and the unthinking buffoonery of Archie at this stage of his development. There is a new character, Jughead's younger cousin Souphead, who deservedly soon faded away. I enjoy the naive innocence of this period, but the series wouldn't really hit its stride for another decade.… (mere)

A collection of the first few dozen "Archie" comics, from 1941 to 1943. The first issue features Archie, Betty and Jughead, with Veronica, Reggie Mantle, Mr. Weatherbee, Miss Grundy and the rest of the crew appearing later in the book. I enjoy the series more as it heads into the 1950s and 1960s; the art and storylines are a little primitive here by comparison. But they do exhibit considerable naive charm, and set the tone for the more successful later stories. Nicely reprinted, and in color! I think the artwork is all Bob Montana, and probably most of the writing is his.… (mere)