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The Archie Wedding: Will You Marry Me
It's the wedding of the century and the story you've waited a lifetime for! Archie finally marries Betty! ...and Veronica? Almost 80 years in the making! But is this really the end of the classic love triangle between Archie, Veronica, and Betty? Will the Riverdale gang ever be the same? Do Archie and Veronica live happily ever after? Follow the celebrated story - originally published in the pages of Archie #600-605 - from proposal to wedding and beyond! Watch as Archie and Veronica start a family and navigate the ups and downs of married life as one of the most famous comic couples of all time! Written by life-long Archie Comics fan and movie producer Michael Ulsan, and with art by acclaimed Archie artist Stan Goldberg, this timeless story about growing up is jam-packed with the hilarious antics and touching sentiment only Archie & Co. can bring you.
168 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2010
141 people are currently reading
789 people want to read
About the author
Michael E. Uslan
120 books23 followersMichael E. Uslan (born June 2, 1952) is a producer of the Batman movies and was the first instructor to teach an accredited course on comic book folklore at any university.
Uslan is best known as a producer of all of the modern Batman films to date, starting with Tim Burton's 1989 film, and continuing to 2012's The Dark Knight Rises and also including various feature-length films based on the Batman: The Animated Series and The Batman.
Uslan is best known as a producer of all of the modern Batman films to date, starting with Tim Burton's 1989 film, and continuing to 2012's The Dark Knight Rises and also including various feature-length films based on the Batman: The Animated Series and The Batman.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
November 15, 2021
This would be something that only Archie fans would enjoy as both stories are pretty bland.
Robert Frost's The Road Less Traveled is featured as Archie gets his HEA with both of the girls of his dreams by going down Memory Lane.
Twice.
In two alternate futures, Archie explores the biggest What If of his life.
And for him it all comes up roses either way.
Even though I thought it was supposed to show both couples equally, the only way everyone in Riverdale ended up with a Happily Ever After of their own (Jughead, Reggie, Midge, etc.) was if Archie married Betty. However, Archie and Veronica actually seemed like the better couple, if that makes sense?
Some things did stay the same no matter what.
For example, each time the couple had kids, they were twins. One redheaded boy (always named Archie) and either a brunette or blonde girl named after the mother. <--this is the stuff only a fan could stomach, imho.
Another thing that was hard to stomach was that Betty got shit on no matter what. She lost her job in NY the first time because of layoffs and the second time she quit because her boss was rude to Archie. <--what the fuck? No. You don't just pack up and go home because your boss is an asshole. No one would be going to work tomorrow morning if that were the case.
I honestly hated Archie and Betty as a couple. I mean, I have no real stake in this fake cartoon relationship, but I'm just putting my two cents in.
Anyway, I'm glad I read it, but I'm not going to recommend it willy-nilly to everyone.
Superfans Only.
This was part of Hoopla's COVID-19 free borrows.
Robert Frost's The Road Less Traveled is featured as Archie gets his HEA with both of the girls of his dreams by going down Memory Lane.
Twice.
In two alternate futures, Archie explores the biggest What If of his life.
And for him it all comes up roses either way.
Even though I thought it was supposed to show both couples equally, the only way everyone in Riverdale ended up with a Happily Ever After of their own (Jughead, Reggie, Midge, etc.) was if Archie married Betty. However, Archie and Veronica actually seemed like the better couple, if that makes sense?
Some things did stay the same no matter what.
For example, each time the couple had kids, they were twins. One redheaded boy (always named Archie) and either a brunette or blonde girl named after the mother. <--this is the stuff only a fan could stomach, imho.
Another thing that was hard to stomach was that Betty got shit on no matter what. She lost her job in NY the first time because of layoffs and the second time she quit because her boss was rude to Archie. <--what the fuck? No. You don't just pack up and go home because your boss is an asshole. No one would be going to work tomorrow morning if that were the case.
I honestly hated Archie and Betty as a couple. I mean, I have no real stake in this fake cartoon relationship, but I'm just putting my two cents in.
Anyway, I'm glad I read it, but I'm not going to recommend it willy-nilly to everyone.
Superfans Only.
This was part of Hoopla's COVID-19 free borrows.
July 3, 2020
Archie walks up Memory Lane and experiences two possible futures, one where he marries Veronica and one where he marries Betty.
The Betty vs. Veronica debate has been raging since Archie debuted in the 1940s, even though it's obvious Betty is the superior choice. Anyway, I wasn't reading Archie comics when this came out but Archie was having a massive 55% off sale so I snapped it up.
Rooted in Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken, Archie's on the cusp of graduating high school when he goes for a stroll up Memory Lane and into possible futures with Betty and Veronica. There's no Uatu The Watcher or the Ghost of Christmas Past but the flavor is the same.
The timelines are both interesting enough. The Veronica timeline sees Archie working for Hiram Lodge and fathering twins with Veronica. The Betty timeline sees Archie and Betty becoming teacher at Riverdale High and having twins. Jughead marries Midge in that timeline, which I found odd but interesting. Was it a sign of the time this was written that people getting laid off was a feature of both timelines? Archie must be carrying the twin gene to father twins in both timelines.
The writing was okay, I guess. It's an Archie book so there's only so much you can do. Uslan worked some references to other comics, like The Fly, The Shield, and the infamous introduction of MJ in Spider-Man. Stan Goldberg did the art but I thought the characters looked off model at times and his versions of Betty and Veronica seemed off. It may be because I'm Dan DeCarlo fan when it comes to classic Archie, though.
The Archie Wedding was an interesting tale in the vein of What If or Elseworlds starring America's favorite bunch of immortal teenagers. Three out of five stars.
The Betty vs. Veronica debate has been raging since Archie debuted in the 1940s, even though it's obvious Betty is the superior choice. Anyway, I wasn't reading Archie comics when this came out but Archie was having a massive 55% off sale so I snapped it up.
Rooted in Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken, Archie's on the cusp of graduating high school when he goes for a stroll up Memory Lane and into possible futures with Betty and Veronica. There's no Uatu The Watcher or the Ghost of Christmas Past but the flavor is the same.
The timelines are both interesting enough. The Veronica timeline sees Archie working for Hiram Lodge and fathering twins with Veronica. The Betty timeline sees Archie and Betty becoming teacher at Riverdale High and having twins. Jughead marries Midge in that timeline, which I found odd but interesting. Was it a sign of the time this was written that people getting laid off was a feature of both timelines? Archie must be carrying the twin gene to father twins in both timelines.
The writing was okay, I guess. It's an Archie book so there's only so much you can do. Uslan worked some references to other comics, like The Fly, The Shield, and the infamous introduction of MJ in Spider-Man. Stan Goldberg did the art but I thought the characters looked off model at times and his versions of Betty and Veronica seemed off. It may be because I'm Dan DeCarlo fan when it comes to classic Archie, though.
The Archie Wedding was an interesting tale in the vein of What If or Elseworlds starring America's favorite bunch of immortal teenagers. Three out of five stars.
January 22, 2012
Archie Is Married. Now The Real Story Begins. Twice.
I have always been a Betty person. Every Archie story I have ever enjoyed has me cheering for them to finally get together and leave Veronica pouting. My long standing wish has been partially granted in the past few years with the newest incarnation of these beloved characters. And I am totally and completely hooked.
The drama all started when the new CEO of Archie came into the 70 plus year old company and wanted to shake the universe up. This desire led to a six part storyline wherein Archie took a walk one night down Memory Lane in Riverdale and saw visions of two different futures. In one, he wed Veronica, in the other, Betty.
Fans lapped up this idea en masse, and Archie launched a new magazine to continue the saga. Life With Archie: The Married Life premiered just over a year ago and in the first half of each issue the Veronica storyline is told, while in the second half the Betty journey is explored. This new magazine take place between parts two and three of the original series, before the babies came along.
To say this is a riveting reinvention and realization of the Archie mythos is an understatement. In each reality our favourite perpetual teenagers are now adults who have to find love, keep love, pay bills, get jobs, keep jobs, discover who they really are, and survive the wrath of Mr. Lodge. You will be shocked and surprised to discover the possible destinies of the Riverdale gang. Some of the ideas played with include couples breaking up, someone running for public office, another going on trial, a fortune being made, an old friend located, several weddings occur, and a death torments everyone. Whew! And that is only in the first year of this fascinating series.
Mixed amidst all this excitement and turmoil is the constant thread of friendship Archie and his gang still treasure and cherish. Even if arguments happen, the true life long love they have for each other wins out. Throughout the series, get togethers and reunions are featured prominently, and talking their individual problems out with each other is the norm here. And I find this story element quite touching and natural.
Propelling the dramatic thrust throughout all this is the evil (?), rich, and manipulate Mr. Lodge. But is his erratic driven behavior the result of some secret plan masterminded by the now mysterious Dilton Doiley? A scheme that harkens back to the original Memory Lane story that our hero Archie experienced? The tension is building with a conclusion promised soon to this development.
Dilton's involvement highlights the destiny versus chance theme Archie The Married Life plays with quite effectively. Each reality has similarities, constants, which reinforce the notion of an idea being meant to happen. The recent Kevin Keller wedding story illustrates this perfectly, with the backstory of the meeting with his future husband being the same in each universe. It was meant to be this way. You will get a kick out of noticing fate converging in both timelines. I may need a scorecard soon to keep up. Is their an App for that?
Page by page, thought by thought, these two created an entirely new world for Archie and Riverdale, continuing and enhancing this wonderful experience. This success allowed Archie Comics to re-imagine another classic character which I would be remiss for not mentioning. Li'l Jinx is now a teenager called, well, Jinx, and she is simply wonderful. Previews of Jinx was featured in three issues of Life With Archie and the new series is now only available digitally. My Luddite ways must stop so I can catch up with her adventures and misadventures.
You can start dipping into the lives of Archie and his friends at your local comic shop (mine is Excalibur Comics, plug, plug) and you will not be disappointed. My anticipation of each new issue puts it on the top of my reading stack. Where it rightly belongs. Because, as the old saying goes:
People will change. People will not change. And the Archie Universes will never be the same.
And I am still a Betty person.
Scoopriches
I have always been a Betty person. Every Archie story I have ever enjoyed has me cheering for them to finally get together and leave Veronica pouting. My long standing wish has been partially granted in the past few years with the newest incarnation of these beloved characters. And I am totally and completely hooked.
The drama all started when the new CEO of Archie came into the 70 plus year old company and wanted to shake the universe up. This desire led to a six part storyline wherein Archie took a walk one night down Memory Lane in Riverdale and saw visions of two different futures. In one, he wed Veronica, in the other, Betty.
Fans lapped up this idea en masse, and Archie launched a new magazine to continue the saga. Life With Archie: The Married Life premiered just over a year ago and in the first half of each issue the Veronica storyline is told, while in the second half the Betty journey is explored. This new magazine take place between parts two and three of the original series, before the babies came along.
To say this is a riveting reinvention and realization of the Archie mythos is an understatement. In each reality our favourite perpetual teenagers are now adults who have to find love, keep love, pay bills, get jobs, keep jobs, discover who they really are, and survive the wrath of Mr. Lodge. You will be shocked and surprised to discover the possible destinies of the Riverdale gang. Some of the ideas played with include couples breaking up, someone running for public office, another going on trial, a fortune being made, an old friend located, several weddings occur, and a death torments everyone. Whew! And that is only in the first year of this fascinating series.
Mixed amidst all this excitement and turmoil is the constant thread of friendship Archie and his gang still treasure and cherish. Even if arguments happen, the true life long love they have for each other wins out. Throughout the series, get togethers and reunions are featured prominently, and talking their individual problems out with each other is the norm here. And I find this story element quite touching and natural.
Propelling the dramatic thrust throughout all this is the evil (?), rich, and manipulate Mr. Lodge. But is his erratic driven behavior the result of some secret plan masterminded by the now mysterious Dilton Doiley? A scheme that harkens back to the original Memory Lane story that our hero Archie experienced? The tension is building with a conclusion promised soon to this development.
Dilton's involvement highlights the destiny versus chance theme Archie The Married Life plays with quite effectively. Each reality has similarities, constants, which reinforce the notion of an idea being meant to happen. The recent Kevin Keller wedding story illustrates this perfectly, with the backstory of the meeting with his future husband being the same in each universe. It was meant to be this way. You will get a kick out of noticing fate converging in both timelines. I may need a scorecard soon to keep up. Is their an App for that?
Page by page, thought by thought, these two created an entirely new world for Archie and Riverdale, continuing and enhancing this wonderful experience. This success allowed Archie Comics to re-imagine another classic character which I would be remiss for not mentioning. Li'l Jinx is now a teenager called, well, Jinx, and she is simply wonderful. Previews of Jinx was featured in three issues of Life With Archie and the new series is now only available digitally. My Luddite ways must stop so I can catch up with her adventures and misadventures.
You can start dipping into the lives of Archie and his friends at your local comic shop (mine is Excalibur Comics, plug, plug) and you will not be disappointed. My anticipation of each new issue puts it on the top of my reading stack. Where it rightly belongs. Because, as the old saying goes:
People will change. People will not change. And the Archie Universes will never be the same.
And I am still a Betty person.
Scoopriches
December 9, 2018
When year end is coming and you have not finished your reading challenge, you're cheating by reading comics.
Just kiddin' =))) Archie has been my favourite comics ever since I was a kid yet in Vietnam they only published 20 volumes, left me desparate staving for Archie for, let's say, more than 10 years. And now I found millions chapter of Archie here on the internet and I'm afraid that I will never finish them =)))
Though I'm Betty team, it's nice to read about Archie's wedding with Ronnie and Betty. It's also true that our future is in our hand and our words and actions will build our future.
Thanks all who has brought Archie to the world ❤ ❤ ❤
Just kiddin' =))) Archie has been my favourite comics ever since I was a kid yet in Vietnam they only published 20 volumes, left me desparate staving for Archie for, let's say, more than 10 years. And now I found millions chapter of Archie here on the internet and I'm afraid that I will never finish them =)))
Though I'm Betty team, it's nice to read about Archie's wedding with Ronnie and Betty. It's also true that our future is in our hand and our words and actions will build our future.
Thanks all who has brought Archie to the world ❤ ❤ ❤
February 25, 2017
Team Betty!
Read
June 3, 2012So very weak and disappointing. I recall reading about this series and how it was the Archie company's attempt to hook more sophisticated twentysomethings who had grown up reading the comics and now wanted something a little more mature. This is a big fail, because both stories were crap.
July 18, 2012
In this book we finally get to find out what happens when Archie marries... and it gives us both scenarios of marrying Betty and Veronica. However, both stories made me feel bad for Betty! When Archie marries Veronica Betty is obviously heartbroken. And even when he marries Betty, it still seems like he only did so because he didn't have a chance with Veronica. He even tells Ronnie "you're my fantasy girl, but all it is is a fantasy" and then has to watch her marry Reggie and jet set all over the world with him. Hrm. Kind of sad for Betty on all accounts, I wish the writers would have made her story a happier one, but I guess they were trying to be realistic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2014
Great book, love the fact that they added both sides of the story, but definitely on "Team Betty" In her story Jughead and Midge end up together, Mr. Weatherbee and Mrs. Grundy start dating, and Veronica and Reggie get there happy ending as well. But in Veronica's side of the story, Betty gets really depressed when Archie leaves her, loses her job and her new boyfriend, then ends up settling for Reggie(a couple I don't think works very well). Betty Cooper is the obvious choice being the lovable girl next door(opposed to the selfish heart breaking Veronica Lodge)and I think that she and Archie deserve each other!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2020
No real reason for the rating except that I love the Archie comics. And while I was convinced his relationship with Betty wasn’t given justice I still loved this enough to buy the hardcover edition. 🤯
My only compliant - I wish Betty got more of a fair shake here.
My only compliant - I wish Betty got more of a fair shake here.
January 30, 2015
Betty and Elizabeth Wakefield are the same person.
May 12, 2020
The Archie Wedding was a very cute book. I enjoyed reading about two versions of Archie's future. ~ Koala ^-^
September 3, 2025
5 stars for nostalgia!
June 2, 2018
Rating: 5 / 5
Just as a fun fact about this comic that I did some research on, originally, the creators were only going to make one story, in which Archie's choice would definitely have been Veronica, so it was only "Archie Marries Veronica". However, fans of Betty jumped up with defenses for Betty, saying that Archie chose the wrong girl, and so the writers and cartoonists created a married life version for each girl. But, in my opinion, Archie choosing Veronica was a rather obvious choice, because, as the original story goes, Archie did like Betty first, but she rejected him, and it was only after Veronica came into town and Archie got interested in her that Betty suddenly found Archie desirable. Besides which, upon examining the iconic Archie pictures below, you'll see that from way back, Archie always had eyes for Veronica:
As such, I really don't find it hard to believe that Archie chose the wrong girl through choosing Veronica. Sure, she's rich, snobby, self-centered, a show-off, and many other things, but she and Archie have always acted more like a couple than Archie and Betty have. In "Archie Marries Veronica", the first half of the comic, Archie proposes to Betty as a "sister", the best friend he's ever had, and that really does match their relationship, which fits more in the friend category more often than not. He and Ronnie can be friends at times, but the attraction and chemistry between them is always clear. Between Archie and Betty, on the other hand, it's not.
Anyways, having established by now that I'm on Team Veronica, but also backed up my opinion with facts and a brief history of the comic, I would like to comment on the two stories separately, as they really are two different stories in the walk down "Memory Lane".
In "Archie Marries Veronica", the wedding is the only thing that it can be for such a one as Veronica Lodge: HUGE. It's really funny to see how she and her father drive practically the entire world crazy to make an event of the entire thing, only to settle down afterwards as Ronnie settles into her married life. Like a lot of things in Archie that I love and that calm me down whilst reading them, it's pretty generic, but also charming. From Archie Comics, the charm isn't so much in the originality for a story that has been around for 70+ years, but rather, just interacting with the characters and their set personalities in their world of Riverdale. (It's the [insert swear word and detailed insults here] TV show that messes everything up.) In any case, I enjoyed this story immensely, as cheesy and as sappy as it all was.
As for "Archie Marries Betty", I liked it as well, but at the same time, it served once again to reinforce why Archie and Veronica belong together as opposed to Archie and Betty. In "Archie Marries Veronica", Betty faded out of his life almost entirely after he married Veronica, making it clear that he didn't feel her absence emotionally or anything of that sort. In "Archie Marries Betty" though, aside from the fact that Veronica makes a bigger deal out of losing Archie than Betty did, Archie himself departs from Veronica more romantically than he did from Betty in calling her a "sister", instead giving the classic "Here's looking at you, kid" line from Casablanca. Then, even after he's married to Betty, he mentions Veronica after , thus bringing to light how he still carries her with him in his relationship with Betty, and how she's insecure about this.
In the end, both stories really reinforce Archie x Veronica more than they do Archie x Betty, showing not only what Archie's future would be with each girl that he chose, but also what the remaining result of the girl he did not choose would be.
Overall, this was a great read that wraps up a seventy year old question that Archie fans have been asking. The "best of both roads" is provided, and then continued in the "Archie's Married Life" issue. I may possibly take a look at this later on, but for now, I'm contented with seeing the weddings of each given scenario.
Just as a fun fact about this comic that I did some research on, originally, the creators were only going to make one story, in which Archie's choice would definitely have been Veronica, so it was only "Archie Marries Veronica". However, fans of Betty jumped up with defenses for Betty, saying that Archie chose the wrong girl, and so the writers and cartoonists created a married life version for each girl. But, in my opinion, Archie choosing Veronica was a rather obvious choice, because, as the original story goes, Archie did like Betty first, but she rejected him, and it was only after Veronica came into town and Archie got interested in her that Betty suddenly found Archie desirable. Besides which, upon examining the iconic Archie pictures below, you'll see that from way back, Archie always had eyes for Veronica:
As such, I really don't find it hard to believe that Archie chose the wrong girl through choosing Veronica. Sure, she's rich, snobby, self-centered, a show-off, and many other things, but she and Archie have always acted more like a couple than Archie and Betty have. In "Archie Marries Veronica", the first half of the comic, Archie proposes to Betty as a "sister", the best friend he's ever had, and that really does match their relationship, which fits more in the friend category more often than not. He and Ronnie can be friends at times, but the attraction and chemistry between them is always clear. Between Archie and Betty, on the other hand, it's not.
Anyways, having established by now that I'm on Team Veronica, but also backed up my opinion with facts and a brief history of the comic, I would like to comment on the two stories separately, as they really are two different stories in the walk down "Memory Lane".
In "Archie Marries Veronica", the wedding is the only thing that it can be for such a one as Veronica Lodge: HUGE. It's really funny to see how she and her father drive practically the entire world crazy to make an event of the entire thing, only to settle down afterwards as Ronnie settles into her married life. Like a lot of things in Archie that I love and that calm me down whilst reading them, it's pretty generic, but also charming. From Archie Comics, the charm isn't so much in the originality for a story that has been around for 70+ years, but rather, just interacting with the characters and their set personalities in their world of Riverdale. (It's the [insert swear word and detailed insults here] TV show that messes everything up.) In any case, I enjoyed this story immensely, as cheesy and as sappy as it all was.
As for "Archie Marries Betty", I liked it as well, but at the same time, it served once again to reinforce why Archie and Veronica belong together as opposed to Archie and Betty. In "Archie Marries Veronica", Betty faded out of his life almost entirely after he married Veronica, making it clear that he didn't feel her absence emotionally or anything of that sort. In "Archie Marries Betty" though, aside from the fact that Veronica makes a bigger deal out of losing Archie than Betty did, Archie himself departs from Veronica more romantically than he did from Betty in calling her a "sister", instead giving the classic "Here's looking at you, kid" line from Casablanca. Then, even after he's married to Betty, he mentions Veronica after , thus bringing to light how he still carries her with him in his relationship with Betty, and how she's insecure about this.
In the end, both stories really reinforce Archie x Veronica more than they do Archie x Betty, showing not only what Archie's future would be with each girl that he chose, but also what the remaining result of the girl he did not choose would be.
Overall, this was a great read that wraps up a seventy year old question that Archie fans have been asking. The "best of both roads" is provided, and then continued in the "Archie's Married Life" issue. I may possibly take a look at this later on, but for now, I'm contented with seeing the weddings of each given scenario.
July 4, 2012
Since I was young I love to read Archie comics. My favorite editions are Betty and Veronica. I find them very entertaining, how they fight over Archie and how they manage to still be friends even though they like the same guy. I’m fascinated also with the illustrations and the fashion they project to show their personalities. Maybe that’s the fun part when you are reading a comic book, it shows you what you really need to see and get just by looking at it. In years that I’m reading Archie comics, I’m always excited to know if Betty will eventually get Archie’s heart. I feel for Betty everytime Veronica gets what she always want – Archie. That’s the magic of the story between the three of them that makes us want to read issue after issue.
Then finally, the issue that we are all been waiting for; who will Archie be marrying, Betty or Veronica? Honestly, at first I’m kind of disappointed because Archie still didn’t choose ONE girl. They created two stories to show what life have been if Archie marries either of the two. Good thing that I didn’t write a review right after I finished reading the book or else I’ll be just giving a low rating.
After finding time to write this book review, I can say that I liked it, because Michael Uslan didn’t disappoint Betty and Veronica’s fans. He showed two different lives Archie would be having if she marries one of the ladies. He made it like this to satisfy both sides and stick to the plot that Archie have two lovely ladies. But I wonder on how they would really end this love triangle even though it’s obvious that Archie will likely to choose Veronica over Betty. I think it would be hard to create next issues with regards to them because you will have to do back to back stories to support this issue. Or Archie will finally have one girl.
I recommend it to all Archie Comics fans, this is an issue that you would not want to miss if you really a fan.
Then finally, the issue that we are all been waiting for; who will Archie be marrying, Betty or Veronica? Honestly, at first I’m kind of disappointed because Archie still didn’t choose ONE girl. They created two stories to show what life have been if Archie marries either of the two. Good thing that I didn’t write a review right after I finished reading the book or else I’ll be just giving a low rating.
After finding time to write this book review, I can say that I liked it, because Michael Uslan didn’t disappoint Betty and Veronica’s fans. He showed two different lives Archie would be having if she marries one of the ladies. He made it like this to satisfy both sides and stick to the plot that Archie have two lovely ladies. But I wonder on how they would really end this love triangle even though it’s obvious that Archie will likely to choose Veronica over Betty. I think it would be hard to create next issues with regards to them because you will have to do back to back stories to support this issue. Or Archie will finally have one girl.
I recommend it to all Archie Comics fans, this is an issue that you would not want to miss if you really a fan.
December 11, 2010
When I heard about this big event, I knew I had to read the story. I was an Archie fan as a kid. The hardcover edition is really nice and has a bunch of interviews in the back.
Don't worry about Archie finally aging after the better part of a century--this is a what-if scenario, so Archie and friends will in all likelihood remain perpetual teenagers in the main comics storyline. "Archie Marries..." is a frame story in which Archie travels up Memory Lane twice, going into his own future where he marries first Veronica, then Betty (in alternate realities, not one after the other, of course).
According to an interview in the back of the book, most readers were rooting for good-hearted Betty to finally win the battle for Archie's affections. I have always kind of rooted for Veronica, though I don't have any good reason for it. She's just fun. But I enjoyed reading both stories and seeing how things turned out both ways. Archie's marriage affects everyone around him in both stories, so that was interesting. There were a lot of similar moments with small differences, and sometimes similar moments with big differences. Archie's choice of a wife affects his career, friends, family, level of happiness, and general lifestyle. Longtime readers can probably guess who he's really best suited to be with, but that's something readers will want to see for themselves.
Definitely a cool comics event for anyone who has a fondness for these old-school characters. Surprisingly touching and really well plotted and drawn.
Don't worry about Archie finally aging after the better part of a century--this is a what-if scenario, so Archie and friends will in all likelihood remain perpetual teenagers in the main comics storyline. "Archie Marries..." is a frame story in which Archie travels up Memory Lane twice, going into his own future where he marries first Veronica, then Betty (in alternate realities, not one after the other, of course).
According to an interview in the back of the book, most readers were rooting for good-hearted Betty to finally win the battle for Archie's affections. I have always kind of rooted for Veronica, though I don't have any good reason for it. She's just fun. But I enjoyed reading both stories and seeing how things turned out both ways. Archie's marriage affects everyone around him in both stories, so that was interesting. There were a lot of similar moments with small differences, and sometimes similar moments with big differences. Archie's choice of a wife affects his career, friends, family, level of happiness, and general lifestyle. Longtime readers can probably guess who he's really best suited to be with, but that's something readers will want to see for themselves.
Definitely a cool comics event for anyone who has a fondness for these old-school characters. Surprisingly touching and really well plotted and drawn.
May 4, 2012
I picked this up on a whim from my library, mostly because I was a big fan when I was a kid. Some things should just stay in childhood, however. As an adult I didn't find either Betty or Veronica inspirational, I found them lacking in self-respect and kindness, respectively. Archie lost his glimmer too--now he just seems to be an indecisive woman-juggler. Even my beloved Jughead didn't get to pig out like he did in the old days; only once did I notice him doing so, and it was more disgusting than amusing. *sigh*
There's nothing wrong with the artwork, and hey, if I was still a 9 year old girl, I would probably LOVE it. Instead, I'm just trying to not let this taint my fond memories of the characters. In the end, I did finish it...but my 13 year old son deemed it awful and boring, and then he quit reading.
One last note--I thought the original comic book included in the back was more entertaining than the entire book.
There's nothing wrong with the artwork, and hey, if I was still a 9 year old girl, I would probably LOVE it. Instead, I'm just trying to not let this taint my fond memories of the characters. In the end, I did finish it...but my 13 year old son deemed it awful and boring, and then he quit reading.
One last note--I thought the original comic book included in the back was more entertaining than the entire book.
June 4, 2010
Have you ever wondered what would happen if Archie Andrews married Veronica Lodge? What if he married Betty Cooper? Why settle for just one answer when you can have both?
Using the good ol' Memory Lane device, Michael Uslan and Stan Goldberg investigate both options and give each of them a three-issue arc all combined in a single trade paperback complete with a volume seven wrap-up. Is it Pulitzer material? Oh heck no. But it is certainly very typical Archie fare right down to cheesy dialogue. But it has also been modernized to deal with such issues as the current bad economy and downsizing and the like.
Bear in mind, compared to what I'm used to reading, this would only really be two stars. But it's Archie. You have to set your literary and artistic expectations accordingly. If you do, it's a very fun little story.
Using the good ol' Memory Lane device, Michael Uslan and Stan Goldberg investigate both options and give each of them a three-issue arc all combined in a single trade paperback complete with a volume seven wrap-up. Is it Pulitzer material? Oh heck no. But it is certainly very typical Archie fare right down to cheesy dialogue. But it has also been modernized to deal with such issues as the current bad economy and downsizing and the like.
Bear in mind, compared to what I'm used to reading, this would only really be two stars. But it's Archie. You have to set your literary and artistic expectations accordingly. If you do, it's a very fun little story.
June 25, 2010
I've been an Archie fan for years and years so like most of the world that noticed, I was surprised by this what if concept. Initially, Archie comics only announced that Archie would marry Veronica setting off a media maelstorm. Actually, the story looks at what might happen if Archie married either girl.
My biggest complaint about the book is that it is so short and clippy. Archie Comics may have done this on purpose since they have started a whole new comic Life With Archie that follows the same format and continues the story.
My biggest complaint about the book is that it is so short and clippy. Archie Comics may have done this on purpose since they have started a whole new comic Life With Archie that follows the same format and continues the story.
May 13, 2011
Heard great things from the Wordballoon podcast about this story so I picked it up and finished in two short sittings. My oldest daughter zipped through it in one sitting. I haven't read an Archie story since I was a kid and the only story I can remember is one where Jughead improved an ice cream flavor with salt and pepper shakers. Anyway, this is a decent all ages reading, but it's odd how the pop culture references go all the back from Cary Grant, Casablanca, and I love Lucy to modern celebs like Ozzy Oz.
November 13, 2011
This book took me back to my childhood :) For those of you who have read Archie comics, you know that Archie's laid back, non-decision making personality will not change! This book was no different. Archie and his friends are about to graduate high school and Archie gets glimpses into his future with both Betty and Veronica. He sees what his life would be like if he married Veronica, and what it would be like if he married Betty. The ending is pretty predictable but it was a quick, enjoyable read.
April 2, 2012
Archie Andrews' what if future married life was put in print on this book. It's brilliant how the author used Robert Frost's poem 'The road not taken' to internalize the drama and flow of the story.
Basically it's the story of Archie's future had he married Betty or Veronica but this story is just a view of it and it isn't real as I thought. There was just a use of a time-travelling machine somewhere down the road to Memory Lane.
I shall follow the other wedding related books of Archie. This is how big of a fan I am.
Basically it's the story of Archie's future had he married Betty or Veronica but this story is just a view of it and it isn't real as I thought. There was just a use of a time-travelling machine somewhere down the road to Memory Lane.
I shall follow the other wedding related books of Archie. This is how big of a fan I am.
May 31, 2011
Mildly amusing.
Favourite actual line of dialogue from Betty's dad: "Betty... you deserve a big wedding, but we've lost our savings in the stock market... and I may be laid off..." Way to hijack the moment, Mr. Cooper!
Favourite actual line of dialogue from Betty's dad: "Betty... you deserve a big wedding, but we've lost our savings in the stock market... and I may be laid off..." Way to hijack the moment, Mr. Cooper!
May 8, 2010
Don't judge me. I needed closure from my childhood! Shut up!
January 4, 2011
Archie takes a walk the wrong way down Memory Lane and finds himself in his own future, one path where he marries Veronica and one where he marries Betty. Happy and fluffy.
January 6, 2011
Loved this -- my first Archie comment in a long time.
July 23, 2016
Yup, it;s a comic book. Guilty pleasure, sue me. Not bad though, although I didn't appreciate Mr. Lodge's turn at arch villain.
(The next review will be about War and peace, I promise...)
(The next review will be about War and peace, I promise...)
March 29, 2012
A clever use of 'alternate histories' (futures?) in which you can experience the story of Archie marrying either Betty or Veronica.
April 18, 2015
What could be a really nice moment--I mean, we've been waiting on it long enough--ultimately falls flat, because it's told entirely in cliches.
January 3, 2020
Nice to see the possibilities of both choices. I would pick Betty over Veronica myself.
August 29, 2021
I guess I'll try to rate the entire product, since this consists of both complete storylines, the epilogue, the interviews, e-mails that led to the creation of the story, and more.
First of all, as a longtime Archie reader, I enjoyed the stories. I like that they examined both perspectives and brought Archie back into the mainstream. I'm reading the stories 12 years after the first issue was released, so it might not have had the same impact on me as people seemed to feel at the time, but these are still characters I've grown up with. Although Archie should obviously end up with Betty, I think the Veronica storyline was actually more successful. There didn't seem to be any loose ends, and the story was satisfying, even if it's not the direction I wanted things to go.
I also liked the Betty storyline, but I felt they were developed a bit unevenly in terms of the marriages' impacts on Riverdale. One seemed to make few waves, while the other transformed many lives. One of these didn't work for me--it seemed too sudden, too out of character, and too hard for me to believe that such a major event had occurred without the characters being in touch (particularly in the age of cell phones). On top of that, it didn't actually seem to advance any plotlines to a significant degree. With that said, the stories are well done, and no writer is ever going to please everyone at every step along the way.
I liked that there were little tributes and inside jokes hidden throughout the book, and I caught many of them. I also appreciated the directory included at the end, as it helped me understand or pay attention to a few more that I should have noticed.
I think the interviews were a great addition, but I had a few reservations. I found myself unconvinced (for a while, at least) that Michael Uslan was the right person to write the story. It seems like the sort of thing that should be done by a lifetime Archie employee. However, I get that Uslan's name brings sales and that he was the first person to pitch the story. I wonder how many other writers had thought about it before but held back, thinking it would never be accepted (particularly in the wake of the "conclusive" Love Showdown in 1994). As I read through the interviews, I found myself attached more firmly to my belief that it shouldn't have been Uslan, then I changed my mind, then I changed it back, then I changed it again. So, here we are. I think Uslan was a good choice. I guess, in that sense, the interviews did their part.
I liked getting to know the staff better through the interviews. Choosing someone so familiar with comic books to conduct the interviews is a double-edged sword, though. He knows the questions to ask, but he also answers a lot of them himself (e.g. "Can you tell me about inking? I mean, it consists of this, that, this, that, etc., etc., etc., so how would you describe it?" doesn't lead to much of a response other than "I guess what you just said."). And yet, each of the interviews is informative, entertaining, and a positive addition to this compilation--especially Victor Gorelick, but I can't imagine any longtime reader not wanting to listen to every insight that Gorelick had to share.
I left off rating this book until I was finished my review. Looking back over the pros and cons, I think this might have been a 5/5. I know I should have read it years ago, but better late than never...
First of all, as a longtime Archie reader, I enjoyed the stories. I like that they examined both perspectives and brought Archie back into the mainstream. I'm reading the stories 12 years after the first issue was released, so it might not have had the same impact on me as people seemed to feel at the time, but these are still characters I've grown up with. Although Archie should obviously end up with Betty, I think the Veronica storyline was actually more successful. There didn't seem to be any loose ends, and the story was satisfying, even if it's not the direction I wanted things to go.
I also liked the Betty storyline, but I felt they were developed a bit unevenly in terms of the marriages' impacts on Riverdale. One seemed to make few waves, while the other transformed many lives. One of these didn't work for me--it seemed too sudden, too out of character, and too hard for me to believe that such a major event had occurred without the characters being in touch (particularly in the age of cell phones). On top of that, it didn't actually seem to advance any plotlines to a significant degree. With that said, the stories are well done, and no writer is ever going to please everyone at every step along the way.
I liked that there were little tributes and inside jokes hidden throughout the book, and I caught many of them. I also appreciated the directory included at the end, as it helped me understand or pay attention to a few more that I should have noticed.
I think the interviews were a great addition, but I had a few reservations. I found myself unconvinced (for a while, at least) that Michael Uslan was the right person to write the story. It seems like the sort of thing that should be done by a lifetime Archie employee. However, I get that Uslan's name brings sales and that he was the first person to pitch the story. I wonder how many other writers had thought about it before but held back, thinking it would never be accepted (particularly in the wake of the "conclusive" Love Showdown in 1994). As I read through the interviews, I found myself attached more firmly to my belief that it shouldn't have been Uslan, then I changed my mind, then I changed it back, then I changed it again. So, here we are. I think Uslan was a good choice. I guess, in that sense, the interviews did their part.
I liked getting to know the staff better through the interviews. Choosing someone so familiar with comic books to conduct the interviews is a double-edged sword, though. He knows the questions to ask, but he also answers a lot of them himself (e.g. "Can you tell me about inking? I mean, it consists of this, that, this, that, etc., etc., etc., so how would you describe it?" doesn't lead to much of a response other than "I guess what you just said."). And yet, each of the interviews is informative, entertaining, and a positive addition to this compilation--especially Victor Gorelick, but I can't imagine any longtime reader not wanting to listen to every insight that Gorelick had to share.
I left off rating this book until I was finished my review. Looking back over the pros and cons, I think this might have been a 5/5. I know I should have read it years ago, but better late than never...
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