Archie Americana Series Volume 7: Best Of The Fifties Book 2 [Paperback]

Various (Author)

Book Description

Series: Archie Americana Series | Publication Date: December 2, 2003

The '50s are a fondly remembered time for many - both those who lived during the decade as well as those who discovered it through movies like Grease and TV shows like Happy Days. They were also the perfect decade for Archie to have his misadventures - whether getting tangled up in the eternal love triangle or incurring the wrath of Mr. Weatherbee, Mr. Lodge and even his father, Archie and his friends scaled new heights of hilarity! Put on your poodle skirt, slick back your hair and don't forget to read this fabulous collection of comedy classics before heading out to the sock hop!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

George Gladir is an American comic book writer, primarily known for his work with Archie Comics, he co-created Sabrina the Teenage Witch, with artist Dan DeCarlo. He became a full-time comic book writer in 1959, doing one-page gag fillers for Archie Comics Archie's Joke Book and other titles. His first confirmed credit is the gag page "Sign Language", drawn by Dan DeCarlo, in Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica #59

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Archie Comics (December 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1879794152
• ISBN-13: 978-1879794153
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 0.3 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #858,411 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice sampling of 50s-era Archie Comics, January 30, 2004

By 

Blake Petit "Novelist, columnist & reviewer" (Ama, Louisiana United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Archie Americana Series Volume 7: Best Of The Fifties Book 2 (Paperback)

I've loved Archie comics since I was a kid, so the "Americana Series" has been a lot of fun for me. Since they probably weren't anticipating doing a second volume of this when the first book was published nearly a decade ago. it's not surprising that the selection of stories isn't quite as good. Still, they're all classic Archie Comics.

This volume seems to focus mostly on Betty and Veronica, with Archie being little more than a supporting player in most of the stories and with Jughead existing to bail him out of trouble. It's interesting to note how much the characters have evolved over the years while the situation has remained the same -- Betty is the same sweet "girl next door" she always was, but she's not quite as despondant as she used to be. Veronica is still the spoiled rich kid, but she's softened a bit.

It would be interesting, once I've gotten the whole collection, to read the entire "Americana" series in one lump, just to see how much things changed over the years. I've got a new project to work on...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Archie" comics at their peak, February 16, 2008

By 

DJ Joe Sixpack (...in Middle America) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Archie Americana Series Volume 7: Best Of The Fifties Book 2 (Paperback)

There are many who would argue that "Archie"comics were at their glory years in the 1950s... Certainly the smooth-lined, stylized artwork (from Dan DeCarlo and others) that so many fans adore found its formal peak in the second half of the decade. This book zips past the early years of the decade, pausing for only a sprinkling of stories from 1950-52 (a period that had a more blocky style, and blunter scripts) straight into the 1957-59 heyday, when the stories had a smooth look and the kooky, carefree rhythm that made these years immortal. You just gotta love the way they drew Betty and Veronica!

Personally, I'd love to see a more in-depth exploration of the decade, perhaps even a series of year-by-year best-of books, with the best strips of 1950, '51, '52, etc... But in the meantime, the "Archie Americana" books are a real gas. I was happy to see a Volume Two of the 'Fifties come out: can't wait for Volume Three! (ReadThatAgain book reviews)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BASEBALL HOTDOGS, APPLE PIE & ARCHIE, May 19, 2005

By 

Tim Janson (Michigan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Archie Americana Series Volume 7: Best Of The Fifties Book 2 (Paperback)

Baseball, hotdogs, apple pie...but really, what is more American than Archie Comics? While Archie is now well into his seventh decade (and still looking ever the teen) perhaps the decade most associated with Archie Comics is the 1950's. It was the era of hot rods, Elvis, and malt shops and Archie and the gang were front and center. This is the second collection of Archie stories from the 1950's and this one prominently features Betty and Veronica as most of the stories are reprinted from the Betty & Veronica comic series. This collection features over a dozen stories and also has pin-up pages and cover galleries, displaying those wonderful covers from that bygone era. The love triangle between Archie, Betty and Veronica is in full vigor in most of these tales, as the girls alternately battle, and dump Archie.

Here are just a few of the stories in this latest Americana Series collection:

In "Model Date" from 1951, Betty and Veronica agree to both turn down Archie for a date the next time he asks to teach him a little humility. But then they learn that Archie is out with Jughead's cousin from New York. When the find out the model is a man, Veronica schemes to get a date with him. Then she gets a look at her `model date."

"Coat of Alms" 1955. When Betty is upset about her old clothes, Jughead goes on a quiz show and promptly wins her a new gown and mink stole. When she shows up at a dance, Veronica finds herself as the one envious of Betty's clothes for a change.

In "Kiss and Kill" from 1956, Betty and Veronica find out they are both going steady with Archie and want to kill him. But Jughead uses reverse psychology and tells the girls that it's all their fault that Archie loves them both because they are so beautiful. Jughead suggests a kissing contest to see who gets Archie.

"Rage Before Beauty" 1957. Sneaky Veronica `helps' Archie, Reggie, and Jughead pick out a birthday present for Betty by suggesting a hideous outfit in a department store window. Veronica was so convincing, however, that the plan backfires when the boys end up buying Veronica the awful outfit instead.

"Crest Fallen" 1958. When Veronica, Archie, and Reggie all trace their family trees back to European nobility, they begin acting snooty to everyone else. Miss Grundy takes them down a few pegs when her research uncovers the skeletons in each of their family's closets.

"Never Say Die" 1959. Veronica decides to fight fire with fire by changing her hair color to blonde to woo Archie. The battle of the hair escalates when both girls go red, only Archie doesn't like redheads!

Archie Comics is doing a great job in re-printing the classic tales as they transport you back to these prior decades with all the styles, jargon, and culture that went along with them. The Americana collection series is required reading for any Archie Fan. Wonderful, nostalgic fun!

Reviewed by Tim Janson