Archie: A Celebration of America's Favorite Teenagers [Hardcover]

Various (Author), Bob Bolling (Author), Sam Schwartz (Author), Dan DeCarlo (Author), Bob Montana (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 3, 2011 | Series: Archie

The fascinating history, decade by decade, of the major comics company Archie. This behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Archie, his sexy girlfriends, Bettie & Veronica, and his pals, Jughead and Reggie, as well as the Golden Age of superheroes, features artist and writer bios, plus tons of rare and unpublished art by masters like Bob Montana, Dan DeCarlo, Sam Schwartz, and Bob Bolling.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Like Les Daniels' defining Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics, the history of one of the longest-lasting edifices in comics gets put down on paper. Fans of the Riverdale gang would pick this up anyway, but all comic fans should take a peek through these pages. Because hey, history don't hurt.

The book takes everything into account. There's a handy guide to all the characters, many of which I wasn't aware of (Veronica has a mom?) There are bios on nearly all the folks behind the scripts and art (it's fair to say, the men behind the scripts and art because I don't remember seeing any women in there). There are original, uncolored art pages, sketches, and some nice reprints as well. And it's not just the comic adventures of Archie Andrews that get coverage: his radio, film, television, and musical versions are also covered.

When it comes to enduring comic legacies, there's Marvel, there's DC, and there's Archie. It's nice to see that legacy get a very piercing spotlight on it from time to time. --Ethan Kaye, Geekgirlonthestreet.com

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Idea & Design Works Llc; First Edition edition (May 3, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600107540
• ISBN-13: 978-1600107542
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #602,598 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A history, a celebration, and a fantastic read!, May 24, 2011

By 

Frank Bergdoll "LFD" (Calgary, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Archie: A Celebration of America's Favorite Teenagers (Hardcover)

As a comic fan, it is sometimes difficult to recommend books about comics to a non-fan crowd. The hobby can be a little insular and sometimes not appeal to those outside of it's base. There are many books that examine an aspect of the industry at a level only true fans can appreciate, or others that are so basic that they don't hold enough depth to really interest many.

Not so with this book.

I can safely and confidently recommend this book to the widest possible audience. In a word, it's fantastic. It takes a look at a company that has existed for over 75 years and not only drawn from, but contributed towards, pop-culture and the culture of .... well, the world! While that may seem heavy-handed, reading this book just might change your mind.

At the very least, the book will remind you of some part of your past (or, for those of us that still like these things - our present). Whether you are 15, 30, 45, or even older - there are parts of this book that will transport you to a lazy summer or a Christmas stocking that held an Archie comic or digest which you read cover-to-cover and passed around to siblings and friends. However, it will do so in a new way - by pulling back the curtain on the people and the company that made all this magic happen. Both a fascinating insight into a company of creativity that still thrives and a trip down memory lane 75 years to the last few months.

It isn't a book of reprinted stories (although there are stories to be read)

It isn't a book of images with no depth (although there are plenty of images),

It isn't a historical and psychological examination of pop-culture that only a curator could appreciate (although there is plenty to make your brain think about).

It IS a well-constructed book that will be read by three or more generations in any household - appealing to each.

The book strikes a very good balance between history, imagery, and insight into the state of the company past and present. You may be surprised at how relevant and meaningful the company remains as well as the great influence it has held in its many years. From Elvis reading an Archie comic on a train, to the modern world of.... well, I'll leave that for you to discover. I cannot recommend this book highly enough - it's just one of those great-to-have books. In fact, if you buy this one - place it on a table and see just how many friends and family members grab it and start talking about Archie.

This is the type of book you may buy someone as a gift and end-up flipping through until you've read it cover to cover and refuse to let it go.

On another note - the picture here at Amazon does NOT so this book justice. It is heavy and has a wonderful die-cut cover - the "Three on a Soda" image sits on TOP of the cover.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Archie Gets Deluxe Treatment, May 25, 2011

By 

David Burd (East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Archie: A Celebration of America's Favorite Teenagers (Hardcover)

We've seen a lots of changes in the world lately, mainly because of technology. For one, brick-and-mortar bookstores are going out of business and online book sellers (like this one!) are thriving. That's great news for Amazon and it's not bad for us consumers, either. We get discount prices, near-infinite selection, low shipping cost, and the convenience of shopping from home. But what we miss is the experience of picking up the book, holding it in our hands, and seeing it in person.

Looking at the picture of "Archie: A Celebration of America's Favorite Teenagers," would you know that the book has a special die-cut cover? (It does.) Would you know that it has full-color custom endpapers? (It has those, too.) The product description lists the page count, but it doesn't tell you that the sturdy hardcover binding has fancy spot varnish on the front, back and spine. Nor does it say that the book has reproductions of rare and literally one-of-a-kind art in addition to the four-color comic book stories and covers reprinted. In short, the description and the picture simply don't do it justice. (Thank goodness Amazon provides the opportunity for consumer reviews like this one to help inform book shoppers.)

As with previous Yoe Books, this is a prime example of the book-maker's art. The book itself is a quality product, aside from its contents. This is not a book to read on a Kindle. I'm not opposed to technology and there's nothing wrong with reading an electronic mystery or romance novel. But with a book like this you want to own it as a physical object. If you don't have a coffee table, buy one - then put this book on it.

As far as the contents of the book are concerned, Craig Yoe did a great job, as usual. If you're an Archie fan, you'll want it.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The BEST Archie History Book So Far..., May 29, 2011

By 

Mark Arnold "movie/tv, comic book and animati... (Saratoga, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Archie: A Celebration of America's Favorite Teenagers (Hardcover)

I did help out Craig Yoe with this book, but it is not why it is the best. It would have been the best even without my help. Craig has strove...er strived...striven? ok, Yoe has made sure that he gave ample coverage to virtually all of the major Archie artists and writers over the years, something no other collection has done. While I truly regard Dan De Carlo as one of the greats, most Archie volumes give him praise if they give anyone praise, truly overlooking a lot of the other talents including Bob Montana and my favorite, Harry Lucey! Even the writers are covered at great length such as George Gladir. There is not only coverage of the comic books, but of the radio shows, TV shows, and The Archies singing group! Yoe has even created pages of his top 10 favorite Archie covers in various categories. Not an easy feat since there are over 5000 Archie covers at this point, over 600 on the main Archie title alone. So please buy and enjoy. It's a very handsome looking book even if you are only a casual fan. This will make you a fan!