Happy 65th Anniversary, Archie!

It's hard to believe America's favorite teenager is 65 years old. But it's really true. Though his first appearance was in December 1941's Pep Comics #22, the very first Archie Comics issue was published in winter of 1942.

To pay tribute to Archie’s longevity, Archie Comics will be releasing a special issue of Archie Digest, reprinting Archie’s very first adventures from Pep Comics #22 and Archie Comics #1! From Archie being a hapless showoff when Betty moves into town, to Archie being a tongue-tied, discombobulated wreck when Veronica moves into town, these early stories written by Vic Bloom and others reflect the free-wheeling fun of the popular screwball comedy movies of the day. Not to mention the charmingly exaggerated cartooning styles of Bob Montana and others so popular in the 1940s.

As if that weren’t enough, the original “funny animal” supporting features like Squoimy the Woim, Cubby the Bear and Bumbie the Bee-tective, from the legendary Joe Edwards are also included.

If you’ve never seen Archie and his friends as they originally appeared, you’re in for a treat with these milestone tales... as well as a brand new story created in homage to the gang – “When Archie Meets Archie”: On the eve of his 65^th anniversary, Archie Andrews meets... himself! At least, the version of himself that appeared in Archie’s first story! After Archie gets used to calling his other self “Chic,” he ends up meeting the vintage Jughead and Betty, too – also drawn 1940s style.

Whether you're an avid Archie collector or just someone who remembers him fondly from childhood and adolescence, this issue of Archie Digest is definitely a must-have. It ships July 4, 2007 and retails for $2.49.