Strange things are happening on the primary-color streets of Riverdale, Archie’s hometown. Barack Obama and Sarah Palin share a malted — spiked with lord knows what!
Here’s the logline for the cover:
President Barack Obama and famed politician Sarah Palin get involved as Student Government campaigns spiral out of control at Riverdale High! The race between Archie and Reggie gets hot as campaign chaos reaches to the top, forcing an impromptu visit from these big-name politicos, who get pulled into the fray!
Probably a bunch of sophomore tea bagger troublemakers. And as if that wasn’t strange enough, the storyline spills over into a second issue with this cover and logline:
When President Obama and famed politician Sarah Palin arrive, Riverdale becomes the center of a national crisis! Archie and Reggie have each claimed support from one of these political powerhouses, but they don’t! Now Riverdale is in chaos and when the Secret Service gets involved it only gets worse!
Note the patented Palin wink, the beatific Buddha-like expression on Obama’s face and Archie’s “still a dork after 60 years” leer.
OK, that’s probably the weirdest plot twist (must remind self, only a comic book, only a comic) the Archie series has seen in a while, but it’s not the only controversial development in fast-tracking Riverdale these days. Not long ago, Riverdale High got its first gay dude, Kevin Keller.
Kevin’s a good-looking guy, with wavy blond hair and blue eyes. Of course, it looks like he’s got just three expressions — mild surprise, a kind of sideways leer that makes you think he’s up to something and then a man-about-town look when he’s walking that crazy gay walk with his hands kind of open at his sides.
I suppose it must be hard to convey gayness in a comic strip without making the character a cartoon.
Of course, Veronica was all over him like Chanel No. 5 on Marilyn Monroe. And neither Jughead nor Betty is going to disabuse her of her wild fantasies for different reasons — Betty wants Veronica distracted from Archie and Jughead apparently wants some kind of humiliating retribution for some imaginary slight.
Man, things are getting wild in Riverdale.
I had no idea you were an Archie follower. I have to say I find it mildly offensive that they elevate Sarah Palin to being the equal of the president.
I don’t really follow Archie, but I find Jughead to be a fascinating character. Oh, and then there’s Veronica’s tatas ….