Life without Archie

The iconic comic book character will die in the conclusion of a flash-forward series this summer.

Who can forget lovable Archie Andrews?  With his red hair and freckles, his loyal friend Jughead and of course, the loves of his life Betty and Veronica, Archie was a comic book character both adults and teens world over adore.

Archie comics have been around since 1941. Now, almost 75 years later, fans will finally find out how he dies. A series of his adventures after high school and college, titled Life with Archie, was launched five years ago, and tells the story of Archie’s life as an adult.

“Life with Archie is Archie’s future — it gives readers a look into what his life would be like after high school and college, which has never really been explored,” said Archie Comics CEO Jon Goldwater, who is the son of Archie creator John Goldwater, reports CNN.

Another point to be noted is that the creators of Archie will never reveal the answer to a question that has baffled readers for decades. Who will Archie ultimately end up with? In Life with Archie, the two storylines show alternate relationships, one with Betty and the other with Veronica, there is never only one. This goes to show that fans really will never know.

“Each issue is normally split into two storylines; one telling a tale of Archie married to Veronica another with him ending up with Betty. The final issue, however, will show readers Archie’s final fate in both timelines, and they’re the same. He will die while saving the life of a friend in Life with Archie #36 in July,” added Goldwater.

“We’ve been building up to this moment since we launched Life with Archie, and knew that any book that was telling the story of Archie’s life as an adult had to also show his final moment,” Goldwater said on the website www.archiecomics.com.

He added that the story will be available in multiple formats, including magazine size, two comic-size issues #36 and #37, and a paperback of the entire story, reports Reuters. Life with Archie #36 will detail his final moments, while Life with Archie #37 will show how his friends are coping without him a year after his death.

On a lighter note, a spokesperson for the comics confirmed that the events in the flash-forward Live with Archie series, will not affect Archie in the present-day series. His adventures and stories as a teenager will continue, which comes as a great relief. The original Archie series, with beloved Pop’s, Riverdale High, Betty and Veronica constantly bickering and of course, Jughead’s love affair with food, won’t be going anywhere.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 11^th, 2014.

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