Tribute to a fallen friend

Every generation has its icons, be it singers, actors or cartoon characters. There is one icon, however, that has surpassed the inevitable stigma of fading into a has-been. An icon that has survived and remains to this day. An icon that has been loved and celebrated world over. An icon that is now set to die.

Meet Archie Andrews, the freckled redhead, the darling of Riverdale, the comic book character that has stood the test of time. His constant love triangle with Betty and Veronica, his loyal friend Jughead, even his misdemeanours at school resulting in detention from Ms Grundy or Mr Weatherbee. All these characters are remembered fondly for their distinct personalities — personalities which have developed over a period of almost 75 years. Technically, Archie is older than Pakistan.

Countless hours have been spent reading Double Digests hidden under the covers with flashlights, way past bedtime. Allowances have been saved to be almost immediately spent on an arsenal of new Archie comics. Playgrounds at school have seen children exchanging comics, setting up an outdoor library of sorts. Limited edition merchandise from high-end brands has been inspired by the characters that grace the pages of Archie comics.

The creators of Archie launched a new series about five years ago, titled ‘Life with Archie’, in which Archie is shown as an adult, with a real life that doesn’t revolve round girls or school. It is in the finale of this series that Archie will meet his demise. Never will I pick up a copy of any comic from this series.

The beauty of Archie was that he never aged. He still loved both Betty and Veronica, he still made fun of Mr Weatherbee’s wig, he still hung out at Pop’s with Jughead, and he still competed with Reggie. Despite wherever a person was in life, picking up an Archie comic book would transport them into a familiar time and place, one uninhibited by the harsh realities of life.

‘Life with Archie’ does the exact opposite. It shows a side of Archie people wouldn’t really like to see, an Archie that isn’t happy-go-lucky anymore, an Archie with a mortgage, and other very real problems. Ironically, the series also shows Archie in two parallel universes, one where he’s married to Betty, and one where he ends up with Veronica. That goes to show fans will never really find out who Archie truly loves.

Most importantly, ‘Life with Archie’ does the unimaginable, it results in death. What would life be without Archie? Aren’t comic book characters supposed to live forever?

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2014.