Opinion ‘Archie’: Forever 16

‘Archie’ comics harked of innocent cruelties intrinsic to growing up. (Source: Reuters photo)

It was the first exposure to what school could be like for the young in India of a certain generation — if they could wear those clothes, that is. They all thought they were like Betty, they all had their Veronicas, and they all had an Archie who liked the other girl. There was a Jughead, a Big Moose and a Dilton amidst them — though perhaps no burgers — and a Big Ethel who could never get it right. They knew no one who was very rich, but now they had an idea how wealthy people over there in America lived. They were in that undecided age between childhood and teens, and this was and would always be Archie for them. And also America. A land of carefree teenagers either at a cafeteria, or partying, or “smacking”, “smooching” and “slurping”.

They grew older, and all else written into that storyline became clearer. The fair-haired poor, nice girl; the dark-haired rich, manipulative one; the fickle and, let’s be truthful, mean guy, who had it too easy; the jock who was a dimwit; the nerd who had no girlfriend; and the ungainly girl with braces desperate for boys. Still, the charm of that Riverdale school, and its best friends forever, before that term came around and got shortened to an acronym, never wore off. For all its shameless stereotyping, Archie harked of innocent cruelties intrinsic to growing up.

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Archie also did grow up, but in a parallel universe apart from this classic one. In that parallel life, he married Veronica; no, wait, married Betty — or did he? — and died protecting a gay senator. Archie Andrews was 74. Tom Moore, the cartoonist who was one of the main talents behind Archie from 1953 to 1988 and who died on Monday, had long since retired — and expressed his disapproval. Thanks to Moore and the many others who have held the Riverdale bunch’s hand, Archie will forever be 16. Amen.