EXCLUSIVE: Plus TWO pin-up variant covers by Dan DeCarlo!
Archie Comics has a pretty swell Facsimile Edition coming your way this October — the Silver Age classic Archie’s Girls Betty and Veronica #40.
Dig the solicitation info, which will be released officially later this month:
BETTY & VERONICA #40 FACSIMILE EDITION
You’ll be CHASING after this special issue! Betty and Veronica spread some joy… before turning on one another! Add in a tropical fish, Jughead eating Christmas decorations, and you’ve got a totally normal day in Riverdale! All this and more timeless tales from the world of Archie in BETTY & VERONICA #40 from 1959, faithfully reprinted in a full-facsimile edition!
Script: Frank Doyle, Tom Moore, Joe Edwards
Art: Dan DeCarlo, Tom Moore, Joe Edwards, Rudy Lapick
Main Cover: Harry Lucey
Retro Art Betty Variant Cover: Dan DeCarlo
Retro Art Veronica Variant Cover: Dan DeCarlo
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Several thoughts:
— Whoever at Archie came up with the idea of pin-up variants — especially by Dan DeCarlo — you’re a feckin’ genius.
— That said, I’m not 100 percent sure which issues these are from. I don’t believe they are from B&V #40. So fill me in, Archie mavens! (UPDATED: Betty is from 1962’s Laugh Comics #142 and Veronica is from 1963’s Archie’s Pals ‘n’ Gals #25.)
— The ish is due Oct. 29. It runs for $4.99.
— Obligatory Price Comparison: The Harry Lucey cover is one of the most sought-after of the era. An unslabbed original issue — it was released in late 1958 — in FN- condition went for $444, including buyer’s premium, through Heritage Auctions last November. You can find other, lower grade, unslabbed copies online for about $300.
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MORE
— 1961’s Infamous Devil-Dealing BETTY AND VERONICA #75 to Get Facsimile Edition in September. Click here.
— 1971’s SABRINA, THE TEEN-AGE WITCH #1 to Get Facsimile Edition in August. Click here.
July 15, 2025
Call me crazy here, but why at all make a facsimile edition of this?
Wouldn’t it be better to have more “key” issues like first appearance issues of the main characters, or maybe Betty and Veronica #1…? This seems so random…
July 15, 2025
I suspect the availability and level of such source material has much to do with it getting chosen. That and many of the key issues (such as #1 etc.) were already chosen as part of the recent Kickstarter campaign. I’m excited for any Silver Age issues they do over their previous (suspect) issues. Put me down for 5 copies!
July 15, 2025
A number of the Archie facsimiles are reprinted because the covers have innuendos on them. I don’t know if that’s the case for this one, as you can Google “inappropriate Archies” and this one doesn’t appear on any scandal lists that I’ve seen.
July 15, 2025
They need to do Archie #50
July 15, 2025
Team Betty! https://media.mycomicshop.com/n_iv/600/727123.jpg
July 15, 2025
One Archie comic I’d love to see as a Facsimile Edition is Archie #283 from 1979. That’s the issue that promoted the International Children’s Appeal, a charity that turned out to be a fraud. In addition to the cover, there was a 7-page story and an ad for ICA merchandise.