Posted By Dan Greenfield on Nov 9, 2024 | 5 comments

EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: He was Archie before there was Archie…

1951’s Wilbur #36

Once upon a time, there was a lovesick teenager named Wilbur Wilkin, whose misadventures were published by MLJ Magazines. His first appearance was in 1941’s Zip Comics #18 — three months before Archie Andrews showed up in the company’s Pep Comics #22.

Archie fast became a star in the comics world — so much so that MLJ eventually changed its name to Archie Comics. Wilbur, on the other hand, jumped around as a backup feature before finally getting his own title — Wilbur Comics — in 1944. He carried through into the 1960s and then, well, more or less vanished other than a rare cameo. (Side Note 1: Another Wilkin, Bingo, showed up later in That Wilkin Boy, but that was a different character altogether. Side Note 2: Katy Keene’s first appearance was in Wilbur #5.)

Anyway, drum roll, please… Wilbur’s back! Archie Comics, the publisher that will never let an obscure character vanish forever, is bringing back the handsome young blond in a new story headlining Nov. 13’s World of Archie Jumbo Comics Digest #145 — and we’ve got your EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW:

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There’s also the usual assortment of vintage material, including this Bob Bolling Little Archie story and other goodies:

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