Jughead’s got the right idea…
By PETER BOSCH
It is said that in the year 1924, in the city of Pasadena, California, Lionel Sternberger (how appropriate a surname was that!) introduced to the public a hamburger with an added slice of American cheese at his father’s Rite Spot burger stand, creating America’s first cheeseburger. With the pretentious name of the “Aristocratic Hamburger,” it was a hit! (There are a few who put forth it was in 1926, which would make this the 100TH anniversary… but the vast majority of historical sites — including the official City of Pasadena tourism website — say it was 1924.)
Rite Spot in 1933. Notice the sign proudly advertising the “Aristocratic Hamburger,” the first American cheeseburger. (As a matter of trivia, Bob Wian worked at Rite Spot before he founded Bob’s Big Boy.) Photo by J. Allen Hawkins.
And the rest, as they say, is history. Thus, it is appropriate that today, September 18, National Cheeseburger Day, we here at 13th Dimension salute the scrumptious repast. And which comic character is better to represent our tribute than the grand purveyor of hamburgers and cheeseburgers (and fries and hero sandwiches and pizza and anything else edible!) than Mr. Jughead Jones?
OK, for those of you who want Superman mentioned, here is that famous cover…
Bob Oksner, 1975
…and we’ll highlight J. Wellington “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today” Wimpy next year.
Dates are publication dates:
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Art by George Frese, 1950
Art by Bill Vigoda, 1952
Art by Samm Schwartz, 1962
Art by Dan DeCarlo (pencils) and Rudy Lapick (inks), 1971
Here’s an Archie’s Pal Jughead Annual quintet that would make great facsimile editions!
Artist unknown, 1953
Artist unknown, 1954
Artist Unknown, 1955
Artist unknown, 1956
Harry Lucey pencils, unknown inker, 1959
Jumping to more recent times, the burger is still one of the most popular fast foods in America.
Left: Pencils by Stan Goldberg, inks by Mike Esposito, 1993. Right: Rex Lindsey, 2014
Archie & Friends #18 – Blockbuster Movies (July 2024). Variant cover by Dan Parent. Jugface: “Say hello to my little friends!”
Archie vs. Minor Threats #2 (Sept. 2025, Dark Horse/Archie). Main cover art by Scott Hepburn with Ian Herring.
I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry now! So, Happy National Cheeseburger Day, I’m off to chow down!
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MORE
— MORRISON MONDAYS: MMMMM, HOAGIES — Celebrate National EAT A HOAGIE DAY With HOMER SIMPSON. Click here.
— GRAB THE SUNSCREEN: Celebrate NATIONAL BEACH DAY With These 13 COVERS. Click here.
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13th Dimension contributor-at-large PETER BOSCH’s first book, American TV Comic Books: 1940s-1980s – From the Small Screen to the Printed Page, was published by TwoMorrows. (You can buy it here.) A sequel, American Movie Comic Books: 1930s-1970s — From the Silver Screen to the Printed Page, is out now. (Buy it here.) Peter has written articles and conducted celebrity interviews for various magazines and newspapers. He lives in Hollywood.
