The Easter basket memories of my youth always included a few small toys, candy and chocolate bunnies, of course, and an occasional comic book, with “Archie” and his gang ranking among the favorites of my four older siblings and me.
It’s amazing that the comic book teen neighborhood hero redhead, with those signature freckles and famed crisscrosses in his hairline above the ears, is celebrating his 85th birthday this year.
New Yorker and visionary John L. Goldwater, who died at age 83 in 1999, was one of the co-founders of the Archie Comics Publishing Co.
When he was interviewed for the 1980 book “The Best of Archie,” he said he wanted to create a contrasting character to the popular Superman hero character of the era, but reasoned that young audiences would identify with “a normal person who could be just as popular.” In December 1941, Archie Andrews made his debut in “Pep Comics” issue No. 22.
Goldwater said the character was inspired by the popular “Andy Hardy” movie series of the decade that starred Mickey Rooney.
Goldwater chose the name “Archie” in homage to a school pal from his youth, and he charged artist and writer Bob Montana (who died far too young at age 54 in 1975) to dream up and design “a carrot-topped, freckle-faced character torn between two teen loves, one blond and one dark,” and that he should create a crowd of likeable characters to surround this love triangle, all based on teens unlike those that Montana, who hailed from California and the West Coast, grew up around or Goldwater’s recollections of the teens of New York City and the East Coast. Goldwater wanted “Archie and his Gang” to be patterned after Midwest teens.
The result was Montana’s imagination drawing up Archie Andrews, sensible girl-next-door Betty Cooper and Archie’s always hungry pal Jughead Jones to appear together for an inside story for “Pep Comics” issue No. 22. Betty’s rival, the wealthy Veronica Lodge and the ego-driven and upper-middleclass Archie “frenemy,” Reggie Mantle, whose father was the publisher of the Riverdale newspaper, were both introduced early on too, but a few issues later in 1942.
And by May 1943, Archie and his pals were given their own NBC weekly radio series. Decades later, as the franchise and “Archie Universe” expanded, an animated Saturday morning cartoon show, mass merchandising, a syndicated live action series and other related promotions, including a hit record “Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies as a musical group, made the comic teen a household name.
Archie and the rest of his gang have always been a part of our household. Stacks of “Archie” comic titles came with us for the long car rides for family vacations. Even the now long-retired family dentist in our small town of North Judson, Dr. Thomas Wunder, had a treasure drawer of brand new “Archie” comic book titles he handed out to his young patients who showcased good dental practices.
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Not only were my siblings and I fans of the humorous antics of Archie and his fellow cast of characters, but our late father Chester loved them just as much and would have an ever-present stack of the smaller, compact digest comic editions always an arm’s length away, right next to his stack of daily newspapers. He enjoyed Archie for a daily dose of humor right up until a week before his passing at age 96 on Dec. 10 last year.
When looking through our family’s stacks of “Archie” comics, which date back to the 1950s, one issue always captured my attention because it was a spin-off title for the crown-wearing character Jughead, and it only lasted one issue.
Titled “Jughead’s Eat-Out” and published in December 1970, it sold for 25 cents and spanned 68 color pages. But the most unique aspect of this particular comic book is that it includes several “real” recipes for teen cooks to try at home, from cookies to homemade pizza. My favorite recipe comes from this comic’s title guy Jughead, for his wacky but surprisingly yummy “Bacon Nut-Burger.”
A happy and Blessed Easter!
Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is a weekly radio host at WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at [email protected] or mail your questions: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374.
Jughead’s Bacon Nut-Burger
Makes 4 burgers
Ingredients
1 cup chopped pecans, soaked for 2 hours and drained
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 cup mushrooms, sautéed in butter until soft
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon jerk seasoning
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 egg
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp
2 slices sharp cheddar cheese
Toasted buns
Drizzle of pure maple syrup
Directions
Blend the nuts, mushrooms, onions, rice, soy sauce, spices and egg in a food processor until a thick paste forms.
Shape into patties and sear in a pan with butter or oil until browned (about 3-5 mins per side).
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Place bacon slices and top with cheddar cheese, letting it melt over the patty.
Toast buns and assemble burgers adding a drizzle of maple syrup for Jughead’s favorite sweet vs salty flavor contrast.