Throughout the nineteen sixties, seventies and eighties, most issues of
Archie Comics featured a two-page spread titled Archie Club News. The
banner at the top of the page announced, "ARCHIE CLUB MEMBERS send in
your reports and be eligible to win cash prizes in the Archie Series
Magazines." The results of this venture were generally irrelevant notes
sent in like, "Dear Archie, I want to tell you about Citizen Band Radios..."
Often what was sent in appeared to be part of a class project.
Elementary school children were in the process of learning how to write
letters and encouraged by a teacher to send something Riverdale way.
Sometimes the letters were weird or even profound and other times
prophetic or just silly.
The following letter originally appeared in Laugh #236, November 1970:
Dear Archie,
How would you like to start out on a peaceful trip to Europe, and end up in a Russian invasion?
That's what happened to me two years ago. I went to a few countries like France, Italy etc. When I went to Czechoslovakia to visit relatives I found myself in a Russian invasion a few days after I had been there. It was terribly scary to see soldiers marching around with their guns pointing at you. At night you could not have a light on in the house or the Russians would shoot it out.
Around 5 days after the Russian invasion I left Czechoslovakia safe and sound. It was quite an experience and I shall always remember it.
Lada Williams
3934 Oak Park Avenue
Stickney, Ill 60402
Lada (ironically sharing the name of the Soviet Union's most famous brand of automobile) won the dismal fifth prize of one dollar for this issue. Ms. Williams near-death experience lost to letters about camping and an explanation of what a collage is, among others.
Ok, Lada was present during the "Prague Spring" ...but I'll bet there are more songs written about CB radio. Oh, and what's Archie doing puffing away, and that chick with the R. Crumb rack doing with drugs, cigs and gambling paraphenalia?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague_Spring
Posted by: Dale Hazelton | September 30, 2007 at 11:23 AM
I'm going to guess that the picture is from one of Mad Magazine's old 'Starchie' parodies. I think that's one of Bill Elder's creations:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Elder
Posted by: Mister Pants | September 30, 2007 at 12:41 PM
Dale, that's not Archie avoiding Betty's intentions, that's STARCHIE! It's a parody from a 1954 issue of MAD (when it was still a comic book and a not a more general satire mag). That was also before the comic code came along and spoiled all the fun for everyone.
Posted by: Mark Deming | September 30, 2007 at 12:43 PM
Hey, I recognize that panel! It's not Archie, but a Mad Magazine take-off!
Next thing ya know, you're gonna start quoting Porgie and Mudhead at us!
Posted by: just john | September 30, 2007 at 02:22 PM
wow, this is maybe the deepest archie club news yet. i really like this segment.
Posted by: art | October 01, 2007 at 03:24 AM
Thanks for filling me in guys! The wiki article about Elder is pretty cool......
Posted by: Dale Hazelton | October 01, 2007 at 12:25 PM
Hey Kliph,
Check out Anarchy comix #2 from last gasp. More fun and games with Archie for your next installment.
Posted by: K. | October 01, 2007 at 12:47 PM
Good grief, what was Lada doing on her own touring Europe? I'd like to know how she got out of Czechoslovakia. Starchie RULES! It was the funniest take off of Archie ever!
Posted by: Ivy | October 02, 2007 at 06:04 AM