Comments on: Archie’s Message: We Stay the Same

By: Johanna

Johanna — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 14:44:58 +0000

Well, in comics, there’s a traditional drop-off of readership over time, so people use stunts to keep buyers’ attention to compensate.

Plus, the last of the founders passed away earlier, so they may feel like it’s a good time to try some new things with new leaders.

By: Oliver

Oliver — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 14:38:21 +0000

Thank-you for the information about Dan DeCarlo. So they did that because they didn’t want to pay him royalties on the Josie comics? But he cemented the way all the characters are drawn? That’s pretty low.

So they aren’t in danger even when it’s obvious they try so many different methods of generating more money (manga, new logos on the comics & digests, the “New Look” series, etc.)? Well, that’s good to hear, but why are they trying all this stuff? Archies, and especially comic books, are not doing the same as they used to (and Manga sales are down, too). Do you know if Archie gets any grants from any New York arts organizations?

By: Johanna

Johanna — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 02:17:42 +0000

Dan DeCarlo sued for ownership of characters he’d created (like Josie, who was based on his wife), and Archie’s response was to fire him and refuse him any credits, even though their current character looks are based on his work.

I don’t think Archie Comics, as a publishing company, is in any danger.

By: Oliver

Oliver — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 02:13:40 +0000

What happened to Dan DeCarlo, what did they do? I can’t buy Archies regularly either, but I do find some discounted ones at my used book store (although Archie doesn’t get my money that way). I wonder if they’ll eventually fold because it’s even harder these days to keep an ailing publishing house going.

By: joecab

joecab — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 00:28:48 +0000

I’m still too pissed about how they dealt with Dan DeCarlo just before he died to buy Archie Comics regularly anymore.

By: Sabrina Manga Ends » Comics Worth Reading

Sabrina Manga Ends » Comics Worth Reading — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 16:35:47 +0000

[...] that the company is emphasizing nostalgia in their approach, I won’t be surprised to see a big relaunch in the new year with a more [...]

By: Agustin Mojica

Agustin Mojica — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:50:13 +0000

I was about to say something about, “would Archie really bring in kid customers? Who reads Archie, anyways” until I realized that I read Archie as a kid, alongside their Sonic the Hedgehog comics. As a kid of the nineties, I was pretty far from Archie’s heyday, too.

By: Colonel Sartoris

Colonel Sartoris — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:48:11 +0000

I buy everything Archie publishes each month from online retailers in the direct market. I am the target audience of this PR and it worked on me!

By: Johanna

Johanna — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:58:47 +0000

There are some comic stores that do quite well with Archies. It depends on whether the shop wants the kid customers, of course.

By: Agustin Mojica

Agustin Mojica — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:51:49 +0000

Are these comics really sold much in comic shops in the first place? I’m of the impression that these books are sold to grandmothers picking up an unwanted gift from the checkout lane.

By: Journalista - the news weblog of The Comics Journal » Blog Archive » November 12, 2008: Nothing ever ends

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:19:41 +0000

[...] [Publishing] The unchanging Archie Comics Link: Johanna Draper Carlson [...]

By: Charles RB

Charles RB — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:55:56 +0000

I’d have figured these sort of releases would be aimed at parents who used to read Archie, in the hope they’ll buy it for their kids.