[...] There have been other introductions to expand character diversity, but what really matters is how they’re used and whether they become part of the core group. If the stories are about “darn, all the cute [...]

[...] story of Chuck Clayton as cartoon instructor continues. I was surprised to see a tricky subject handled subtly in this [...]

The interview with the New Look artist was on the archiecomics.com website under the Old Time Radio show link, I think. I can’t find it anymore. Maybe its just me or its just another page that doesn’t work correctly on their website.

I don’t remember any of the Josie stories I read this go-round, sorry. I tend to not pay too much attention to them, because they remind me of Archie’s miserable treatment of Dan DeCarlo, and that makes me sad.

That’s a shame to hear about the management control, but that’s what tends to happen with such a long-running franchise.

As for the New Look stories. I don’t think they’re a bad idea, just not well executed. From listening to an interview with the first New Look artist, I got the impression that management was dictating the look more than the artist, which is usually not a good thing.

I’m sure there are other artists who’d love to do their own versions of the gang. Did you see J. Scott Campbell’s take on them in Gen 13 #13?