Price: 7.95 USD
Pages: 256
Editing: Michael Uslan (editor); Jeffrey Mendel (editor)
Cover Thumbnail for The Best of Archie (Putnam Publishing Group, 1980 series) Edit Cover
Cover Gallery 

[no title indexed]
(Table of Contents)

Archie / cover / 1 page

Pencils:
?
Inks:
?
Colors:
?
Letters:
typeset
  • Genre:humor; teen
  • First Line of Dialogue or Text:The Best of Archie
Characters:

Indexer Notes

Cover design by Lynn Hollyn and Associates.

Issue Data

Series Data

  • Color: Color
  • Binding: Trade Paperback
  • Publishing Format: Collected Edition
  • Publication Type: book

Introduction
(Table of Contents: 1)

foreword, introduction, preface, afterword / 7 pages

Script:
Letters:
typeset
Synopsis:
Introduction to the book by Michael Uslan and Jeffrey Mendel.

The Archie Archives
(Table of Contents: 2)

text article / 2 pages

Script:
Letters:
typeset
Synopsis:
List of all the titles published featuring Archie.

Who's Who In Riverdale
(Table of Contents: 3)

Archie / character profile / 1 page

Script:
?
Pencils:
Bob Montana (signed)
Inks:
Bob Montana (signed)
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Synopsis:
Introduction to the main cast of characters.
Reprints (1)

[Introducing Archie]
(Table of Contents: 4)

Archie / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
Victor Bloom (signed)
Pencils:
Bob Montana (signed)
Inks:
Bob Montana (signed)
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:teen; humor
Characters:
Archie Andrews [Archibald Andrews; Chick]; Betty Cooper; Sam Cooper; Mildred Cooper; Fred Andrews; Edna Andrews; Gramps Andrews; Jughead Jones [Forsythe P. Jones] (introduction for all)
Synopsis:
Archie meets Betty, a girl who has just moved into the neighborhood. He shows off for her, claiming he can do anything. At a carnival that weekend, Betty meets a man who needs a tight rope walker. Betty, remembering that Archie can do anything, volunteers Archie with humorous results.
Reprints (1)

[Archie's Taxi Service]
(Table of Contents: 5)

Archie / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
Bob Montana (signed)
Pencils:
Bob Montana (signed)
Inks:
Bob Montana (signed)
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
The Riverdale High principal (probably NOT Mr. Weatherbee)
Synopsis:
Archie's jalopy is costing too much, so Archie offers to make it a taxi service. He picks up a man at the train station and while trying to shortcut, ends up on a road to the country. Bad things happen to the man and when Archie's jalopy is hit by a train, they end up walking 17 miles to Riverdale. When Archie goes to school the next day, he finds out that the man is the new principal.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

First appearance of Archie's jalopy.

[Trip to Bear Mountain]
(Table of Contents: 6)

Archie / comic story / 8 pages

Script:
Bob Montana (signed)
Pencils:
Bob Montana (signed)
Inks:
Bob Montana (signed)
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Archie Andrews; Jughead Jones; Reggie Mantle; Mr. Weatherbee; Veronica Lodge; Scotty; Streaky Shore
Synopsis:
Archie gets initiated into the Philomathian club but hurts Mr. Weatherbee in the process. As a result, Archie is banned from the class boat ride. Jughead persuades Archie to go because Mr. Weatherbee never goes on the boat rides. However, he does and Archie has to avoid him.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

First appearances of Reggie Mantle and Mr. Weatherbee.

[Veronica Makes the Scene]
(Table of Contents: 7)

Archie / comic story / 5.5 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Bob Montana (signed)
Inks:
Bob Montana (signed)
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Penny Reems
Synopsis:
Archie meets Veronica and asks her out, not knowing that she's a rich girl with expensive tastes. He gets a job at the El Crocadero to get money for the date, but that is where Veronica ends up wanting to go. Since Archie wore his work uniform for the date, he has to juggle working and dating Veronica.
Reprints (1)

Of Moose and Men
(Table of Contents: 8)

Jughead / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
Inks:
?
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Midge Smith
Synopsis:
Moose asks Jughead to write a poem for him to give to Midge. However, Reggie finds out and spreads the rumor that Jughead is dating Midge behind Moose's back.
Reprints (1)

Short Cut to Success
(Table of Contents: 9)

Archie At Riverdale / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
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Inks:
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Colors:
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Letters:
?
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Moose Mason; Archie Andrews; Betty Cooper; Mr. Weatherbee; Miss Grundy; Jughead Jones
Synopsis:
When Moose drops out of high school, Archie and Jughead visit his workplace to persuade him to return.
Reprints (1)

Artists and Doodles
(Table of Contents: 10)

Jughead / comic story / 1 page

Script:
?
Pencils:
?
Inks:
?
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Reprints (1)

What's in a Name?
(Table of Contents: 11)

Archie 1 / comic story / 8 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Big One
Synopsis:
Archie and the gang name various things in prehistoric times.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Credits taken from later reprint.

Future School Daze
(Table of Contents: 12)

Riverdale 2001; Archie / comic story / 5 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
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Inks:
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Colors:
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Letters:
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  • Genre:teen; humor
Characters:
Archie Andrews; Miss Grundy
Synopsis:
Archie tries to avoid going to school.
Reprints (1)

The PH Factor
(Table of Contents: 13)

Pureheart the Powerful / comic story / 8 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
Letters:
  • Genre:humor; teen; superhero
Characters:
Synopsis:
Archie discovers that by calling on his own PH Factor he can become Pureheart the Powerful. Unfortunately, the PH Factor is so strong that it makes everyone forget they saw Pureheart or recognize him as Archie.
Reprints (1)

A Matter Of Prejudice
(Table of Contents: 14)

Archie / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
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Inks:
?
Colors:
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Letters:
?
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Synopsis:
Veronica tells Archie she does not want one of his friends at her party, and Archie assumes she is talking about Chuck. It turns out she is talking about Jughead.
Reprints (1)

Final Exam
(Table of Contents: 15)

Archie / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
  • Genre:religious; teen
Characters:
Debbie; Jerry
Synopsis:
Archie and Betty are put down by Jerry and Debbie for maintaining high values. After school, a drunk Jerry drives Debbie home, and he has an accident, injuring Debbie badly. Archie and Betty come across the scene and quickly scramble to help the teens. Betty comforts Debbie and through the power of prayer and belief, Debbie decides she wants to live a better life.
Reprints (1)

Roman Revenge
(Table of Contents: 16)

Archie / comic story / 11 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
Letters:
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Archibus Caesar [Archie Andrews]; Reggio [Reggie Mantle]; Bootius Lickius; Bettina [Betty Cooper]; Jugius [Jughead Jones]; Moose Mason
Synopsis:
Reggio tries to overthrow Archibus as ruler of Rome.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Told in two parts: Part 1 (6 pages) and Part 2 (5 pages).

The Bad Old Days
(Table of Contents: 17)

Jughead / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Al Capone; Greasy Thumb; Rat Nose; Scarface; Dapper Dan; Two Nose
Synopsis:
Jughead daydreams about being part of a hamburger smuggling ring during a prohibition of hamburgers.
Reprints (1)

Radio Rogues
(Table of Contents: 18)

Archie / comic story / 11 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
Inks:
?
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:teen
Characters:
Synopsis:
Archie and Veronica use a network of CB radios to bust a gang that steals CB radios.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Told in two parts: Part One (6 pages) and Part Two (5 pages).

Video Tape Trauma
(Table of Contents: 19)

Archie / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
?
Inks:
?
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Synopsis:
Archie and Jughead make a video tape of themselves, and Mr. Lodge accidentally takes it with him to his conference instead of his videotaped speech.
Reprints (1)

Betty Cooper, Betty Cooper (Part I)
(Table of Contents: 20)

Betty / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
Letters:
  • Genre:drama; humor; teen
Characters:
Fatima Dezire (cameo); the genie (cameo)
Synopsis:
After their adventures overseas, the kids are relaxing in Pop's shoppe when they discover that Veronica and Pop Tate have been replaced by wind up dolls. Meanwhile, the soda Jughead was drinking is causing him to shrink to the size of a mouse.
Reprints (1)

Betty Cooper, Betty Cooper (Part II)
(Table of Contents: 21)

Betty / comic story / 5 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
Letters:
  • Genre:drama; humor; teen
Characters:
Betty Cooper; Archie Andrews; Jughead Jones; Dr. Jerkil [Mr. Clyde]
Synopsis:
Betty and Archie save Jughead from a dog and take him to State University. There they meet Dr. Jerkil, who's convinced the kids are dealing with aliens. They leave Jughead with the doctor, who discovers that the doctor can change via a potion into Mr. Clyde, a hideous man.
Reprints (1)

Betty Cooper, Betty Cooper (Part III)
(Table of Contents: 22)

Betty / comic story / 5 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
Letters:
  • Genre:drama; humor; teen
Characters:
Dr. Jerkil [Mr. Clyde]; the old man from the antique store
Synopsis:
Mr. Clyde reveals to Jughead that he is an alien sent to collect earth samples and replace them with androids. Clyde turns back into Jerkil, and puts Jughead in his pocket to go meet the spaceship. The old man then convinces Ethel to look through a telescope as Jerkil walks by. With the telescope, she sees Jughead tied up and sitting in Jerkil's pocket.
Reprints (1)

Betty Cooper, Betty Cooper (Part IV)
(Table of Contents: 23)

Betty / comic story / 5 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
Letters:
  • Genre:drama; humor; teen
Characters:
the old man from the anitque store; Dr. Jerkil
Synopsis:
Dr. Jerkil convinces Ethel to go with him if she wants to see the Jughead figure. Archie and Betty come back to Jerkil's lab only to realize Jughead is in trouble and Jerkil is an alien. They track the alien android to a spaceship cleverly disguised as a diner. Ethel's scream destroys the alien android after realizing the figure in Jerkil's pocket really is Jughead. The shrinking solution then wears off of Jughead and the gang free Pop Tate and Veronica, who are tied up in the diner.
Reprints (1)

Gimmick Kick
(Table of Contents: 24)

The Archies / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
?
Inks:
?
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
The Archies unnamed manager; The Monsters; The Cycle Tones
Synopsis:
An unnamed manager tries to come up with a gimmick for the Archies.
Reprints (1)

Don't Quote Me!
(Table of Contents: 25)

Archie and Me / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
?
Colors:
?
Letters:
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Synopsis:
Mr. Weatherbee goes around quoting a false god, and the students try to stop him.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Credits from the reprint in World of Archie Double Digest (Archie, 2010 series) #66.

Groovy Tech
(Table of Contents: 26)

Jughead / comic story / 5 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Synopsis:
Mr. Weatherbee and Miss Grundy create a summer school program based entirely off student suggestions.
Reprints (1)

Weigh Out Scene
(Table of Contents: 27)

Archie / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
?
Inks:
?
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Stanley
Synopsis:
After spending the day teasing a new, obese student, Archie dreams that he is obese and that all of his friends make fun of him.
Reprints (1)

10 Feet Tall
(Table of Contents: 28)

Dilton / comic story / 10 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
  • Genre:drama; teen
Characters:
Mrs. Clayton
Synopsis:
When Chuck attempts to run away from home because he doesn't fit in, Dilton goes to the bus depot and persuades Chuck to stay in Riverdale.
Reprints (1)

Switch
(Table of Contents: 29)

Jughead / comic story / 5 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Synopsis:
Jughead and Archie try to make Veronica believe she is insane by Jughead talking like Archie and vice versa.
Reprints (1)

A Fool for Cool
(Table of Contents: 30)

Archie / comic story / 5 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
?
Inks:
?
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Synopsis:
Archie tries to look and act like TV's Funzee.
Reprints (1)

The Devil's Triangle
(Table of Contents: 31)

Life with Archie / comic story / 11 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
?
Inks:
?
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:adventure; teen
Characters:
Archie Andrews; Veronica Lodge; Mr. Lodge; pilot; unnamed aliens
Synopsis:
Mr. Lodge, Veronica, and Archie are flying when their plance crashes on a deserted island. On the island, they must face creatures in spacesuits.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Told in two parts: Part One (6 pages) and Part Two (5 pages).

Never Never Land
(Table of Contents: 32)

Jughead / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
unnamed commune members
Synopsis:
Jughead decides to join a commune-until he learns that they don't accept junk food.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

When reprinted in Jughead's Double Digest (Archie, 1989 series) #192, the writer of this story is credited as Frank Doyle.

Fashion Is Fun
(Table of Contents: 33)

Archie / comic story / 5 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
?
Inks:
?
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Synopsis:
The guys make fun of Veronica's outfit.
Reprints (1)

A Share of Happening
(Table of Contents: 34)

Archie / comic story / 12 pages

Script:
?
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
Letters:
  • Genre:teen
Characters:
John Goldwater
Synopsis:
Archie dreams he's the head of "Archie Enterprises," the company in charge of Archie merchandising. He, his friends, and Archie publisher John Goldwater discuss all the upcoming Archie tie-ins and spinoffs planned, including more TV shows, restaurants, food products, and much more.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

This story was made to coincide with Archie becoming a public company: it's an attempt to give readers "a chance to get in on the world of Archie" by telling them about the Archie merchandising push and encouraging them to invest in the company.

Many of the marketing campaigns mentioned in this story didn't last long, or never happened at all, a victim of contraction in the comic book business and the cancellation of the Archie TV cartoons. In particular, Archie mentions several television projects that were pitched to the networks but never produced, including a prime-time comedy/musical Archie TV series and cartoons based on "That Wilkin Boy," "Madhouse Glads," and "Li'l Jinx."

Young at Heart
(Table of Contents: 35)

Betty and Veronica / comic story / 5 pages

Script:
Pencils:
?
Inks:
?
Colors:
Letters:
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Synopsis:
Veronica cons her father and Smithers into a snowball fight.
Reprints (1)

Fighting Females
(Table of Contents: 36)

Betty and Veronica / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
?
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
  • Genre:humor; teen
Characters:
Synopsis:
The guys say that if the girls want equality, they should fight over boys the way men have traditionally fight over women. So Betty and Veronica come up with some enjoyable ways of fighting.
Reprints (1)

Little Archie on Mars
(Table of Contents: 37)

Little Archie / comic story / 14 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Bob Bolling (signed)
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
  • Genre:adventure; children
Characters:
Abercrombie; Stitch; head of the Grand Council; Purple Creepnik; un-named Martians
Synopsis:
The Martians Abercrombie and Stitch are sent to Earth to bring back one of its creatures, and they pick Little Archie. When he is brought to Mars, he makes a forbidden reference in front of the Grand Council, which leads to him being imprisoned in a Martian zoo.
Reprints (1)

You Win a Few
(Table of Contents: 38)

Little Archie / comic story / 10 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Bob Bolling (signed)
Inks:
Colors:
Letters:
  • Genre:adventure; children
Characters:
Lefty Todd; Brad Williams; Peggy Clark
Synopsis:
Little Archie gets a signed baseball from big league star Lefty Todd just before pitching for Riverdale in the big game against the Carson City Sparrows. With the game on the line, Carson City's Brad Williams hits a home run off Little Archie, leaving him crushed. When Fred takes his son out to Pop's to cheer him up, they witness a hold-up, and when Little Archie follows the robber, only his good ol' arm and Lefty's signed ball can stop the thief from shooting it out with the police.
Reprints (1)
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View Change History
Table of Contents ToC
    Table of Contents
  1. ["The Best of Archie"]
    Archie
  2. Introduction
  3. The Archie Archives
  4. Who's Who In Riverdale
    Archie
  5. [Introducing Archie]
    Archie
  6. [Archie's Taxi Service]
    Archie
  7. [Trip to Bear Mountain]
    Archie
  8. [Veronica Makes the Scene]
    Archie
  9. Of Moose and Men
    Jughead
  10. Short Cut to Success
    Archie At Riverdale
  11. Artists and Doodles
    Jughead
  12. What's in a Name?
    Archie 1
  13. Future School Daze
    Riverdale 2001; Archie
  14. The PH Factor
    Pureheart the Powerful
  15. A Matter Of Prejudice
    Archie
  16. Final Exam
    Archie
  17. Roman Revenge
    Archie
  18. The Bad Old Days
    Jughead
  19. Radio Rogues
    Archie
  20. Video Tape Trauma
    Archie
  21. Betty Cooper, Betty Cooper (Part I)
    Betty
  22. Betty Cooper, Betty Cooper (Part II)
    Betty
  23. Betty Cooper, Betty Cooper (Part III)
    Betty
  24. Betty Cooper, Betty Cooper (Part IV)
    Betty
  25. Gimmick Kick
    The Archies
  26. Don't Quote Me!
    Archie and Me
  27. Groovy Tech
    Jughead
  28. Weigh Out Scene
    Archie
  29. 10 Feet Tall
    Dilton
  30. Switch
    Jughead
  31. A Fool for Cool
    Archie
  32. The Devil's Triangle
    Life with Archie
  33. Never Never Land
    Jughead
  34. Fashion Is Fun
    Archie
  35. A Share of Happening
    Archie
  36. Young at Heart
    Betty and Veronica
  37. Fighting Females
    Betty and Veronica
  38. Little Archie on Mars
    Little Archie
  39. You Win a Few
    Little Archie
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Issue was modified by, among others
  • Katie
  • Luke A.
  • Jochen G.
  • Merlin Haas
  • Katy Hayhurst
  • Lou Mougin (R.I.P.)
  • Mike Nielsen
  • Ramon Schenk
  • Jim Van Dore
  • Gregg Whitmore
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