Archie's singular stupidity

Archie Andrews, perpetually time-challenged comic book anti-hero, made headlines this week when he announced - on his blog, no less - that he would be proposing to uber-bitchy Veronica Lodge instead of sweet and kind Betty Cooper.

It's all part of the runup to the 600th edition of the long-running comic series. And if I had to rate the effort on a social media success scale, I'd have to say it's an off the charts success. After all, here's a serial that's been behind the times for decades and was long ago written off as irrelevant by pretty much anyone who even remembers it.

My first thought when I saw the headlines this week was surprise. Surprise that Archie was even still published in the Internet Age. I assumed, apparently wrongly, that its prime audience had long ago moved on to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

I guess I was mistaken, for in one brilliant move, Archie has become headline news once more. I know most folks won't admit to secretly scoping out the supermarket checkout aisle as they count the days until #600 hits the stands, but it's an easy guess the publishers just added an extra zero or two to the bottom line.

(Quick note: the issue goes on sale this August. Until then, follow the inane discussion on Archie's/Jughead's blog.)

Marketing aside, Archie's choice makes me gag. If it takes 67 years for an indecisive, two-dimensional character to decide he'd prefer to spend his life with a vacuous shrew whose father has severe anger management issues, then there isn't a whole lot anyone can say to change his mind.

Yet when the alternative is Betty, kind, empathetic, so-much-hotter-for-her-plainness Betty, you've got to think that at the age of 67, Archie may be suffering from some as-yet undiagnosed disease that has compromised his judgment.

Your turn: You've got one line of advice to share with the eternally love-blind Archie Andrews. What do you say to him?

One more thing: It's Thematically Photographic's single-themed week. Click here to share your singular vision. Red hair notwithstanding.

Make that two. I came across these two exceptionally well-written perspectives on the Archie thing. Happy reading:

Betty, Veronica blinded by love (Canwest)
Gulp! After 7 decades, Archie picks Veronica (Toronto Star)