Betty and Veronica

Reading a few of the stories from Betty and Veronica, an offshoot of the Archie comics, was an enjoyable – if indulgent – experience. Here is a world where there are so few real problems that something like a different shoe size is blown hilariously out of proportion. Under normal circumstances, this would seem absurd, but in Archie’s world (where cavemen come back to life and people’s lives go on well after death), this is just another day in the lives of the girls. In fact, the stories are so simplistic – and remain at such a surface-level – that there hardly needs to be any text to supplement the illustrations within the panels. Exaggerated facial expressions, bright colors, and “pushed” poses help the reader understand exactly what is going on within the first second of looking at the drawing. As was mentioned in class, these comics are an easy read for people whose first language is not English, which is demonstrated by the comical pictures and easily followed plots. The stories themselves take place in an idealistic American world, where drive-ins, ice cream, and stereotypical high schools are heavily featured. Countless movies and television shows have played with or otherwise made use of this setting, as it is a familiar, nostalgic setting for most consumers, and readily accepted by the rest. The various adventures in Betty and Veronica further serve to transport us back to a time where there were little or no repercussions, responsibilities were few and far between, and lighthearted fun loomed around every corner.