Archie Comics hasn’t always received the love it deserves over the years. Fans should occasionally sample the latest Archie Comics. And, one great way is over at Global Comix, where they have lots of Archie, including day-and-date releases. When it hits comic shops, they’re available on the platform.
But, it wasn’t always Archie Comics; back when it started in 1939, it was called MLJ Publications. Once Archie was introduced in 1941, things began to change, and by 1946, it officially became Archie Comics. Like many publishers, those Golden Age comics are either impossible to find or out of most fans’ budgets. However, there are some workarounds for fans interested in checking out these classics.
Now Archie does have some comics from the Golden Age archived—like every issue (we’re talking over six hundred) of Betty and Veronica. However, for almost a year now, Archie has also been archiving Pep Comics, an essential title for several reasons. It started as a superhero book and featured the first patriotic-themed superhero—beating out Captain America by several months—the Shield. And, in 1941, Pep Comics 22 introduced Archie Andrews.
However, there’s another way to check out many of those early MLJ comics. Those comics, and countless others, are in the public domain. And, through sites like comicbook+, you can read and download those comics, legally. Currently, they have over 48,000 comics and a nice collection of MLJ comics.
There you’ll be able to read their very first comic book, Blue Ribbon Comics. It offered a blend of adventure, crime, and mystery tales that reflected the storytelling style of the pre-superhero era, but MLJ’s signature heroes—such as The Shield and Black Hood—had not yet made their debut. There are almost two dozen comics to read.
Another notable comic is Jackpot Comics. Reggie made his debut in Jackpot Comics #5 (Spring 1942), initially introduced under the name “Scotty.” By the following issue—Jackpot Comics #6 (Summer 1942)—he was rebranded as Reggie, becoming the sharp-tongued rival and enduring foil to Archie Andrews. Super Duck – MLJ’s longest-running talking animal character debuted in Jackpot Comics #10 (Summer 1943), which marked the transition of the title to Jolly Jingle. Super Duck would also have his own comic, which lasted 94 issues from 1944 until 1960.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Golden Age of MLJ and its heroes, the best place is the MLJ Companion from TwoMorrow Publishing. It’s an in-depth reference guide that honors the superhero heritage of MLJ Magazines, the original publisher that evolved into Archie Comics. The Golden Age is fun to delve into, and while they won’t read like today’s comics, some classics are fun to read.
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