I’ve become a fan of the line of Archie’s digest, because for the price, they have a lot of stories. Also, often, they are places where you may see Riverdale citizens that you seldom see. And, they are usually a mish-mash of stories and characters. Part of the fun is not knowing what you might find in a digest.
Surprisingly, and unlike Archie, two recent digests of Jughead Jones and nothing else! All pure, Jughead, which got me thinking, let’s talk a little bit about Jughead, Archie’s Best Pal. Like Archie, he first appeared in Pep Comics #22 in 1941, and it wasn’t too long before he started appearing on the cover, beginning with Pep Comics #35 in 1943. Like many of the teens, he had a series, Archie’s Pal Jughead, which ran from January 1949 to June 1987, totaling 352 issues.
Back to those digests, first up is Archie Milestones Digest #28: Jughead’s Food Festival, which includes at least one new story. The issue features “Meal Zeal Spiel!”—a fresh tale written by Craig Boldman with art by Rex Lindsey, a legendary duo known for their work on Jughead comics. “Meal Zeal Spiel!”—a lively new story penned by Craig Boldman and illustrated by Rex Lindsey, the iconic creative team celebrated for their standout work on Jughead comics.
The rest of the digest is packed with nearly 200 pages of classic Jughead stories. It is a delicious mix of classic stories centered around Jughead’s love of food, making it a fun blend of nostalgia and new content. So whether you’re a longtime Riverdale fan or just hungry for laughs, this issue serves up a satisfying combo.
The following all-Jughead digest is Archie Milestones Digest #30: Jughead Summer Vacation, which delivers nearly 200 pages of classic tales featuring everyone’s favorite laid-back burger enthusiast. Centered around summertime shenanigans, food-fueled escapades, and Jughead’s iconic calm demeanor, the digest offers a handpicked assortment of beloved stories from past decades. While the complete story lineup remains under wraps online, readers can expect a nostalgic dive into Jughead’s most memorable warm-weather adventures. And, yes, it does contain a new tale: The digest also includes the new story “Old Ball Game” by Craig Boldman and Rex Lindsey, where Jughead gets tangled up with a kid’s overprotective older brother at the beach.
I’m going to let you on something: Archie is now on Global Comix, and they offer day-and-date releases, which means when they hit the comic shops, it’s on their platform. There is also a lot of Archie available via ComiXology Unlimited. Both are fantastic places to sample more tales of Jugbead.
For those who want classic Jughead, there are quite a few issues of the original Archie’s Pal Jughead out there. Or try something a little more current, like the 2015 Jughead series, which ran for sixteen issues.
As part of Archie Comics’ ambitious revamp of its iconic lineup, Jughead was reimagined with a contemporary flair and inventive creative voices. The series debuted with writer Chip Zdarsky (Howard the Duck) and artist Erica Henderson (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl), who embraced Jughead’s eccentric charm and brought a sharper comedic lens to his adventures at Riverdale High. Later, Ryan North and Derek Charm carried the baton, preserving the whimsical spirit while enriching Jughead’s relationships and broadening his perspective.
Remember, Riverdale isn’t all about Archie! Things would be a lot duller without Jughead around. And, besides, when was the last time you read an Archie comic?
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