BETTY & VERONICA (JUMBO COMICS) DOUBLE DIGEST #303
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.
[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]
STORY: Dan Parent; Francis Bonnet with Bob Bolling; Frank Doyle; George Gladir; Bill Golliher; Mike Pellowski; Hal Smith; Dexter Taylor; Kathleen Webb
PENCILS: Dan Parent; Rex Lindsey with Bob Bolling; Doug Crane; Jon D'Agostino; Dan DeCarlo; Stan Goldberg; Tim Kennedy; Rudy Lapick; Jeff Shultz
INKS: Bob Smith; Rex Lindsey with Jim Amash; Jim DeCarlo; Vince DeCarlo; Mike Esposito; Rich Koslowski; Rudy Lapick; John Lowe; Al Milgrom; Henry Scarpelli; Ken Selig
COLORS: Glenn Whitmore with Barry Grossman
LETTERS: Jack Morelli; Rex Lindsey with Jon D'Agostino; Teresa Davidson; Vince DeCarlo; Phil Felix; Rod Ollerenshaw; Vickie Williams; Bill Yoshida
COVER: Bill Galvan and Ben Galvan with Rosario “Tito” Peña
EIC: Mike Pellerito
ISSN: 10440321; (June 2022)
192pp, Color, $8.99 U.S. (April 27, 2022 – direct market)
Rating: All-Ages
New stories: “New Trails, Trials, and Tribulations!” and “A Million Dollars Short”
Betty & Veronica (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest is part of “The Archie Digest Library” series. Debuting in the spring of 1987, Betty & Veronica Double Digest is a mini-trade paperback-like series that features stories reprinted from across the publishing history of Archie Comics. The stories focus on two of Archie Comics' main characters, Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge, best friends and also rivals in their love for Archie Andrews. Sometimes, however, these digests open with an original story.
Betty & Veronica (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest #303, the latest edition, contains two brand new stories. The first is a “Betty & Veronica” story entitled “New Trails, Trials and Tribulations!” It is written by Dan Parent; drawn by Parent (pencils) and Bob Smith (inks); colored by Glenn Whitmore; and lettered by the Great Jack Morelli. The second original is a “Cricket O'Dell” story entitled “A Million Dollars Short!” It is written by Francis Bonnet; drawn and lettered by Rex Lindsey; and colored by Glenn Whitmore.
“New Trails, Trials and Tribulations!”
Betty, Veronica, Archie, and Jughead are ready to do some hiking. Then, the gang discovers that their favorite hiking trail, Pike Trail, has been washed out by a flood. They need to find a new one, but every other trail is riddled with problems. Will Betty and Veronica and friends be able to find the perfect trail and enjoy the great outdoors?
“A Million Dollars Short!”
Betty and Veronica are having lunch when Veronica realizes that she has misplaced her purse … which has a million-dollar gold coin in it! Luckily, Cricket O’Dell is also having lunch and she offers to use her sense of smell for money to track down the missing purse. With Veronica at the wheel of her car, and Betty in the backseat, Cricket shouts out directions, sending them tearing through Riverdale as Cricket follows her nose towards the scent of the missing money. Will they be able to track down the missing coin?
THE LOWDOWN: “New Trails, Trials and Tribulations!” and “A Million Dollars Short!” are both only five pages long, and the latter is really a “Betty & Veronica” story guest-starring Cricket O'Dell (a recurring character who is a friend of Betty and Veronica). Still, this is a welcomed ten new pages of classic-style Archie Comics, and I had a blast reading them.
There are also two stories featuring Josie McCoy (of Josie and the Pussycats), and both are drawn by the ultimate “Josie” comic book artist and her creator, Dan DeCarlo. The easiest way to make me like any Archie “Jumbo Comics” digest is to include Josie, and the ten-page “The Photographers” and the six-page “Forget It” make me “over the moon” about Betty & Veronica Double Digest #303.
This edition of the digest also contains multiple pin-up illustrations featuring Betty or Veronica or both of the girls. There are also several stories that seem to predate the “Silver Age” of comic books. So I heartily recommend this 303rd edition of this digest, but I must warn you, dear readers. I will always recommend classic-style Archie Comics titles.
I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of classic-style Archie Comics will want Betty & Veronica (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest #303.
A-
★★★½ out of 4 stars
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
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