Archie Marries Veronica/Archie Marries Betty: Difference between revisions

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"Archie Marries Veronica/Archie Marries Betty" is an American comic book story by writer Michael Uslan and artists Stan Goldberg and Bob Smith that was originally presented in Archie # 600-605. The story features a futuristic look into the life of Riverdale teen Archie Andrews in the years that follow his college graduation when Archie makes his ultimate decision to marry spoiled rich girl Veronica Lodge instead of sweet girl next door Betty Cooper. In Part 4 of 6, the story switches and Archie proposes marriage to Betty instead of to Veronica.

"The Proposal is Part 1 in the 6 issue story arc of Archie Marries Veronica/Archie Marries Betty, an American comic book story by writer Michael Uslan and artists Stan Goldberg and Bob Smith that was originally presented in Archie # 600. The story features a futuristic look into the life of Riverdale teen Archie Andrews and his subsequent engagement to Veronica Lodge after his college graduation.

The night before the gang’s graduation from Riverdale High, The Archies play their final concert and mourn the oncoming changes. Archie comes home and after getting heat from his father about picking a college, he takes a walk down Memory Lane…literally. Archie realizes he’s never walked up Memory Lane before and switches directions. After traveling through a yellow wood, Memory Lane splits into two dirt roads. He chooses the left one and "saves the right one for another day." Eventually Archie makes it back to his house no longer wearing his high school lettermen’s jacket but one that reads "State U" on the back. His mother exclaims how excited she is for her son’s graduation and Fred states how he wishes Archie had majored in business instead of history and that he’s still excited he’s graduating from college. Archie dismisses this when Mary states that Veronica Lodge is waiting for him inside the house.

Archie is then, inexplicably, cast four years into the future on the eve of his college graduation. He and Veronica discuss the changes in their lives, but both accept growing up. After a successful graduation, Veronica hosts a party at her mansion with Josie and the Pussycats headlining. Archie learns that Veronica is planning to work for her father's company in either London or Hong Kong. As for the rest of the gang, Moose Mason is going to manage his uncle's burger joint on Staten Island while his girlfriend, Midge Klump will be running her own nail salon in Bayonne. Dilton Doiley is going to M.I.T. for his doctorate in quantum mechanics, Reggie Mantle will fulfill his destiny as a used car salesmen in Atlanta and Jughead Jones will stick around Riverdale grilling burgers at Pop Tate's Choklit Shoppe until he figures things out. Finally, Betty Cooper will be working as a buyer at Sacks Fifth Avenue in New York City.

A few weeks after graduation, Archie is given a large sum of money by his parents. He then uses it for the down payment on an engagement ring for Veronica. He proposes to her in "Spiffany's" just as Betty and Jughead happen to walk by and witness. Veronica accepts and Betty runs weeping in an unknown direction. Jughead later chastises Archie for not telling him his plan. Eventually, Archie and Veronica tell Mr. Lodge, who accept Archie as his future son-in-law as long as he works for Lodge industries. Without any other jobs lined up, Archie goes along with it as his fiancee plans the biggest wedding Riverdale has ever seen.

The residents of Riverdale are overwhelmed with shock that Archie finally chose between his two favorite gals, but also concerned with Betty's well being. In the end, Veronica calls Betty and asks her to be her maid of honor. Instead of answering, Betty simply leaves the phone on her bed, leaving readers to guess what she will do.

“The Wedding” is Part 2 in the 6 issue story arc of Archie Marries Veronica/Archie Marries Betty, an American comic book story by writer Michael Uslan and artists Stan Goldberg and Bob Smith that was originally presented in Archie # 601. The story features the continuation of a futuristic look into the life of Riverdale teen Archie Andrews and his wedding to long time girlfriend Veronica Lodge.

Archie is preparing for his upcoming nuptials with his groomsmen, Reggie Mantle, Moose Mason, Dilton Doiley, and best man, Jughead Jones. Meanwhile, Veronica is treating her bridesmaids, Midge Klump, Ethel Muggs, and Nancy Woods, to a day at the spa. Veronica is sad that Betty Cooper is not there. However, she shows up at that moment and her position as Veronica’s maid of honor is cemented. Betty brings along a “friend” of hers named Henry who works with her. Ethel states that he reminds her of Archie as Betty rushes him out the door. On the eve of the wedding, Archie and Veronica discuss their future.

The big day comes and everything seems to be going as planned. All of Riverdale is attending the wedding. Before the ceremony, Archie asks Betty to take a walk with him. He tells her that she was his first friend and how he always enjoyed dating her, but then Veronica moved to town. Archie tells Betty that he loves her like a sister and asks her to promise to always be his friend. Betty obliges after they tell each other they love one another.

The wedding goes by smoothly. Mr. and Mrs. Lodge walk Veronica down the aisle as all of Riverdale watches. Archie and Veronica finally become husband and wife as Betty tearfully, but happily looks on. At the reception, Archie and Veronica share their first dance to "Sugar, Sugar", speeches are made, the cake is cut, and the bouquet is tossed. Betty catches it and walks away trying to hide her tears. Veronica catches up to her to make sure she’s okay. Archie and Veronica then depart on their honeymoon to remote island owned by the Lodges.

A year later Archie is a big executive at Lodge Enterprises. Reggie shows up and asks for a job after he’s been laid off. Archie gives him a job in sales. It’s obvious that he’s running himself ragged with work. When he comes home exhausted, Veronica reminds him of a dinner date they have with Ethel and her fiancée. Archie is simply too tired and refuses to move…until Veronica announces that she’s pregnant. Archie promptly faints.

“It's Twins” is Part 3 in the 6 issue story arc of Archie Marries Veronica/Archie Marries Betty, an American comic book story by writer Michael Uslan and artists Stan Goldberg and Bob Smith that was originally presented in Archie # 602. The story features the continuation of a futuristic look into the life of Archie Andrews and Veronica Lodge as they raise a pair of fraternal twins.

Archie announces Veronica's pregnancy to his parents, Fred and Mary. At that moment, Jughead, Reggie, and Moose enter burst in with congratulations and mention the various ways they will add to "Little Archie" or "Little Veronica's" life. Archie then breaks the news to Mr. Lodge who immediately has his will changed to bestow his most prized possession, a sled named "Rosebuddy" to his grandchild.

Meanwhile, Veronica flies to New York City to meet with Betty at a run down diner. Betty hasn't been faring well in the city. She's recently been laid off and her relationship with Henry from the previous issue in the story arc, has ended because it's "hard to meet nice guys in the city." Veronica announces that she pregnant and asks Betty to be the godmother...to which she agrees.

Two trimesters later, Archie and Veronica begin Lamaze class, which proves to be a slapstick disaster for Archie. One night when Veronica's ill, Jughead fills in for her replete with a pillow under his shirt. Hilarity ensues. Despite all of this, Archie promises to be calm when the big day arrives. Shortly thereafter, Veronica goes into labor and he drives her to the hospital with minimal drama. Soon Veronica delivers a redheaded boy named Archie, and a black haired girl named Veronica.

Time passes and Archie and Veronica move back to Riverdale and buy a minivan. Parenting is exhausting for both of them, but they lovingly raise their children past diapers and bottles. When the children are around three, the Andrews and the Lodges celebrate Christmas together. The children are sent to bed and Archie and Veronica discuss their happiness. Archie claims that he would be just as happy without the money. "All you need is love," he says.

Archie tucks his children to bed and reads them "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost in its entirety. Before wrapping up the rest of the presents, Archie insists on going for a walk during the first snow of the season. He and Veronica exchange "I Love You's" and he head out the door, looking distraught. He walks up Memory Lane and comes to the yellow wood and begins walking down the right fork in the road.

Part 4 of “Archie Marries Betty’’ will be featured in Archie #603, set for release sometime in November of 2009.The plot shows Archie proposing to Betty after college graduation in an alternate reality which Archie has gone down Memory Lane and chooses the other fork in the road (the same premise that started the "Archie Marries Veronica" story line in Part 1).

Archie walks in straight from Part 3 still wearing his winter jacket. He meets Reggie and Jughead, who tells him that they only have one hour left before their college graduation (the same point in time when Part 1 begins, after Archie steps in the first fork in the road). Archie rushes home and changes clothes. In the car, Archie tells Reggie and Jughead that he is contemplating marriage, but he doesn't tell if he chose Betty or Veronica.

The graduation scene shows Dilton delivering the valedictory speech much like in Part 1. After graduation, Archie and his friends rush over to Pop Tate's for a graduation party. In the party, Archie tries to get hold of Veronica; the two of them started to have a heart to heart talk. Reggie and Jughead suspects that Archie might be proposing to Veronica, but instead of allowing Archie to finish, they pull the pair out of the table just as Archie was about to (or seem to) propose to Veronica. After The Archies' performance, Moose starts a food fight, which Pop Tate tolerates.

After Archie's gang have finished cleaning up Pop Tate's shop, Veronica reveals to Archie that she will be going to France to pursue a career in fashion; Archie becomes disappointed and does not continue where they left off earlier in the interrupted conversation. He then calls Betty and the two started talking alone. Betty teases Archie for trying to pursue a "jerk" like her, but Archie insists that she will forever become the nicest "jerk" he has known. It is at this point when Archie pops the question and proposes to Betty.

In their excitement, Archie's friends replaced the streamer with "Engagement". The people at Pop Tate's celebrate except for Veronica, who was furious. Having seen that Archie chose betty, Reggie tries to make a pass at Veronica, but Veronica only vents her anger more at Reggie for trying to take advantage of the situation. She tries to confront Archie, but walks out after Archie defends his proposal to Betty. Betty tags Archie along, telling him that things will soon be all right. The two break the news to Archie's parents first, and then to Betty's (here, it is revealed that they will be having their wedding at Pop Tate's). Meanwhile, at the Lodge mansion, Mr. Lodge tries to comfort Veronica, who later got phone calls from Prince William and Prince Harry.

The entire town hears about Archie's proposal. Archie's male friends reserved Pop Tate's and hold a party for him, asking him for more details about the bridal entourage. They wondered how Veronica will fit in. At about the same, Betty tries to talk to Veronica and make peace with her, but Veronica, who just arrived, slams the door on Betty and tells her she doesn't want to be Betty's maid of honor. Betty starts walking away, in tears; when Veronica sees this, she realized she had been rude to her best friend, and finally accepts Betty's offer to be her maid of honor.

Later, at night, Betty tells Archie that she and Veronica have talked. They also talk about the future. Archie acknowledges the difficulties of jobhunting during a recession and also of the need to have a less-expensive honeymoon, but Betty brushes off Archie's worries. "I think a [less-expensive] honeymoon is perfect," she says, "all part of a 'life with Archie'." It is at this point that Part 4 ends.

Part 5 of “Archie Marries Betty’’ will be featured in Archie #604, set for release sometime in December of 2009. As of October 2009, the plot revolves around Archie and Betty's wedding.

Part 6 of “Archie Marries Betty:a happily ever after will be featured in Archie #605, set for release sometime in January of 2010. As of October 2009, the plot is unknown.

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