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Wilbur Wilkin

Wilbur Wilkin

115 appearances · Golden Age · 1944–2024 · 10 key issues
Who is Wilbur Wilkin?

Wilbur Wilkin is a Golden Age teen comedy character in the Archie universe, debuting in Zip Comics before headlining his own series. A typical small-town teenager, he navigates school, romance, and everyday mishaps alongside familiar Riverdale regulars.

Few Golden Age teen comics heroes can claim their own title right out of the gate, but Wilbur Wilkin launched straight into the spotlight with Wilbur Comics #1 in 1944, brought to life by artist Bill Vigoda for what would become the Archie universe. Rubbing shoulders across the decades with the likes of Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, and other beloved Riverdale regulars in the pages of Wilbur Comics, Laugh, and Pep Comics, Wilbur carved out a genuine niche in that sun-drenched world of sock hops and soda fountains. With 10 collector-recognized key issues to his name and a publishing footprint stretching an remarkable 80 years, he's far more than a footnote — he's a testament to the enduring charm of Archie's golden era of teen humor. Any collector serious about the roots of that iconic universe owes it to themselves to spend some time with Wilbur.

Zip Comics
#18
★ First appearance
Zip Comics #18
Sep 1941

Trivia

  • Wilbur Wilkin appeared in Zip Comics #18 before Archie Andrews debuted, making him an older Archie Comics-era teen character than the company’s signature star.en.wikipedia.org
  • Wilbur’s book is notable because Katy Keene first appeared in Wilbur Comics #5, so one of Archie’s best-known fashion characters debuted in a title built around a much more obscure lead.en.wikipedia.org

Top series

Covers through the years — 1944–2022

Wilbur Comics #1 1944
Wilbur Comics #1
Archie Comics #71 1954
Archie Comics #71
Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica #24 1956
Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica #24
Wilbur Comics #88 1963
Wilbur Comics #88
That Wilkin Boy #40 1977
That Wilkin Boy #40
Archie's Double Digest Magazine #21 1986
Archie's Double Digest Magazine #21
Archie (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest #225 2012
Archie (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest #225
Best of Archie Comics #2 2017
Best of Archie Comics #2
Archie & Friends #13 2022
Archie & Friends #13

Appearances

Archie Comics (1942)
Super Duck Comics (1944)
Laugh Comics / Laugh (1946)
Adventures of the Dover Boys (1950)
#1
Archie's Pal Jughead Annual (1953)
#2
Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica (1950)
Archie's Pal Jughead (1949)
#32
Archie's Girls, Betty and Veronica Annual (1953)
#4
Archie's Joke Book Magazine (1953)
Katy Keene Comics (1949)
Archie Giant Series Magazine (1954)
#3
Pat the Brat (1956)
#16
Archie Annual (1951)
#19
That Wilkin Boy (1969)
#40
Laugh Comics Digest / Laugh Comics Digest Magazine / Laugh Digest Magazine (1974)
Archie's Double Digest Magazine (1984)
Archie (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest (2011)
Best of Archie Comics (2016)
#2
Archie & Friends (2019)
#13
Archie Showcase Digest (2020)
#13