Archie #114
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeArchie #114 (November 1960) marks the formal retitling of the series: beginning with this issue, the long-running title 'Archie Comics' — in print since the Winter 1942 debut issue — was shortened to simply 'Archie,' the name the book would carry for the rest of its multi-decade run through issue #666 in 2015. That editorial decision gave the flagship series the clean, confident brand identity it had long earned, and collectors recognize #114 as the opening chapter of the book's streamlined Silver Age era. The issue also showcases the anthology-style storytelling that defined early-1960s Archie publishing, blending teen-humor shorts for the main cast with the backup Li'l Jinx featurette by creator Joe Edwards, demonstrating the publisher's commitment to a stable of complementary humor strips under one cover.
In "Reader's Choice," Archie finds himself unexpectedly put to the test when a language he once dismissed becomes the key to helping a stranger. Written by Frank Doyle and illustrated by Harry Lucey with inks by Terry Szenics, this 1960 issue captures Archie’s quiet moment of heroism—where his classroom knowledge turns into real-world impact. The cover, also by Lucey and Szenics, reflects the story’s heartfelt tone with a simple, expressive scene.
In "Reader's Choice," Archie takes a playful break from the action to address the reader directly, riffing on the obvious joke of Mr. Lodge’s new riding mower. He spins a series of increasingly absurd scenarios, each one a comically exaggerated attempt to sabotage the machine—just for the fun of it.
In "Butterfingers," Archie and Reggie put their legendary coordination to the test in a lighthearted challenge, tossing objects back and forth with near-perfect precision—until the moment they’re asked to wash the dishes, and their luck (and grip) finally gives way.
In "The Interpreter," Archie's skepticism about learning Spanish is put to the test when a sudden accident brings a Spanish-speaking father to the school, and only Archie can bridge the language gap—forcing him to use his classroom knowledge in a real-life moment that’s as urgent as it is unexpected.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
The series launched in Winter 1942 as 'Archie Comics,' and by the time #114 arrived in 1960 it had settled into a nine-times-a-year publishing schedule. The issue was edited by Richard H. Goldwater, whose family had been central to the company's founding and direction since MLJ Magazines was established in 1939. The retitling at #114 appears to have been a straightforward branding refinement rather than a content overhaul — no major creative shake-up accompanied it — and the book continued its familiar anthology format of multiple short humor stories per issue, each standing alone in the tradition of the postwar teen-humor genre.
Trivia · 9 facts
- First issue published under the shortened title 'Archie' — all prior issues from Winter 1942 onward carried the title 'Archie Comics.'
- Cover date: November 1960; on-sale date per Library of Congress Periodicals records: August 18, 1960.
- Edited by Richard H. Goldwater; published by Archie Comic Publications Inc.; approved by the Comics Code Authority.
- Published nine times per year at this point (February, March, April, June, July, August, September, November, December).
- Contains multiple short humor anthology stories featuring the core Riverdale cast — Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle, Jughead Jones, Pop Tate, Moose Mason, and Hiram Lodge — in standalone gag-format plots.
- One story features a notable early use of fourth-wall-breaking comedy: Archie addresses the reader directly about the predictability of a Lodge lawn-mower setup, then plays out several imagined disaster scenarios.
- Another story's moral centers on the value of learning Spanish, with Archie's foreign-language skills saving a boy's life by communicating his blood type to hospital staff — an earnest social message embedded in the humor format; this story was later remade at least twice with revised art and/or script.
- Includes a Li'l Jinx backup featurette — the mischievous young girl character created by Joe Edwards, who first appeared in Pep Comics #62 (July 1947) and ran as a regular backup across multiple Archie titles throughout this era.
- At least one story from this issue (a Reggie/Jughead/Pop Tate ice-cream comedy) was reprinted in Reggie (Archie, 1963 series) #18.
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Reprints
Reprinted in Archi #71 (1962), Reggie #17 (1965), Reggie #18 (1965), Archie Comics Digest #13 (1975), The Best of Archie Comics #[1] (2011), Best of Archie Comics #1 (2016), Archie (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest #321 (2021), World of Archie (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest #111 (2021)
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