Archie #216
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeArchie #216 is a representative example of the self-titled flagship series during its early Bronze Age run, appearing at a moment when the Archie house style — built through the collaborative efforts of writer Frank Doyle and artists Harry Lucey and Dan DeCarlo — was at its most refined and widely circulated. The series as a whole is credited with codifying the archetypes of the American teen-humor comic: the love triangle, the girl-next-door, the class clown, and the wealthy socialite, all of which permeated subsequent decades of young-adult media. While issue #216 itself carries no landmark first appearance or pivotal story event, it is a clean specimen of the anthology format that made Archie one of the most consistently published humor titles of the 20th century. Its cover date of February 29, 1972 — a genuine leap-year date — is a minor curiosity that distinguishes it on the publication calendar.
In "The Long Long Week," Archie's plea for a snow day after just a few flakes is dismissed by the stubborn Mr. Weatherbee—only for a full-blown blizzard to roll in, leaving the principal stuck between pride and practicality. Written by Frank Doyle and illustrated by Harry Lucey with inks by Marty Epp, this classic 1972 tale captures the small-town charm and enduring humor of Riverdale, all capped off by Dan DeCarlo’s iconic cover art with Rudy Lapick’s inks.
Archie’s panic sets in when he realizes he only has a single dollar for a date with Veronica—just enough to buy a single soda. In a last-minute scramble, he calls Jughead, who arrives in his usual relaxed fashion, ready to help.
Archie tries to convince Mr. Weatherbee to call a snow day after just a few flakes, but the principal refuses—until the sky darkens and a full-blown blizzard hits. Now stuck in the school with no way out, Archie watches as Mr. Weatherbee clings stubbornly to his pride, refusing to admit he was wrong.
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The issue was produced under the editorship of Richard Goldwater, son of Archie Comics co-founder John L. Goldwater, during a period when the publisher was riding the cultural momentum of its late-1960s animated television success. Writing duties fell to Frank Doyle and Joe Edwards — Doyle being the workhorse scripter whose ear for the Riverdale formula had defined the series through the 1960s, while Edwards contributed his long-running 'Li'l Jinx' feature. Dan DeCarlo, who had modernized the Archie character designs beginning in the late 1950s and established the publisher's house style, provided cover pencils inked by Rudy Lapick; interior art was shared between DeCarlo, Harry Lucey, and Edwards, with lettering by the prolific Bill Yoshida and colors by Barry Grossman and Marty Epp.
Trivia · 7 facts
- Published with a cover date of February 29, 1972 — a real leap-year date — by Archie Comic Publications, Inc.
- Cover penciled by Dan DeCarlo, inked by Rudy Lapick; DeCarlo had established the Archie publisher house style beginning in the late 1950s and is the generally recognized co-creator of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Josie and the Pussycats, and Cheryl Blossom.
- Interior art shared by Harry Lucey and Dan DeCarlo, two artists widely regarded by historians as defining the 'golden era' of the flagship Archie title from the 1950s through the early 1970s.
- Scripts by Frank Doyle and Joe Edwards — Doyle was the primary writer of the Archie formula throughout the Silver and early Bronze Ages; Edwards contributed material featuring his 'Li'l Jinx' characters.
- Lettering by Bill Yoshida, who lettered for Archie Comics for approximately 40 years beginning in 1965, and coloring by Barry Grossman and Marty Epp.
- Edited by Richard Goldwater, then co-publisher of Archie Comics alongside Michael Silberkleit.
- No documented first appearances, landmark story events, or confirmed notable reprints have been identified for this specific issue across key-issue databases, collector forums, or retailer writeups.
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Reprinted in Archie #12
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