Archie Giant Series Magazine #161
"Merchant Princes" is a charming 1969 tale from Archie Giant Series Magazine #161, where Archie and Reggie rally to save Pop's from closing after Pop falls ill—only to discover Jughead’s emotional state might be the real crisis. Written by Frank Doyle and brought to life with expressive energy by Samm Schwartz on art, inks, and letters, the story finds the gang launching a surprise reopening with a little help from Veronica, Betty, and Moose, who enlist customers with creative urgency. Dan DeCarlo’s cover captures the bustling chaos, while Rudy Lapick’s inks bring it all to life—perfect for fans of classic Archie’s heart and humor.
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Upon finding Jughead severely distraught because Pop's is closed due to Pop being sick, Archie and Reggie decide to do something about it. They visit Mr. Tate at his home and get the key to Pop's, then get to work making food, while Veronica, Betty and Moose handle the tasks of getting people to come (by any means necessary, which includes physically dragging them to the shop in Moose's case). Mr. Tate suddenly has visions of Jughead eating everything in the shop and rushes down there, only to find it full of happy customers.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).