Archie (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest #288

Archie, convinced that full moon season turns every stranger into a joke-cracking lunatic, dons a disguise as an elderly woman to escape the absurdity. But when his plan backfires in the most predictable way possible, he finds himself in a situation that’s equal parts ridiculous and strangely familiar.

Archie finds a dusty Jack-in-the-box in a shop window that stirs a nostalgic memory in Mr. Lodge, who never expected to see one again. Without telling him, Archie takes it home, repairs it with care, and plans to surprise him with a gift that’s as much about heart as it is about humor.

In "Sore Loser," Fred hatches a bizarre plan to burn more calories by shadowing Archie all day, mimicking every move in a bid to outdo him—no matter the cost. What starts as a playful challenge quickly spirals into a hilarious, high-energy chase through Riverdale’s usual chaos.

When a stranded Martian delivery ship drops a mysterious device called a Duponik, Little Archie accidentally activates it—unleashing a duplicate of himself. With two Archies running around, Betty and Veronica enjoy the extra attention, but chaos soon follows as the school struggles to keep up. Now, the Martians are on Earth, racing to reclaim their device before the duplication spiral gets out of control.

In "The Play's the Thing," Archie takes the lead in a school production of "Moonsap," a show helmed by Veronica and backed by the Feebly twins' surprisingly powerful bass fiddle. When Mr. Weatherbee is mugged by the River Rat gang after a rehearsal, only the Feeblys get a glimpse of the culprits—but too afraid to speak up, they claim they saw nothing, leaving the mystery unsolved.