Archie's Funhouse Double Digest #22
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeArchie's Funhouse Double Digest #22 earned a modest but genuine place in Archie Comics history when the publisher itself singled out its lead story, 'Caketastrophe,' as the single most representative Archie tale published in 2016 — selecting it for GamesRadar's '80 Years, 80 Stories' retrospective list that surveyed eight decades of Riverdale storytelling. That kind of editorial recognition, awarded to a digest-format anthology rather than to any of the new-continuity prestige titles running at the same time, underscores how seriously Archie Comics regarded the traditional digest line as a living part of its publishing identity. The issue appeared at a genuinely transitional moment for the publisher, when the Mark Waid/Fiona Staples relaunch was drawing mainstream attention, yet the classic humor digest format continued to serve as the everyday face of the Archie brand for its widest, youngest readership.
In "Caketastrophe," Veronica’s big formal date hits a snag when her new dress rips on the way out the door—leaving her stranded and scrambling to find a replacement at the mall. While she’s trying on dresses, Archie ends up bonding with Betty over a movie, adding a dash of unexpected tension to the evening. Written by Kathleen Webb and illustrated by Dan DeCarlo with inks by Jim DeCarlo, this lighthearted story captures the chaos and charm of teenage romance, all wrapped in a cover by Dan Parent and Bob Smith.
In "Rap Chap," Reggie tries to impress his date Susan with a flowery line about her eyes and lips, only to be met with a quick pivot when she spots a poster for the Rolling Pebbles concert. When Reggie hesitates about the long lines, Susan calmly reminds him that she’s already accustomed to the drama—after all, she’s been dating him.
In "Crash Course," Betty Cooper takes on the smug Dale Jonas in a high-stakes race, rallying her team with the help of the Lodge pit crew—now joined by Nancy and Veronica, who bring their own brand of chaos and charm to the sidelines. With engines revving and egos on the line, it’s a fast-paced, funny showdown where teamwork and wit might just outdrive speed.
In "Scoreless Tye," a charming new student stirs up unexpected attention on the first day of school, catching both Veronica and Betty off guard with his bold approach. When they realize they’ve both been singled out, the two friends decide to team up—though their plan might just backfire in ways neither of them expects.
In "The Big Snooze," Archie's Funhouse Double Digest #22, artist Rex Lindsey dozes off at his drawing board, only to wake up to a surreal surprise: the characters from his own comic—Jo, Betty, Veronica, and the rest—have come to life. As Chuck finishes penciling the story, the others watch with playful commentary, turning the creative process into a lively, off-panel adventure.
When Mrs. Andrews nags Jughead and Archie to get off their video games, the trio reluctantly heads out—only to dive into Dilton’s latest invention: a wild, experimental virtual-reality football game that turns the backyard into a high-stakes field of play.
In "The Fall of Reggie," the ever-optimistic Reggie puts his theory to the test: if Archie’s dramatic tumbles always summon a flurry of female concern, maybe he can trigger the same reaction—just by falling himself. But when his carefully staged trip fails to draw the same attention, he’s left wondering if it’s the fall… or something more about Archie that makes the girls rush to help.
In "Show Biz," Archie’s casual decision to replace the stools at Pop’s with a makeshift plank backfires when the makeshift stage becomes a source of unexpected chaos, turning the diner into an accidental performance space. With the usual routine upended, the usual crowd finds themselves caught in a chain of mishaps that blur the line between showmanship and mayhem.
When Archie risks suspension for one more tardy arrival, Dilton steps in with a high-tech solution—engineering a morning alarm device to ensure he’s out of bed on time. The experiment quickly spirals into chaos as the invention takes on a life of its own, turning a simple wake-up call into a full-blown school-day scramble.
In "Double Date," Veronica’s formal evening takes a chaotic turn when her new dress rips as she’s leaving for a date with Archie, leaving her locked out and scrambling to the mall for a replacement. While Archie waits, Betty stumbles by and the two end up sharing a movie — a moment that sparks quiet tension. When Veronica finally picks a new dress and reunites with Archie, the evening takes a turn neither of them expected.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
The Archie's Funhouse Double Digest series launched in January 2014 as a companion to Archie's long-running digest library, pairing new original lead stories with classic reprints drawn from the broader Archie archive. The series underwent branding refinements over its run — appearing variously as 'Funhouse Double Digest,' 'Funhouse Comics Double Digest,' and 'Funhouse Jumbo Comics Digest' — with issue #22 published on September 14, 2016, under the Jumbo Comics Digest banner. The lead story 'Caketastrophe' was written by Francis Bonnet and drawn by the longtime Archie art team of Pat Kennedy and Tim Kennedy, with lettering by Jack Morelli and a cover by Dan Parent, Bob Smith, and Rosario 'Tito' Peña.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published September 14, 2016 by Archie Comics (Archie Publications).
- Lead story is 'Caketastrophe,' written by Francis Bonnet, with pencils and inks by Pat Kennedy and Tim Kennedy, lettering by Jack Morelli, and a cover by Dan Parent, Bob Smith, and Rosario 'Tito' Peña.
- 'Caketastrophe' was selected by Archie Comics as the representative story for the year 2016 in the '80 Years, 80 Stories' commemorative retrospective, placing it alongside milestones such as 'Meet Kevin Keller' (2011) and the Waid/Staples Archie #1 (2015).
- The issue is a jumbo-format anthology of approximately 252–256 full-color pages, combining the original lead story with classic reprints from the Archie library.
- The series originally launched in January 2014 under the title Archie's Funhouse Double Digest, with the inaugural lead story 'Fun House' written by John Workman and drawn by Rex W. Lindsey.
- The Archie's Funhouse Comics Double Digest series ran for 28 issues in total across its various title configurations.
- The issue was made available simultaneously in digital form (Kindle, Kobo, and other platforms), reflecting Archie's mid-2010s push to distribute its digest content digitally alongside print.
- The 'Funhouse' branding umbrella encompassed multiple sub-series (Double Digest, Comics Double Digest, Jumbo Comics Digest, Annual Digest, Summer Annual Digest), making precise issue numbering across variants a cataloguing challenge noted by indexers.
Full credits
Reprints
↩ Reprints Little Archie Giant Comics #13 (1959), Archie's Joke Book Magazine #61 (1962), Reggie's Wise Guy Jokes #5 (1969), Reggie's Wise Guy Jokes #18 (1971), Archie's Pals 'n' Gals #87 (1974), Reggie's Wise Guy Jokes #33 (1975), Betty and Me #67 (1975), Archie's Pals 'n' Gals #97 (1975), Everything's Archie #46 (1976), Jughead's Jokes #49 (1976), Everything's Archie #79 (1979), Reggie and Me #124 (1980), Everything's Archie #94 (1981), Archie's Joke Book Magazine #282 (1981), Life with Archie #228 (1981), Archie at Riverdale High #86 (1982), Pep #390 (1983), Archie's Pals 'n' Gals #176 (1985), Archie's Story & Game Digest Magazine #4 (1987), Archie's Story & Game Digest Magazine #7 (1988), Archie's Pals 'n' Gals #206 (1989), Everything's Archie #146 (1989), Archie #373 (1990), Betty and Veronica #26 (1990), Archie's Story & Game Digest Magazine #18 (1991), Betty and Veronica #45 (1991), Archie's Story & Game Digest Magazine #24 (1992), Archie's Story & Game Digest Magazine #26 (1993), Jughead's Double Digest #19 (1993), Little Archie Digest Magazine #14 (1995), Archie's Pal Jughead Comics #75 (1995), Betty and Veronica Spectacular #18 (1996), Veronica #59 (1997), Archie #466 (1997), Betty and Veronica Comics Digest Magazine #96 (1998), Archie #500 (2000), Archie & Friends #44 (2000), Archie's Pals 'n' Gals Double Digest Magazine #58 (2001), Betty #108 (2002), Archie & Friends #61 (2002), Archie & Friends #62 (2002), Archie's Pals 'n' Gals Double Digest Magazine #70 (2002), Archie's Pals 'n' Gals Double Digest Magazine #71 (2003), Archie's Mysteries #31 (2003), Archie's Pals 'n' Gals Double Digest Magazine #79 (2003), Archie & Friends #86 (2004), Laugh Comics Digest / Laugh Comics Digest Magazine / Laugh Digest Magazine #197 (2004), Archie's Double Digest Magazine #169 (2006), Archie & Friends #112 (2007), Archie #595 (2009), Archie's Pals 'n' Gals Double Digest Magazine #134 (2009), Archie & Friends #136 (2009), Archie & Friends #155 (2011)
Reprinted in Archie 1000 Page Comics Spree #[nn] (2016), Archie 1000 Page Comics Hoopla #[nn] (2017), Archie 80th Anniversary Jumbo Comics Digest #2 (2021)
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