Archie's Joke Book Magazine #184

Two cover panels pack in plenty of cheerful chaos for this May 1973 issue of Archie's Laugh-Out Joke Book Magazine. Up top, Archie gleefully informs a bundled-up friend and a blonde girl that their teacher "the Bee" won't be a problem for a while — he's come down with laryngitis — while a small inset shows the man himself being examined by a nurse. Below, a flustered Archie scrambles through the school hallway, papers flying, as a stern administrator holds up signs reading "Archie, Be Quiet!" and "Archie, You're Late!", with Betty and Reggie looking on nearby. It's a warm, fast-paced snapshot of Riverdale mischief that captures exactly what made Archie humor titles such reliable fun in 1973.