National Lampoon Magazine #31

In this darkly satirical take on the Archie gang’s adult lives, Jughead’s post-high school journey takes a sharp turn into self-destruction, while Archie’s path leads to tragedy in Vietnam. The story paints a grim, ironic portrait of what became of the once-idealized teens—Betty’s life in a Ohio trailer park, Veronica’s marriage to a shipping magnate, and Reggie’s ruthless rise at CBS—each fate a twisted mirror of their high school personas.

In a quietly absurd twist of fate, a man's wife attempts a vintage magic spell to eliminate her husband—only for the incantation to misfire spectacularly, erasing her husband’s priest instead. Written by an anonymous hand and illustrated in the deadpan style of National Lampoon’s early years, this 0.75-page gem from 1972 leans into the surreal with a perfectly timed punchline that lingers just long enough to leave you wondering what comes next.