Pep #297

At a movie theater concession stand during intermission, Archie and Jughead exchange a perfectly timed quip with Veronica and Betty — "Man! Money is tight these days!" met with "And we're doing our best to loosen it!" — as the girls arrive loaded down with popcorn boxes. The whole Riverdale gang crowds the masthead above, making this January 1975 cover by Dan DeCarlo a warm, charming snapshot of the crew's enduring comedic chemistry. With Stan Goldberg illustrating the interior story "The Little Thinker," this 25-cent issue is a delightful slice of mid-seventies Archie fun.