Pep #400

Pep #400 is a genuine milestone, and the cover by Dan DeCarlo and Jim DeCarlo celebrates it in the most charming way possible — Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and the whole Riverdale gang come bursting into what appears to be the Archie Comics studio itself, cheerfully announcing "Hi, gang! We're here! …And have we got a story for you!" In the foreground, a bearded artist holds up penciled artwork labeled "Pep 400" as his colleagues bustle around drawing boards and equipment. It's a wonderfully self-aware, warm tribute to four hundred issues of the series, with that signature DeCarlo charm on full display.