That Wilkin Boy #1
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeThat Wilkin Boy #1 marked Archie Comics' most ambitious attempt to build a parallel teen universe alongside Riverdale, introducing protagonist Bingo Wilkin, his girlfriend Samantha Smythe, his garage band the Bingoes, and the supporting cast of Midville High in a single 36-page debut. The series arrived at a culturally resonant moment — Archie's own fictional pop group, the Archies, had found real-world chart success — making Bingo and his band a natural extension of that music-driven energy into a new corner of the Archie line. As the title matured through its 52-issue run (ending October 1982), it tackled feminism, prejudice, and social realism with a slightly heavier hand than the core Archie titles, reflecting the broader tonal shift in Archie Comics during the 1970s. The issue also holds a long-term continuity distinction: Bingo was eventually retconned as a cousin of Jughead Jones, formally stitching Midville into the Riverdale family tree in a 2006 story conceived by Archie Digest Editor Nelson Ribeiro — and the character was revived again in the 2023 Archie Horror one-shot 'Chilling Adventures Presents… The Cult of That Wilkin Boy.'
In "Canine Cupid," Bingo and his pals head to the Smythe house to serenade Samantha with their music, but Teddy’s latest scheme threatens to ruin the moment—only Rebel stands a chance of saving the day. Written by Frank Doyle and brought to life with Dan DeCarlo’s signature charm and Rudy Lapick’s crisp inks, this 1969 Archie classic captures the playful chaos of teenage (and canine) romance, all wrapped in a cover by DeCarlo and Lapick that’s as sweet as it is mischievous.
In "Canine Cupid," Bingo Wilkin and Samantha Smythe find their budding romance tangled in the long-standing feud between their fathers, leaving them desperate to reconnect. When all else fails, Bingo’s loyal dog, Rebel, takes matters into his paws with a clever plan to bridge the gap—though the results might be more chaos than calm.
When Mr. Wilkin is buried under a mountain of tax forms and refuses to hand over cash for Bingo’s date, a familiar clash with Samson Smythe flips the script—turning frustration into something far more unexpected. As the Wilkin household buzzes with its usual chaos, Bingo’s plans hang in the balance, and even Mrs. Wilkin might have a surprising take on the situation.
In "See Saw," Bingo Wilkin and his band bring their music to the Smythe house, hoping to impress Samantha Smythe—only for Tough Teddy Tambourine to plot a mischievous scheme to disrupt their moment. With Willie Wilkin and Buddy Drumhead caught in the chaos, it’s up to Rebel to step in and keep the peace before things spiral out of control.
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The first issue was scripted by Frank Doyle — Archie Comics' prolific head writer, who also wrote the debut stories for Josie and Cheryl Blossom — and both penciled and covered by Dan DeCarlo, with inks by Rudy Lapick; DeCarlo himself confirmed these credits in an interview quoted in 'The Best of Betty and Veronica Summer Fun.' The book was published under the Radio Comics Inc. imprint (as confirmed by Library of Congress on-sale records) and hit newsstands in late 1968 with a January 1969 cover date, carrying the standard 12-cent cover price of the era. The final story in the issue closed with an editorial note inviting readers to write in if they wanted more issues — suggesting Archie was testing the waters before committing fully — and the series did continue, running to 52 issues.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Woodrow 'Bingo' Wilkin III, Samantha Smythe, the Bingoes (band), Tough Teddy Tambourine, Buddy Drumhead, Willie Wilkin, Wilma Wilkin, Samson Smythe, and the family dog Rebel — all debuting simultaneously in this single issue.
- Cover date: January 1969 (on sale late 1968); publisher indicia lists Radio Comics Inc.; 36 pages, full color; original cover price 12 cents.
- All interior stories scripted by Frank Doyle and penciled by Dan DeCarlo with inks by Rudy Lapick — the same creative core behind She's Josie and much of the classic Archie line.
- Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, and Jughead Jones appear in cameo in one story (visible in a crowd scene at a Bingoes concert), connecting the debut issue to the main Riverdale universe from page one.
- A pin-up of the band appears inside the issue; it inconsistently spells the group's name 'The Bingos' while all story pages use 'The Bingoes' — a minor production error documented in the Grand Comics Database.
- The series ran 52 issues through October 1982, with stories later reprinted in Laugh Comics Digest, Archie's Pals 'n' Gals Double Digest, and as a regular feature in Jughead & Friends Digest.
- Bingo was retroactively established as Jughead Jones's cousin in 'Jughead & Friends Digest' #5 (2006), a retcon devised by Archie Digest Editor Nelson Ribeiro — formally linking the Midville and Riverdale universes decades after this debut.
- The character received a modern horror revival in 'Chilling Adventures Presents… The Cult of That Wilkin Boy' (April 2023), written by Cullen Bunn with art by Dan Schoening, published under the Archie Horror imprint.
Full credits
Reprints
Reprinted in Laugh Comics Digest / Laugh Comics Digest Magazine / Laugh Digest Magazine #10 (1977), Laugh Comics Digest / Laugh Comics Digest Magazine / Laugh Digest Magazine #11 (1977), Laugh Comics Digest / Laugh Comics Digest Magazine / Laugh Digest Magazine #12 (1977), Laugh Comics Digest / Laugh Comics Digest Magazine / Laugh Digest Magazine #20 (1979), Archie's Double Digest Quarterly Magazine #6 (1983), Laugh Comics Digest / Laugh Comics Digest Magazine / Laugh Digest Magazine #49 (1983), Archie's Pals 'n' Gals Double Digest Magazine #8 (1994), Archie #650 (2014), Archie Rockin' the World #[nn] (2014)
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