The Adventures of Little Archie #33
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freePublished at the height of Bob Bolling's celebrated run on the title, Adventures of Little Archie #33 (Winter 1964–65) captures the series at its most genre-fluid, mixing Mad Doctor Doom villainy, a James Bond spy parody, and a quiet Christmas vignette across 68 pages — a breadth of storytelling almost unmatched in contemporary all-ages comics. It represents one of Bolling's final issues as primary creative engine before Dexter Taylor assumed full stewardship of the title in 1965, making it a milestone in the series' creative transition. The issue also marks the first time Chester Plunkett appears independently of Mad Doctor Doom — a subtle but noted character development that confirmed he had a criminal life beyond his partnership with the series' signature villain.
In "Secret Agent 007 2116 32 110 Smashes the Hot Bicycle Racket," Little Archie finds himself stranded on a mysteriously adrift Idle Island, unaware that it's the center of a daring scheme by Mad Doctor Doom and Chester to uncover buried pirate treasure. With the island floating freely at sea and no way off, Archie must outwit his would-be captors while staying one step ahead of the danger. Written and illustrated by Bob Bolling, this 1964 adventure features his signature playful style, with cover art by Bolling himself.
When a string of bicycle thefts hits the neighborhood, Little Archie suspects the South Side Serpents are behind it. Donning his disguise as Secret Agent 007 2116 32 110, he sets out to uncover the truth—leading him straight into a mystery involving Detective Parker, Weasel Williams, and the elusive Pete Creeply.
When a pair of mischievous punks target a new girl’s car, Little Archie and his friends spring into action—only to find themselves caught between a rare stamp hunt and a chance at romance. With Vikki Baylor in the spotlight and Chester Punkett itching to impress, the chase for justice gets as wild as the hubcaps themselves.
When Mad Doctor Doom and Chester Punkett sabotage Idle Island and set it adrift to hide their pirate treasure, they don’t count on one pesky presence: Little Archie, who’s somehow stranded on the island too. With Cap’n Sleeg’s help and Winky’s wits, Archie must outsmart the duo’s schemes before the island sinks—or worse, becomes the ultimate trap.
In "Spirit of Christmas," the kids notice Miss Grundy seems grumpy during the holiday season, unaware she’s spending Christmas alone in her old, quiet house. Determined to cheer her up, they gather outside and begin singing carols, hoping their festive spirit can warm her heart.
Little Archie’s school report on fire safety takes a surprising turn when he visits the fire department—only to uncover a sneaky plan by an un-named arsonist and a corrupt un-named businessman, all while Chief O'Hara tries to keep things under control.
In "The White Dove Adventure," Little Archie and Ronnie tag along with Mr. Lodge to his new country estate, only to find themselves caught in a mystery where danger lurks beneath the grand old house. When an un-named gunman makes a sudden move, the boys must unravel the truth behind a buried treasure before it's too late.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
Bob Bolling had been the sole architect of Little Archie since its 1956 launch, writing, drawing, and lettering stories with a creative latitude that editor Harry Shorten afforded few Archie contributors. By issue #33, Bolling shared the book with both Dexter Taylor and Joe Edwards — Taylor handling humor and holiday fare while Edwards contributed his recurring Li'l Jinx pages — reflecting the collaborative studio arrangement Bolling and Taylor maintained throughout this era. Bolling was relieved of his primary Little Archie duties in 1965, making this Winter 1964–65 issue one of the last produced under his stewardship; the complete original color guide art for all ten stories survives as a documented set of production materials.
Trivia · 9 facts
- Published Winter 1964–1965 by Archie Comic Publications; 68 pages; cover art by Bob Bolling.
- The issue contains approximately 10 stories with script and art divided among Bob Bolling, Dexter Taylor, and Joe Edwards.
- The story 'Secret Agent 007 2116 32 110 Smashes the Hot Bicycle Racket' is an explicit parody of the then-peak James Bond film craze, with Little Archie adopting a spy persona to expose the South Side Serpents' bicycle theft ring.
- Chester Plunkett (Chester Punkett in GCD spelling) appears here without Mad Doctor Doom for the first time in the series — the Grand Comics Database specifically notes this as the first such solo appearance, suggesting a petty-criminal life independent of Doom.
- The main Mad Doctor Doom story, 'Lost Island,' has Doom and Chester physically sawing an island off its foundation and setting it adrift to search for buried pirate treasure — a characteristically absurdist Bolling adventure.
- Fangs Fogarty, the series' signature snaggle-toothed childhood bully, appears in a story in this issue — his run in Little Archie established him as Riverdale's pre-teen antagonist before Moose Mason filled a comparable role in the teen books.
- Hap Holliday appears in a Li'l Jinx humor page written and drawn by Joe Edwards — these single-page fillers were a recurring feature across the run.
- Multiple stories from this issue were reprinted in later digest formats: the 'Lost Island' Doom story was reprinted in Archie Andrews, Where Are You? Comics Digest Magazine #7 (August 1978), and the Chester solo story was reprinted in Archie's Double Digest Magazine #111 (November 1999).
- This is among Bolling's last issues as the primary contributor before Dexter Taylor took over Little Archie full-time in 1965.
Cast · 17 characters
Full credits
Reprints
Reprinted in Archie Annual Digest #33 (1978), Archie... Archie Andrews, Where Are You? Comics Digest Magazine #7 (1978), Archie Comics Digest #32 (1978), Archie Comics Digest #46 (1981), Laugh Comics Digest / Laugh Comics Digest Magazine / Laugh Digest Magazine #39 (1982), Archie's Double Digest Magazine #23 (1986), Little Archie Comics Digest Magazine #23 (1987), Betty & Veronica (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest #11 (1989), Archie's Double Digest Magazine #111 (1999), Archie's Double Digest Magazine #120 (2000), Archie Classics - The Adventures of Little Archie #1 (2004), Archie (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest #297 (2019)
Key issues in The Adventures of Little Archie
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