As Archie Comics celebrates its 80th anniversary, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. After all, to begin at #1 can quickly unravel considering the multiple titles and issues, some of which are very had to find. Online and on ebay. And what if you want to focus on a certain character or you simply want the nostalgia of the 60s. Well here’s a few suggestions that cover a broad range of Archie comics through the decades.

Archie Americana series

This is for those who want the best of the best from each decade spanning from the 40s to the 90s. Each come in two volumes offering a bunch of Archie fun displaying the fads, fashion and gags of each era. As well as lots of celebrity lookalikes like Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson. Plus the glossy feel of the covers and the long pages allowing for plenty of time to peruse the color and detail of the panels.

The Best of Archie Comics: 75 Years, 75 Stories

This offers some gems fresh out of the vault like black and white 50s news gag strips. It also has the most delightful introductions to each decade by Archie himself. I know there’s no actual Archie, but they wrote it in his voice talking about his failed 80s movie, the old fashions and his friends, Josie, Sabrina, and Wibur who also have their own stories in the book to showcase the range of the Archie-verse.

The Best of Archie Comics: 80 Years, 80 Stories

Much like above, it offers some of the best stories Archie has to offer from each year. Bonus that it often features double parter stories like Reggie falling for Harper, the first chapter of the Archie 2015 series by Mark Waid, and even the Free Comic Book Day stories from the early 200s. The introductions to each decade are not narrated by Archie himself this time, but offers a lot of behind the scenes information on prominant cartoonists and artists at the company with the special reflections from CEOs, artists and other Archie lovers.

Archie: 80 Years of Christmas

Much like above, this was released for the 80th anniversary with 200 pages of holiday fun through the decades. It was amazing to see how holidays change yet same the same with secret santas, and yule logs. As well as how Archie tackled timely topics like the 200s recession. but it’s not only timely topics but those holiday favorites like Jingles and Sugar Plum make an appearance as well as Santa Claus of course. A perfect read with a cup of hot cocoa.

As above, all these stories allow moments for each of the characters to shine though of course Archie gets the lions’ share since he is the title character but there’s plenty of Jughead-centric, Betty-centric and Veronica-centric tales as well a few for Reggie too.

Archie’s Campfire Stories

Those who prefer summertime fun over holiday hijinks, this is the book for you. While most take place in summer camp, there are just some good summer fun on the beach and on foreign lands. But mainly there’s getting lost in the woods, Reggie’s pranks and even some witchy campers (and I mean actually witchy, and it’s not just Sabrina). Plus the inevitable Archie inadvertedly torturing camp director, Mr. Weatherbee but would we have it any other way?

The Adventures of Little Archie Volume One and Two by Bob Bolling and Dexter Taylor

While a lot of these suggestions focus on Archie as a lovable carrot-topped teenager, how about we throw it back when he was a lovable carrot-topped kid. The iconic Archie legend Bob Bolling created the Little Archie comics alongside Dexter Taylor’s equally masterfully story and line-work. The duo really let loose the imagination that makes the most normal day into an amazing adventure. Though how normal can things get when you have Mad Doctor Doom as your personal nemesis. The first volume, features the first appearance of the green scientist and his kooky 50s-referencing teenage sidekick, Chester in Robots of Doom as well as another of their madcap plans foiled in Time Taxi. It also includes other imaginative adventures of Little Archie as a spy, travelling back to the time of pirates and cavorting with the aliens Abercombie and Stitch.

The second volume has some high-flying adventures with the return of Doctor Doom and Chester but also has more grounded stories such as Veronica and Sue Stringly helping geese on a foggy winter’s nights, a magic show and Archie joining the girl’s softball team as a joke. It’s just so full of fun and brings you back to the mind and wonder of a child.

Archie’s SuperTeens

This is the collection for those who enjoy some superhero heroics alongside Archie fun. It begins with an epic crossover. Not of the Avengers and the Justice League, but the SuperTeens and the Mighty Crusaders, the original superheros created by early MLJ Comics with such heavyhitters as Captain Flag and The Web among others. The alternate egos of Archie, Betty, Jughead and Veronica are forced to fight a mad scientist type who has taken over Riverdale High but soon need the backup of these famous heroes to save the day.

Then the collection is bolstered with several entertaining stories from the 60s and 70s, highlighting the origins and the exploits of Pureheart, Superteen, Captain Hero and Reggie’s Evilheart as well.

The one thing I was surprised by was Veronica’s ego as being Miss Vanity. While it does make sense, the 200s comics have her super-identity be Power Teen.

Archie: 1941 and Archie: 1955 by Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn

I dub these mini-histories as each five part mini-series drops the Archie cast into the specific decade and follows their paths through that year’s big events.

The Archie: 1941 was a real reflective piece as it not only dealt with the tragedy of WWII but the many complicated feelings citizens had on the homefront from Jughead being called a draft dodger to Fred’s harsh beretment of Archie for not going sooner, to be a man (which Mary reminds his son that it’s more of a product of his time than anything Archie’s fault) to Veronica’s more obvious classist ideals and some racism and prejudice where Chuck Clayton is concerned.

It also dives into the little reflected US troops in North Africa as history books tend to focus on the war on European battlefield or the Pacific. It was thoroughly engaging yet sombering as it detailed the patriotism and heartbreak of the era. I love how Krause’s art reflected the style of 40s Archie and to an extension the rest of the time period.

The ’55 was entertaining albeit predictable if you know the biography of Elvis Presley. But once again the art by Grummet absolutely shines as it shows Archie’s riveting rock-n-roll charisma.

I hope they continue the mini-series idea onto the 60s, 70s etc.

The Art of Betty & Veronica edited by Victor Gorelick and Craig Yoe

The Art of Archie: The Covers edited by Victor Gorelick and Craig Yoe

However, if you just want to soak in the clean lines and emotive actions of some of the best comic artists of this and last century? Check out these art books that detail prevailing trends and gags in Archie covers, the true differences when drawing Betty and Veronica and other cartoonist stories and behind the scenes as the creators of Archie detail their work throughout the decades.

However, if you want to just

Featuring over 400 pages of those girls with long tails and ears for hats, this book goes through the decades from the very beginng of the band’s formation in the 50s. Featuring small paragrpahs from cartoonists and fans, this book goes decade by decade. The 60s and 70s get a special amount of love, and I heartily enjoyed it. Those stories were wild like the one that was a rip off of the Exorcist. Yes, Josie gets possessed and it’s awesome. Plus the ones from the 80s are a great throwback to the baggy fasions and hairstyles, especially in Alex’s case.

It also shows the changes in celebrity culture and publicity stunts between the years among the Cabots many schemes to get rich bumping up with the Pussycats urge to make good, fun music. O Solo Mia is a particularly good one exploring that topic. Plus it has the milestone stories like Rock n Roll romance.

Archie Comics Presents. . . Katy Keene

This is one for all those Katy Keene fans who want a small compedium of the supermodel’s greatest hits from 50s to her 2007 revival. The majority of stories are taken from the 50s vault where she originated, giving her backstory, introducing her numerous love interests as well as her one-sided feud with Gloria Grandbilt. I’ll admit I prefer if there were more of the 80s ones of which there were two or three since they were the ones I grew up with and I prefer the artstyle, but they probably had a limit and they needed to include the first chapter of the 2007 Katy Keene. Hopefully, they’ll come up with a bigger collection soon like they did for the others.

That’s why I’m excited for the Sabrina: 60 Magical Tales coming September. One for her 60 years!

However, if you’re not looking for a broad range of Archie history and just wants to focus on certain characters, here are some titles I suggest.

The Best of Betty Diary

Veronica’s Passport

The Cartoon Life of Chuck Clayton

Kevin Keller Celebration!