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ASK
THE ARCHIVIST
August
Hey,
all you Archie-information seekers out there -- you've come
to the right place! It's another installment of "Ask the
Archivist" with Archie Comics' resident archivist, Paul
Castiglia.
This month's question comes from Craig B. who asks:
"What
happened to Albert and Pepper from Josie & The Pussycats?
I haven't seen them in the newer stories."
 Albert
and Pepper were characters who figured prominently in the Josie
comics for about seven years. In those early years, beginning
with "SHE'S JOSIE #1" (February, 1963), the series
was closer in tone to Archie. Josie had close friends like the
dimwitted blonde Melody that everyone knows, but she was perhaps
even chummier at the time with Pepper, who sported dark, short-
cropped hair and spectacles a la Lisa Loeb-- and could match
Jughead in her ability to be just a few steps ahead of everyone
else. There was no rock band at this time-- rather, the girls
worried about dating, just like Betty and Veronica! One of the
men in Josie's life was Albert, a beatnik who sometimes was
portrayed as sensitive while other times he could be a real
rascal! By issue #17, the title of the comic was changed from
"SHE'S JOSIE" to just plain old "JOSIE,"
but before the 1960s ended, a more major change would take place:
Hanna-Barbera Studios, the famed producers of Saturday morning
animated cartoons, were stunned by the success their rival,
Filmation had with the Archie characters. They were particularly
impressed at how Filmation played upon the "bubblegum rock
group" phenomenom of The Archies band. In a preemptive
strike, Hanna-Barbera contacted Archie Comics to see if they
had any other hip properties that could be animated and perhaps
merchandised to the extent that the Archies band was. The decision
was made to give Josie a band as well, and with that decision,
Albert and Pepper were given the boot. While many readers missed
the characters, it was a worthy sacrifice as the idea of an
all-girl rock band who played their own instruments was revolutionary
indeed! With the premiere of the animated series just a few
months away, the title of the comic was changed again to "JOSIE
& THE PUSSYCATS" with issue #45 in December, 1969.
It was a landmark issue- in addition to featuring the first
appearance of the Pussycats band, it was also the first appearance
of Valerie Smith. Valerie was a unique character in that she
was both female and African-American, and she was shown in a
leadership role as she often controlled the destiny of the band.
Thus began the incarnation of Josie that most people are familiar
with today-- that of the all-girl band who tries to look their
best while playing in concert and out on the road-- when they're
not busy solving baffling mysteries!
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TM/©
2000 ACO
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