1253 Archly Comic

Archie Comics recently announced the introduction of an openly gay regular character. The company said it was part of their effort to keep the series current and inclusive. Added to the recurring ménage of Betty, Archie, Veronica, Reggie, and Jughead they’ll have Kevin Keller.
Kevin huh? Could they have been more stereotypical with the name?
I’m all for inclusive, and I think it’s wonderful Archie Comics wishes to be that way. But I don’t remember which Archie character is Hispanic, Asian, Black, Differently-Abled, or a Little Person.
Interesting that sexual orientation is their first move towards inclusiveness. I guess I never thought of Archie and Betty in terms of sex. They were hetero, sure, but they weren’t very hetero.
Even though the series is about high school teenagers, presumably raging with sexual hormones, we never see them doing anything other than going together, with Betty, Veronica, Reggie, and Archie swapping partners like a morally airbrushed Bob, Carol, Ted, and Alice.
Woohoo…going steady with neuters.
Sexuality has never been a big part of the Archie deal. Even the cartoon pop group, “The Archies” traded their hormones for bubblegum. Their “Sugar Sugar” and the song by their rivals Ohio Express, “Yummy Yummy Yummy I got love in my tummy” pointed out their physiological confusion vis-à-vis procreative expression.
And you know what? Archie Comics already had a gay character. Reginald. Reggie was the classic example of a person in denial. His overt heterocity. His fight-picking behavior. His constant attempts to out-macho Archie with Veronica.
Definitely one of those belligerent homophobes you see who are often repressed homosexuals.
Archie Comics would have done the world a more inclusive favor by letting Reggie out of the closet. It’s okay Reggie, be you, be free.
Say hello to Kevin.
America, ya gotta love it.