Archie and Me - "Snoopy Camera"

Would you guys like to see the latest acquisition to my already huge Archie comics collection?  Check it out.  This is the latest in the "Archie Comics Presents" series - a group of compilation books that feature a selection of stories from the first few issues of each spotlight series.  This one features the title "Archie and Me".  Or, at least it features selections over the first twenty-three issues of it.  If you're a fan of 1960s era Archie, this one's worth a look. 

"Archie and Me" isn't the only title to feature a "Me" at the end of the title.  There was also a "Betty and Me" and a "Reggie and Me".  But in both Betty and Reggie's titles, the "Me" was Archie himself.

This time around, the "Me" is a character that has had a love-hate relationship with Archie.  Riverdale High School Principal Waldo Weatherbee.  At times, he can be his favourite student.  Others, Archie can be his worst nightmare. 

But I suppose Mr. Weatherbee shouldn't get too upset with Archie.  After all, this title was the closest that Mr. Weatherbee got to having his own standalone title.  And don't even make the claim that he had "Faculty Funnies" because I try to forget that title even existed!  Remind me to do a blog entry on that title later on as one of the rare moments that I didn't like an Archie tale!

Anyway, back to "Archie and Me".  This was a title that began in 1964 and ran until 1987 with issue #161 (seen above).  It depicted Archie's often tumultuous relationship with Mr. Weatherbee.  More often than not, every tale had Archie getting into some sort of trouble, and Mr. Weatherbee serving as the fall guy.  Usually each story had Mr. Weatherbee getting injured, suffering an allergic reaction, getting his clothes ruined...you know, the drill.  Of course, Archie never meant to make Mr. Weatherbee's life annoying on purpose...he really does respect Mr. Weatherbee most of the time and has his best interests at heart.

Emphasis on most of the time.

You see, there was one story that was featured in this Archie and Me collection (which originally appeared in "Archie and Me #16") that showed Archie getting so angry at his principal that he almost made his feelings known on national television!  That can't be good for a student who has trouble getting on Mr. Weatherbee's good side in the first place!

Smile.  You're on "Snoopy Camera"!  I presume the title is loosely based on the classic television show "Candid Camera" hosted by the late Allen Funt.  It was a show that featured practical jokes and interviews on the street, and was a precursor for many shows that have come and gone since.  And in this case, it is the show that Archie ends up being an unintended star!

This story does contain spoilers, by the way.  You have been warned.

Our tale begins with Archie running in the halls - which last time I checked, was against the rules of Riverdale High School - or any school for that matter.  But hey, when the dismissal bell rings, I suppose anybody would be excited to get out of there in a hurry. 

Unfortunately, Archie is in such a hurry that he bowls over Mr. Weatherbee in the hallway, and Mr. Weatherbee is in no mood to argue with Archie.  Because of his disobedience of the rules (as well as running over him), Mr. Weatherbee gives Archie a week's worth of detentions!  Ouch.

Naturally, Archie is angry at the punishment and blames Mr. Weatherbee for being a jerk - even though he more than deserved the punishment he got.  In fact, Archie is so angry that as he walks down the street he doesn't notice that the host of "Snoopy Camera" is there doing man on the street interviews.  In fact, his subject matter for the next episode of the show is teenagers.  I can sense where this is coming.

Sure enough, Archie finds himself being interviewed by "Snoopy Camera" and he wastes no time in telling them what he really thinks of Mr. Weatherbee.  It's hard to get the information out about what exactly he says as the speech balloons feature a whole lot of blah blah blahs...but the gist of it is the he tells "Snoopy Camera" that Mr. Weatherbee is a big windbag.  Apparently that was considered a really nasty insult in 1967.

And this is the face that Archie makes upon quickly realizing that he has told a national television show his true feelings about Mr. Weatherbee.  Not a good look, is it?  But hey, kudos to Joe Edwards and Jon D'Agostino for creating such vibrant facial expressions in this story!

Anyway, he's filling Betty and Veronica on his little problem, and Betty notes that they don't have much time.  After all, the program is being slated to air the very next night.  But Archie seems to have a really good plan on the go.  He takes all of his savings to buy a ticket to one of the hottest shows playing in town, and decides that he will give the ticket to Mr. Weatherbee anonymously.  The performance, of course, being scheduled for the same night that the "Snoopy Camera" episode is slated to air.  For once, Archie has come up with an infallible plan.  I'm very impressed.

Too bad it backfires on Archie completely when Mr. Weatherbee gives his ticket to Ms. Grundy instead.  So now Archie is out quite a bit of money and the show is still going to be broadcast.  What is he going to do now?

It turns out that Veronica says just the right thing to get Archie's wheels turning once more.  She says that it's too bad that Archie can't stop Mr. Weatherbee from seeing the show, and Archie decides that if he can prevent Mr. Weatherbee from watching television that night, he will be saved.

Of course, it would seem rather unrealistic for Archie to drive over to the Riverdale television station and blow up their transmitter, or replace the tape of the episode with an episode of "As The World Turns".  So Archie comes up with the foolproof idea of going to Mr. Weatherbee's house to sabotage his television antenna.  Ah, so destruction of private property.  Archie, is there really no low you'd sink down to?

Besides, as we all well know, Archie Andrews isn't exactly the most graceful person in the world, and in his quest to knock over Mr. Weatherbee's television antenna, he nearly falls off the roof!  He is literally holding onto the antenna with one hand as Mr. Weatherbee goes outside to see what all the commotion is!  And believe it or not, Mr. Weatherbee is gullible enough to believe Archie when he explains that he was casually in the area, saw that his antenna was busted and decided he would take it upon himself to fix it.

And if you believe that, I have a bridge I'd love to sell you, Archie.

But since Mr. Weatherbee is like...whatever...he invites Archie inside where Archie proceeds to solidify his scheme by unplugging Mr. Weatherbee's television and claiming that his television set is busted.  Again, Mr. Weatherbee buys it (which makes me wonder if Mr. Weatherbee is on stupid pills) and Mr. Weatherbee laments that he's going to miss his favourite show, "Snoopy Camera".  And Archie is trying to feel sorry for Mr. Weatherbee, but can't because he can't believe that his plan has worked.  Maybe he'll be able to get away with it after all.

And then here comes Jughead carrying a brand new battery powered portable black and white television that he got for his birthday right at the same moment that "Snoopy Camera" happens to be on.  And Mr. Weatherbee is so elated that he invites Jughead and an obviously terrified Archie to come in and watch it with him.

So, this is how it ends.  Archie is forced to relive his worst interview ever in the home of the person he insulted on television.  He will likely think that Mr. Weatherbee will be so angry at him that he will spend the rest of his senior year in detention.  In fact, forget detention.  Expulsion.  No, forget that.  Mr. Weatherbee will kill him.  Yes.  Weatherbee will kill him.  He needs a miracle to get through this.

And then it happens.  Only in a comic book can this possibly happen.

Yes, a hurricane warning has pre-empted the show, and Archie is in the clear - well, at least until the summer reruns start airing.  It's certainly enough for Archie to write the weather bureau a fan letter!

(And yeah, the Archie stories from the 1960s were very hard to believe.)

However, the craziness and the disbelief of these stories are what make them memorable...and hilarious.  For Archie to go through all that trouble to erase the mistakes he made?  It was a comedy of errors all around.

And for 161 issues (plus several one-off specials in the Archie Giant Series Magazine), there were many of these adventures between Archie and Mr. Weatherbee!  

That's why it's disappointing that when they rebooted the "Archie and Me" title in digest format in 2017, they lost the original concept of the title.  No longer is it about Archie and Mr. Weatherbee.  Instead, the "Me" I believe refers to the reader.  So technically it should be called "Archie and You".  "Or, Archie and I"?  Whatever the case, I kind of hope that the longer the title continues that they can find a way to make it all about Archie and Mr. Weatherbee again.  Because those stories were entertaining.