Issue Contents:
"After careful study I'll decide which of you to make head counsellor!"
Josie Goes to the Beach
"You sure are taking a lot of stuff to the beach, Josie!"
Storyline
An ad for Hostess Fruit Pies. Josie is going to the beach with Valerie and Melody, and has three things that she needs to compete with Melody - a new bikini, fancy sunglasses, and a bag full of Hostess Fruit Pies.
Credits
- Pencils: Dan DeCarlo
- Inks: Rudy Lapick
- Colors: Barry Grossman
- Letters: Bill Yoshida
Story Notes
Ad appears on the inside front cover. Characters' last names taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josie_and_the_Pussycats_(comic).
Heart Art
Storyline
On the anniversary of the day he fell in love with Veronica, Archie tries to do something special. He buys a heart-shaped cake but promptly ruins it. He carves a heart with their initials into a tree, but gets beaten up by a bully who misinterprets the initials. He carves a giant heart into beach sand, which upsets Betty, so he carves a similar heart for her, but it's too small. Veronica is upset at Betty's heart and then the tide washes her heart away. Upset, he walks down the beach where Jughead and Reggie ask him to join them in a card game of hearts, whereupon he runs off screaming.
Trash Bash
Storyline
Midge's trash compactor isn't working, so Moose compacts it for her.
Horoscope Scoop
Storyline
Veronica and Archie lying on the beach. Veronica mentions some bad traits of Capricorns to Archie. When Archie asks if Capricorns have any good qualities, Veronica says that they have only one - they know how to choose the perfect girlfriend.
Story Notes
Three-panel gag strip occupying the top half of a page. Shared with Archie's Gag Bag strip.
"I’m having trouble with this shopping list!"
Storyline
Two four-panel gag strips featuring Archie and Jughead.
Story Notes
Occupies the bottom half of the page (top half is "Horoscope Scoop").
Knight Time
Storyline
Readers must find their way through a maze to help Archie (dressed as a knight) rescue "Lady Veronica" from the castle tower.
The Cheerleaders
Storyline
Cheerleader tryouts are being held and Veronica is so confident she'll make the squad that she has a designer cheerleader outfit made for her.
Story Notes
On the first page, several girls are shown, each having their last name on her shirt. In the lower right-hand corner, a larger girl is shown wearing a shirt with "McBounce" on it.
Fun Fashions
Storyline
Veronica is shown in various poses sporting fashions suggested by readers. A box in the lower right-hand corner tells readers where they can send their fashion ideas.
On His Toes!
Storyline
Li'l Jinx tells Charley he should try dancing to help with his clumsiness.
Credits
- Script: Joe Edwards
- Pencils: Joe Edwards
- Inks: Joe Edwards
- Letters: Joe Edwards
Story Notes
Greg's last name is not known. Charley's last name based on information from Wikipedia and various other Li'l Jinx strips in which he has appeared.
Archie Club News
Storyline
Top half of page features the latest first- and second-place articles from club members. The first-place article is on friends, and the second-place article is about coin collecting. The bottom half of the page is an ad containing more information about the Archie Club and a coupon that readers can send in (along with 50 cents) if they wish to join the club. In return, they will get an "official press card" and a 4-color button.
Story Notes
This was a regular feature in Archie comics for 40+ years. Members of the club could send in a short article on a subject that interested them. The best ones were printed in the comics, with the winners getting cash prizes. At the time, first prize was $6 and second prize was $4.
Mountain of Laughs (1)
Storyline
An ad for Jughead with Archie Comics Digest #35. Readers could order the comic for 75 cents plus 25 cents postage by sending the money in along with the order form that could be cut out of the page.
Characters
Story Notes
All characters depicted in "Mount Rushmore" style next to Abe Lincoln.
3 for $1.00 Checklist (1)
Storyline
An offer to get any three comics on the checklist for $1.00 ("or single titles for 40 cents each!"). Readers filled out the attached order form and returned it with the appropriate money to receive their chosen titles.
Story Notes
This was on the bottom half of the page with the "Jughead with Archie" offer. Titles on the checklist: T.V. Laugh-Out #71; Archie & Me #114; Betty & Me #106; Reggie & Me #118; Sabrina #56; Mad House #118; Jughead's Jokes #66; That Wilkin Boy #46; Josie #100; World of Archie #485; B & V Spectacular #486; World of Jughead #487. Based on the issue numbers, the last three were probably part of the "Giant Series". This particular offer also expired on January 31st, 1980. Readers did not need to include any additional funds for postage and handling.
Trick Schtick
Storyline
As the gang enjoys a day at the beach, Jughead reads a book called "Ventriloquism - The Art of Voice-Throwing" and tells Leroy it will add a little excitement to their lives. After Betty refuses to let Jughead sample her lunch basket, Jughead starts throwing his voice to convince the gang they're hearing things because they're hungry. Leroy scares Jughead by making his sandwich talk, and the gang realizes what was really going on. They reward Leroy with all the ice cream he wants. Back home, Jughead's parents are trying to figure out why he turned pale when his mom offered him a sandwich.
Story Notes
In this comic, Leroy is portrayed as a nice, well-behaved kid, instead of the brat and prankster that he usually portrays in more recent comics. No indication is given in the story that he's Veronica's cousin, but this is the only logical explanation - it explains how he knows the gang and why he's hanging out at the beach with them.