Archie - Veronica Adult

Archie - Jughead Adult



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THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2009

ARCHIE COMICS: HAL LIFSON

Hal Lifson, author of Hal Lifson's 1966, has written a 1960s-inspired story for Archie #599, in stores on July 22.

The story is titled "Return to Riverstock" and commemorates the 40th anniversary of Woodstock.

Lifson talks about the story in the following interview:

Question: What impact did Woodstock have on you?

Lifson: I didn't attend the original Woodstock as I was only 9 when it happened. But I sure was aware of its impact! The following year, in 1970, I remember the three-album Woodstock LP for sale at my local record store in Encino, "The Beat."

Also, the film version of Woodstock was playing at the Encino theatre, but because of the "M" rating, I was not allowed to see it. But the music of Woodstock played on the radio and of course, the cultural impact of the event was omnipresent everywhere. Teens and even pre-teens like myself who were reading Archie comics at the time were "experiencing" the '60s thru pop culture genres like TV and transistor radios.

Question: Why do you think the '60s have remained such a strong part of American culture?

Lifson: The '60s were a time of great social turbulence but this fueled incredible creativity in the arts. Especially music! '60s music has remained the most cherished musical decade in the last half century and it is noteworthy that the Archies group had their biggest hit the summer of Woodstock with "Sugar Sugar" staying at No. 1 for nearly a month!

Question: The Archies were around for Woodstock in the '60s originally. As the eternal high school juniors, they are now too young to have experience it. What is it like to transfer this experience from the kids to their parents?

Lifson: In the Riverstock story, I had the Archies learn about the "original" Riverstock festival from their parents -- especially Archie's, who were there for the original.

In addition, we have the return of '60s flower child Mustang Sally, who lives the '60s in terms of her clothes and musical taste in 2009. Her parents are reminiscent of Sonny and Cher as an added salute to the decade of peace, love and understanding.

Question: Josie and the Pussycats appear on the cover, are they in the story as well?

Lifson: At the Riverstock festival, the Archies are joined by Josie and the Pussycats, Mustang Sally doing a folk rock song and of course the great Jimi Hendux, a tribute to Jimi Hendrix's show stopping performance at the festival. Even Jughead's stars and stripes drum kit is a nod to Buddy Miles' "Them Changes" album cover from '69.

Question: What values and symbols from the '60s carry through to the current story?

Lifson: I am hopeful that my Riverstock will present the fun side of the Woodstock festival in this 40th anniversary year. There are a lot of references to the original, like the speaker columns, the presence of "Wavy Davy" and even the famous lake swimming scene!

I try to incorporate much of my love of the '60s with my writing for Archie Comics and teach younger readers about the magical and mythical time in which I was a kid reading Archie for the first time.



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