Betty #161
Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: The Perfect Gift and other stories
Betty plays Santa for the Riverdale Seniors Residence.
Writers: Mike Pellowski, Kathleen Webb & Barbara Slate
Pencils: Stan Goldberg
Inks: John Lowe
Colors: Barry Grossman
Letters: Jack Morelli
Editor: Victor Gorelick
Cover Art: Stan Goldberg
Publisher: Archie Comics
Review: It’s Christmas in Riverdale, but the Riverdale Seniors Residence doesn’t have the funds to make the season Merry for the residents. Unwilling to see the old folks unhappy, Betty sets out to round up the gang and make it a good Christmas. This is the sort of sweet, heartwarming story that only Archie can do this well.
“Sick Joke” is the next story - Betty’s parents are down with a nasty virus that has put half of Riverdale on bed-rest. Betty is caught in the middle - she wants to care for her ailing parents, but she also has a big date coming up with Archie, and she doesn’t want to be sick for it. Then there’s “Only Dreamin’,” in which she attempts to imagine her favorite redhead in more exciting venues than we usually see him. This is a so-so comic, but it’s worth it just for the panel where Pirate Archie refers to Betty as “Beautiful Booty.”
It’s back to the holidays for the last story, “Pink Ballet Slippers.” As Betty starts to decorate the Christmas tree, the different ornaments begin triggering a series of Christmas memories, including her favorite gift of all time. This is a nice little piece that speaks to the relationship between Betty and her mother.
A fun issue, a nice read.
Rating:8/10
See an archive of all my reviews at Evertime Realms.