Passages For Spiritual Reflection

Archie and the Gang - Where is this innocent good ole Comic Series heading?  

  I’m afraid it may be bearing a course in the wrong direction. I remember, and perhaps you do too, the comics of the fifties and sixties. You know; Batman, Superman, Flash, Spiderman, and a bunch of others that never failed to entertain us as kids. And they all seemed to have a prominent theme to their content; Good verses evil and the good guy always won turning the tide against the nemesis factions out to destroy the world.
   

  But there were also many comics such as the Archie Series which depicted social situations usually in a humorous light hearted fashions co relating to our basic human characteristics but without the intention of any kind of social engineering. Although the comic could touch upon some cultural controversies from time to time, these issues were minor in nature.    

  Starting in the later 2010 comics premiering in the fall, the Archie Series which found its beginnings back in the 1940’s, is undergoing some drastic changes of which I have three primary objections to, in distasteful proportions: 

FIRST – and usually the more difficult issue to discuss is that this year, the Archie series will introduce an openly gay character to their line up. The producers and creators have reasoned their motive to be based on the hopes of educating their readers to the reality of these issues with the hopes of deterring “Intolerance” and “Hatred.”  That sounds good and we all should remember that this is also a 2000 year old doctrine of Christianity which has always preached tolerance, acceptance, and love to others despite their beliefs; i.e. – Love the sinner but Hate the sin. But the producer’s interjection of this social premise is biased because it does not offer an opposing view point to this situation and we all know how controversial this lifestyle is. Well you say, it may not have to be their job as a media to address it in this way and that may be true, and it should be the job of the parents to teach their children other facets of this social concept. And again it is true that the parents should, but first they have to be aware of it so I am making my readers aware of this now, if they already don’t know.   

SECONDLY - This series and its characters are being drawn and depicted in a completely different manor from earlier publications. Betty and Veronica have all of a sudden become more “Bustier” than before with a lot of cleavage showing. In some instances the rendering of these women are close to touching soft porn and include partial nudity. Some of these depictions are just as bawdy and sexual as many of the women shown on “x” rated adult magazines. AND

LASTLY – The story line of these comics are more involved with relationships, sexual innuendos, and immoral concepts. The creators also are planning an episode where Jughead and Archie kidnap Betty and Veronica, tie them up, and the two boys dress in drag to look like the girls to go out on the girls date for them. This has a great deal of redeeming moral value to teach our children – yeah right!  

  Remembering that the audience of readers for the Archie Comics is still between the ages of 8-12 years of age; you have to be asking yourself if in fact, is this form of media providing any socially moral value for your children to be digesting. No Way!.

  This comic series is now bordering perverted, sexually immoral and permissive attitudes toward sex, relationships and any helpfulness for our children to form a proper identity role to their own gender expectations. This series will no longer be worthwhile entertainment but degenerating smut and garbage.    

  Take a look for yourself; browse through an Archie book of a few years ago and compare it to the issues which will be published this coming September. You will see a big difference in content as well as illustration. Although these new set of series are not yet out – all you have to do is Google the Archie Series on the net and you can review the previews of the new age Archie.  

  This is just one more example how this world is degenerating morally and our society is getting so sexually perverse.  Our children are slowly be brainwashed further away from sound civil moral standards.   

  If any of my readers have any comments or questions opposing my viewpoint, feel free to comment or write – I’m quite up to the challenge – In other words – Go ahead, make my day! 

© Philip E. Sorant ******* 2010