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Archie Andrews Gay Character Kevin Keller Moves into Riverdale

by Paul Conneally | April 23, 2010 at 08:42 pm

716 views | 8 Recommendations | 3 comments

Archie Andrews Gets Gay Friend

Riverdale is the comic book home of Archie Andrews and is to get a new resident, Kevin Keller, blonde, blue eyes and gay.

Kevin Keller will be the first gay character in an Archie Comic and will make his first appearance in Veronica No. 202. Millions of people have been reading the adventures of Archie Andrews and his gang which include Jughead, Betty and Veronica Lodge, who Kevin will appear alongside for the first time in September.

It's taken Riverdale 60 years to get a gay character or Archie's first inter-racial kiss which occured on the cover of the latest issue. Riverdale High is at last starting to reflect the real world through its comic book other world.

Co-chief executive of Archie Comic Publications, John Goldwater, said:

“Riverdale has to reflect the diversity of the world today”

Some conservative commentators feel its a step too far and are urging parents not to buy the comic for their children. Conservative bloggr Warner Todd Huston said:

"I think it's introducing themes to younger audiences that they're not ready for"

As to weather Archie Andrews will get it on with Kevin, Riverdale's first openly gay character, the writer of the Veronica comic to feature Kevin, Dan Parent, says:

"Traditional Riverdale characters won't be coming out."

Mr. Parent said Kevin would be more than a one-off character with future stories already mapped out. The issue will hit newsstands on Sept. 1.

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geena (not verified)

at 12:14 on April 29th, 2010

Now i really know the world is going to POT! Trust me.. you will lose MANY customers for this choice you have made.

Sky Captain (not verified)

at 17:31 on May 9th, 2010

The only customers they will lose is close minded bigots like you-big deal. Not much of a loss in my book.

archiezfan#1 (not verified)

at 06:51 on May 11th, 2010

EXCUSE ME? i think that archies are gonna lose fans with this twist! not that i have anything against gays or the more happy but i think that archies are gonna have a downfall with sales because parents aren't gonna let any of their kids buy this! Who in the right mind would? Only a parent that supports influencing the young minds with these awkward subjects!