A celebration of eight decades of comic book history will take place at this year’s Comic-Con International: San Diego at the “80th Anniversary of Archie Comics Superheroes” panel.
In 1939, MLJ Comics, the company later rebranded as Archie Comics, published Blue Ribbon Comics and entered the world of superheroes with Bob Phantom. They would go on to create a pantheon of superheroes, including the first patriotic superhero the Shield, and favorites like the Comet, Hangman, the Fly, Lancelot Strong, and many more.
These heroes have appeared in both Archie Comics and DC Comics. They have been reprinted in England, France, Germany, and Brazil. They have crossed over to radio, film and the pulps. Presented here is the 80-year history of the greatest superheroes of the Archie Universe from the people who brought the MLJ Companion, Rik Offenberger (Archie Comics), Paul Castiglia (Archie Comics), Jon B. Cook (Tomorrows Publishing), and John Morrow (Tomorrows Publishing) as well as writer and movie producer Michael Uslan (Batman), and Golden Age comic expert J.C. Vaughn (Gemstone Publishing).
The panel will take place on Saturday, July 20, 2019, from 4 PM – 5 PM in Room 9.
For the “80th Anniversary of Archie Comics Superheroes” panel, the presenters have reproduced membership cards and buttons from the classic Shield G-Man Club that MLJ Comics had back in the ‘40s. These will be given out to the first 200 attendees to the panel. A large canvas print of the Shield with art by Jay Piscopo will also be awarded to a member of the audience at the panel.
A copy of the MLJ Companion can be picked up at the TwoMorrows Publishing booth 1301 at the convention as well.