18th
Archie Digested
My wife and I recently came to the conclusion that Archie is the greatest comic in the history of animated narratives. so, as a tribute my favourite blog, Marmaduke Explained (which, sadly, has sort of deteriorated as of late), I will offer my own observations on the day-to-day of America’s - nay, the world’s - favourite carrot top.
In “Oil’s Well”, we find out two things: first, that Mr. Lodge is extremely agitated because a tanker he owns is responsible for a potentially catastrophic oil spill. In panel three, we learn that this behaviour is completely normal to Archie, who more often than not is the source of his aggravation. The second reveletation - and one that is only implied - is related to Mr. Lodges’s livelihood: oil, and the import/export of said fuel. Unless an avid reader cares to correct me, the exact source of the Lodge patriarch’s wealth has always been a mystery. After all, who other than an oil man could afford to have a full-time masseuse on staff?
The implicit morality ending - Archie dropping lawnmower oil into the pool and Mr. Lodge unwittingly taking a dip in the tainted water, i.e. his “just desserts” - takes a backseat in this instance as the initial “give” throws the story arc completely off balance. The real lesson: Veronica’s dad is a man on the edge, and not to be trifled with.
