Comic-Con Museum’s soft opening will celebrate 80 years of Archie Comics
The exhibition is timed to a special in-person edition of Comic-Con, which will mark the first in-person gathering for San Diego Comic-Con since July 2019
Riverdale comes to San Diego today when the Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park opens its doors with “Eight Decades of Archie,” an exhibit celebrating 80 years of Archie Comics.
The exhibition, which makes its world-premiere in San Diego, “celebrates both the vast cultural legacy of Archie Comics over its 80-year span and the enduring appeal of its ever-evolving cast of typical American teenagers.”
The exhibition — which will include vintage comic books, original art, unique props and other memorabilia — is timed to a three-day special fall edition of Comic-Con, which begins today and marks the first in-person gathering for San Diego Comic-Con since July 2019 after pandemic-induced cancellations in 2020 and 2021.
This weekend’s festivities are part of a soft opening for the year-round Comic-Con Museum, which is expected to have its official grand opening in the summer of 2022. Between now and then, special programming, screenings and a variety of nighttime activities will be offered. The “Archie” exhibit is expected to be a part of the lineup when the museum officially opens.
“It’s a joy to be able to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Archie Comics with Comic-Con International,” Archie Comics CEO and Publisher Jon Goldwater said in a statement. “The Archie Comics characters are an integral part of the global pop-culture tapestry and have inspired multiple generations of fans and readers since the early 1940s. The ‘Eight Decades of Archie’ exhibit is the perfect way to showcase Archie’s massive historical impact and the continued relevance of these characters and stories.”
For Patrick A. Reed, the exhibition’s chief curator, partnering with the Comic-Con Museum was a no-brainer.
“It’s such an honor to be working on this ‘Eight Decades Of Archie’ pop-up as part of the Comic-Con Museum’s inaugural season,” he said. “Given the longstanding relationship between Archie and Comic-Con, I can’t imagine a better venue in which to tell this story — and do so in a way that engages both casual fans and longtime Archie aficionados.”
For more information about Comic-Con Museum programming, tickets and hours, go to comic-con.org/museum/visit-museum or museum.comic-con.org.
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