As a teenager I identified with Betty because I had a crush on a guy next door and he was enchanted by another young girl. LIke Betty I would spin dreams around him and then feel sorry as they spun away. Anyway, what I am trying to say that archie comics were, but naturally, teenage years panacea to a world where there was a great high school, teenagers wore oomph dresses, they had fun.. not normally what one associated with high schools and collegs in India 15 years back.
And that the Archie boom was felt was evident from the film ’Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander’, where Poooja Bedi played a snooty Veronica - that is what atleast we teenagers interepreted the film as.. a riverdale kind of story.
I still see young girls buying Archie comics at flea markets- just goes to prove that the bubble of make believe has not burst and that there are still many Bettys vying for attention of just as many Archies and trying to incite them away from the Veronicas of the world. Duh! what do you say?