The much awaited Zoya Akhtar's film Archies, an Indian film adaptation of the evergreen Archie comics, releases on Netflix today (December 7).

But do you know? Archie arguably has been the most successful non-superhero comic book character ever!

Archie debuted in December 1941, in Pep Comics No. 22. Today, more than 80 years later, we look back at the rise of Archie comics as a wholesome alternative to comic books of the time.

Archie was the creation of MLJ Magazines's co-founder John Goldwater, who felt that the company needed to offer more than the standard super-hero fare. This was at the height of World War II, when superheros became symbols of American nationalism — think of Captain America, and his Nazi nemesis Red Skull.

Goldwater, however, set his sights on a more reality-based series that would appeal to kids and teens alike. Enter Archie Andrews, the quintessential American teenager. Archie and his friends — girl-next-door Betty Cooper, posh girl Veronica Lodge, gastronomically inclined Jughead Jones, and many more — would provide an idealised representation of (white) American teenage life set in the fictional town of Riverdale.

By 1942, amidst the characters' soaring popularity, Archie had got its own title (till then Archie stories continued to appear in Pep), and within two years, MLJ Magazine started to phase out superhero stories in favour of expanding the Archie universe. By 1946, MLJ changed its name to Archie Comics Publications (ACP), and beginning in 1949, with Archie's Pal Jughead, a number of spin-off titles emerged, each as popular as the next.

Each character in an Archie comic is defined by a certain trait. Archie's best friend Jughead, for instance, is characterised by his unsatiable appetite.

In 1973, Goldfinger licensed Archie to Spire Christian Comics which began publishing stories steeped with evangelical Christian messaging. Although Jewish himself, Goldwater told The NYT that the sentiments expressed in Spire Archie comics were in line with his wholesome family message. Spire would end up publishing 19 Archie titles.