Love Showdown (Archie Comics)

"Love Showdown"
Cover of Love Showdown Collection  (1994), trade paperback collected edition.Art by Dan DeCarlo.
Publisher	Archie Comics
Publication date	November – December 1994
Genre	Humor/comedy
Title(s) Archie #429 Betty #19 Betty and Veronica #82 Veronica #39

"Love Showdown" was a four part 1994 comic book story arc featuring the characters from Archie Comics. Publicized as a possible resolution to the decades-long love triangle between Archie Andrews and his longtime sweethearts Betty and Veronica, Love Showdown received more publicity than any other event in Archie history. The story, written by Bill Golliher and Dan Parent, was originally published in Archie #429, Betty #19, Betty and Veronica #82, and Veronica #39. The storyline was also collected in trade paperback form.

Plot

Archie receives a mysterious love letter, and when Betty and Veronica find out, both girls think the other sent it. Spurred into action, the girls compete to make Archie choose between them once and for all. However, it's eventually revealed that Cheryl Blossom, a girl from Archie's past, sent the letter, and at the end of the series Archie unexpectedly chooses Cheryl instead.

Although the publicity surrounding Love Showdown implied a resolution to the long-running Betty vs. Veronica dilemma, a 48-page follow-up story (Archie's Love Showdown Special) returned the love triangle to its former status quo.