Did Archie Comics Predict Online Schooling in 2021?

Nineties kids know there have been countless mind-blowing moments where it felt like animated sitcom The Simpsons was able to predict the future. From the Trump presidency, to Disney’s Fox takeover, to the ebola outbreak, there are loads of events that eerily came true a few years after they came out on the show. Similarly, a 1997 issue of Archie Comics’ Betty series has gone viral for predicting online schooling in 2021.

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Archie Comics’ online schooling story published in 1997

If you’ve come across screencaps of this Archie comic on social media and have been skeptical about its validity, then let us clear it up for you: It’s 100% legit! When it blew up online in early 2021, they even took to their official website and Facebook page to clarify this.

The exact story can be found the Betty comic series’ Issue #46, which was published in February 1997 — already 24 years ago! Titled Betty in High School 2021 A.D., this story illustrates Betty, Veronica, Archie, and the rest of their gang as they adjust to attending virtual classes.

While Betty complains of how dreary online classes are, Veronica says she loves that she can leave her seat at any moment; she places a dummy version of herself in her seat, similar to how some students display photos or pre-recorded videos of themselves during virtual classes. And of course Archie, being the clumsy fellow that he is, caused a little explosion while attempting a chemistry experiment at home — something that could’ve been easily avoided if it happened in an “old-fashioned” chem lab.

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Missing the “old normal”

One other thing you’ll notice in the 1997 story: a nostalgia for the good old days. The gang visits the now-obsolete high school, which has since been turned into a museum. Despite that some might consider kids “lucky” that they can attend classes remotely, the Archie Comics story ends with Betty expressing how she wishes she could go back to real life school. *Sigh* We totally feel you, Betty!

You can read the full six-page story here.

All images credited to Archie Comics | Official Website