The
Magic Continues
By
Sabrina F Ahmed
Monday morning.
Teenagers around the world grumble and groan as they stumble out of
bed. At varying paces, depending on their eagerness (or lack thereof)
to go to school, they get ready, and then race against the clock to
get there before the final bell goes, and they're penalised. During
school hours, there's the whole social drama of teachers vs. students
in the classrooms, labs, and detention rooms, flavoured by the occasional
romance of a new couple in the crowd, maybe some serious peer rivalry,
and of course popularity contests. In other words, a normal scene
taken out of a high-school setting in just about any part of the globe.
This is what John
Goldwater probably envisioned when he came up with the concept of
Archie and his gang, a comic series with which teenagers all over
America could relate. When MLJ Magazines (jointly owned by Goldwater
and his two partners) came into being in 1939, most comic book characters
were either super heroes fighting off Axis forces, or little furry
animals placed in the comics with an intention to amuse the reader.
Then John Goldwater had a sudden brainstorm. Inspired by the popular
Andy Hardy movies, starring Mickey Rooney, he decided to create a
normal character, one with whom the young public could relate. Encouraged
by his two partners, and utilising the creative talents of writer
Vic Bloom and artist Bob Montana, MLJ Magazines published Goldwater's
brainchild, "America's newest boyfriend" a.k.a Archie Andrews
in issue #22 of Pep Comics, in December 1941.
Little did they
realise that Archie would soon become a globally popular figure.
Often referred
to as the all-American teenager, Archie Andrews has made his mark.
Along with his friends "The Gang", consisting of the sweet
do-gooder Betty Cooper, the lovable rich bitch Veronica Lodge, the
egocentric Reggie Mantle, the lazy wise-guy Jughead Jones, and a host
of others, the Riverdale crew have captured the hearts of millions
world-wide, regarded fondly by kids and grown-ups alike.
So
what is it about the world of Riverdale that makes it a candidate
for a Dream Destination? Well, to begin with, the adventures that
take place here are funny, pure and simple…each story is richly infused
with good, clean, sometimes irresistibly corny humour. There's a lack
of real evil …even the bad guys you might encounter are portrayed
as more bumbling and stupid than evil. There is a strong sense of
moral responsibility prevalent through most of the stories, discouraging
drugs, racial and social prejudices, and promoting environmental awareness
and team spirit.
The characters
are real, believable, and unique. You can't help falling in love with
them. The wacky relationships are amusing…especially the rivalries,
including those between Betty and Veronica, and sometimes Cheryl Blossom,
and Archie and Reggie; yet at the end of the day, in the face of adversaries,
these people stick together and help each other through. Isn't that
reason enough to adore them?
Those who've been
following the Archie series carefully for some time will have noticed
how the characters have evolved with time. They've matured a lot,
and the change is quite noticeable if you compare an early comics
digest magazine with a more recent one. Yet the unique essence of
each character remains the same.
The characters
are also cool because they're not stereotyped. Betty is not your usual
'dumb blonde'; next to Dilton Doiley, she's the smartest student in
Riverdale High. Although her main role is that of a Good Samaritan
who's always chasing her one true love, Archie Andrews, almost always
in vain, to call her a 'goody-goody' would be very unfair. The ponytailed
'girl next door' has been devious on many occasions. Similarly, vain
and snobbish Veronica Lodge has, on many an occasion, revealed a heart
of gold. Other female characters like Ethel, Midge, and Nancy, to
name a few, are all equally complex and thus entertaining. The same
can be said of all the male characters the 'dumb jock' Moose Mason,
the 'brain' Dilton Doiley, sports ace and comic-fan Chuck Clayton…all
are people we can relate to.
Along with the
Gang, Riverdale sports a couple of other cliques, such as Josie and
the Pussycats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and her crew, and occasionally,
Cheryl Blossom. Each group is a barrel of laughs. Is it any wonder
that the series is so popular?
Fun,
amusing, exasperating, and yet lovable, these comics have been around
for over half a century now, and the Archie fever seems to show no
sign of stopping. The All-American Teen has turned out to be EveryTeen,
and charmed his way into the hearts of millions of readers world-wide,
spanning over three generations, and inspired both a cartoon series
and a TV series, which makes Riverdale the ultimate Dream Destination.
Destination
Futurma
By
Dr. Freak
Existence
in the present time is always boring; we always regret that we have
lost our past and dream to be in a more pleasant future. We forget
that the very moment that we call present is also passing away as
past. Like most people I also like to be in the future, away from
the monotony of life. I always dream for a better exciting future.
So my dream destination is the future, in a more advanced world.
If
Armageddon isn't occurring in the near future, then the future is
going to be infinite. I don't think I'll enjoy a very distant future
where robots rule over the world and people are living in different
planets (mostly as slaves). My destination is the near future, may
be in next decade, about the year 2020. So let's see what I can find
in my dream destination:
Stuffs
to check out:
Flying cars, household robots, genetically engineered human beings,
the 'mighty' empire of the USA, the underwater cities, human colony
in the moon (very unlikely). The museums of the extinct animals are
going to be exciting to see, as you'll not find any birds or other
animals alive around you. Don't be amazed to find gigantic domes of
glass over the important cities; the atmosphere is going to be in
deep coma by then. Also check out the shops that sell artificial body
parts.
Things
you may need:
An oxygen mask and 88% O2 filled cylinder, inhaler, UV proof sun-glass,
UV protection cream. Make sure you don't have hypsiphobia (fear of
height) or you may feel nausea at the 600th floor of the building.
Take suitable medicine with you. If you want to wander into mother
nature, take life-saving equipments with you.
Pros:
See technology at its highest men have tamed nature at last. The space-scrapers
(the extended version of sky-scrapers) will take your breath away.
Comfort and ease can be found easily. Automated services and universal
monetary unit will accelerate life. No need for visa the whole world
will be under one government.
Cons:
The pollution of the nature is so much that you can't survive any
moment outside controlled environment. Most part of Earth will be
like desert, lifeless. Birds and animals will quite extinct. Bangladesh
will be a barren land, used as a dumping site of nuclear waste.
So,
if you are like nature and natural stuffs, the destination isn't going
to suite you. However its going to be a heaven for techno-freaks and
gadget-maniacs. But the disater of nature is going to affect you much.
If we don't take care, our future is going to be like hell, in hospitable
for human life. My dream destination is a better future, not a barren
wasteland. But under the present circumstances, our future is blank,
our destination uncertain.
