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 The cowboy in question is Jason Witten,
tight end for the NFL's Dallas Cowboys. And he's talking about the
dangers of underage drinking as part of a Mothers Against Drunk
Driving program that appeals not to just Archie, Jughead and the
others, but to teenagers and parents in the real world, too.
"The whole idea here is prevention. To
prevent kids from drinking," Victor Gorelick, president and
editor-in-chief of Archie Comics, told The Associated Press. "But a
lot of parents know that this can be a big problem with teenagers,
yet they have problems talking to their kids."
So, in a bid to help bridge that gap,
MADD contacted Archie Comics about PowerTalk 21, an April 21
national event that seeks to have parents talking to their children
about underage drinking.
"One of the things that was discussed was
the possibility of doing a story, involving Jason Witten," Gorelick
said. "Riverdale is his first stop and that he's going to other
schools, too."
And that's what transpires in "Archie
Double Digest" No. 217, out this week in comic shops, which opens
with prom around the corner and plans for a party with parents out
of town.
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 "We've always tried to keep Archie up
with the times," Gorelick said. "The story is not that long
-- only
about eight pages, and it's entertaining, but it gets the message
across at the same time."
That message is a frank and open talk
about the perils of peer pressure and underage drinking, an issue
that MADD CEO Kimberly Earle told AP was crucial in getting to teens
and young adults.
"It's been a fantastic partnership and a
fantastic way to get the word out," she said of PowerTalk 21, adding
they were able to "reach a whole new audience."
___
Online:
http://www.archiecomics.com/
http://www.madd.org/
[Associated
Press; By MATT MOORE]
Copyright 2011 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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