Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #42
Published August 1969
Cover Price 0.15 USD
Pages 36
Editing Richard Goldwater
Notes The first Josie issue without Pepper. As Pepper vanishes, another character arrives: this issue is the first appearance of Alan M. This issue is also the last appearance of Pepper's boyfriend, Sock, who has almost nothing to do without her, and was also never mentioned again after being written out. This was the first issue to introduce the "band" concept popularized by the Archie cartoon series, though in this story, the band is an all-male one (much like the Archie band in the comics was originally only Archie, Jughead and Reggie). A few months later, the company hit on the idea of putting Josie in a band instead, and the rest was history.

Cover Details - "Is that the boy you're going to ask to the dance?"

Characters Josie; Alan M.; un-named girl
Genre teen; humor
Pencils Dan DeCarlo
Inks Rudy Lapick
Colors Barry Grossman
Letters Bill Yoshida

8 page Josie story "Minstrel Man"

Characters Josie; Alexander Cabot III; Alexandra Cabot; Alexander Cabot II; Alan M.
Synopsis Alex hears a new guy in town, Alan M., playing his guitar, and hires him to serenade Josie on his behalf. Josie instantly falls for Alan M., but he's only interested in his music.
Genre teen; humor
Script Frank Doyle
Pencils Dan DeCarlo
Inks Rudy Lapick
Colors Barry Grossman
Letters Bill Yoshida
Notes Josie's last name, which was "Jones" since the beginning of the comic, becomes "James" in this story. In subsequent years it would go back and forth between "James," "Jones" and "McCoy."

6 page Josie story "Dismal Drummer"

Characters Josie; Alexander Cabot III; Alexandra Cabot; Alan M.; Gloomer; Instant Replay
Synopsis Alexandra also takes a fancy to Alan M., and offers to sponsor his band. She meets Alan's drummer, the suicidally depressed Gloomer, and Gloomer's perky girlfriend Instant Replay, the only person in the world who can translate Gloomer's mumblings.
Genre teen; humor
Script Frank Doyle
Pencils Dan DeCarlo
Inks Rudy Lapick
Colors Barry Grossman
Letters Bill Yoshida
Notes Gloomer and Instant Replay are presented as possible recurring characters, but they didn't last beyond this issue.

5 page Josie story "Third Man Theme"

Characters Josie; Alexander Cabot III; Alexandra Cabot; Alexander Cabot II; Alan M.; Instant Replay; Gloomer
Synopsis Alan M. asks Alex to be the second guitarist in his band.
Genre teen; humor
Script Frank Doyle
Pencils Dan DeCarlo
Inks Rudy Lapick
Colors Barry Grossman
Letters Bill Yoshida

5 page Josie story "Jester Melody"

Characters Josie; Melody; Alexander Cabot III; Alexandra Cabot; Alan M.; Gloomer; Instant Replay; Sock
Synopsis Alan, Gloomer and Alex make a great sound, and after listening to an argment between Josie and Alexandra, Melody gets an idea for the group's name: "Alan and the Jesters."
Genre teen; humor
Script Frank Doyle
Pencils Dan DeCarlo
Inks Rudy Lapick
Colors Barry Grossman
Letters Bill Yoshida

1 page Josie letters page "Dear Josie"

Script Eda Edwards [as Josie]
Pencils Joe Edwards
Inks Joe Edwards
Colors Barry Grossman
Letters Joe Edwards

1 page Li'l Jinx filler "Jumping to a Conclusion"

Characters Li'l Jinx; Hap Holliday
Genre children; humor
Script Joe Edwards
Pencils Joe Edwards
Inks Joe Edwards
Colors Barry Grossman
Letters Joe Edwards