Sabrina in the Archie Universe

I love when one of these surprises me, and this one certainly surprised me.

Sabrina the Teenage Witch is one of those characters that people know but don't necessarily know she's a comic book characters. I'd wager most people know her from her numerous adaptations, especially the 90s TGIF series starring Melissa Joan Hart (though I'm sure the numbers will quickly lean in favor of the current Netflix series, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina). And I'm sure that many people who know she has comics don't necessarily know she's an Archie Comics character. I've pretty much always known that, but here's what I only just learned: although she's always been published by Archie Comics, she wasn't always part of their world. In fact, in her first appearance - Archie's Mad House #22 (August 1962) - she's watching Archie on tv!

This is especially strange because an Archie show - The Archie Show, in fact - wouldn't exist until 1968. And when it was created, it needed characters to play bit parts and Sabrina was pulled in. Although I can't find any definite screenshots from this first season, she did prominently appear (by name, even! Always helpful) in the video for "Sugar, Sugar", interacting with Betty. The video was released in May 1969.

Her appearances on this show led to her getting her own animated series - likewise called Sabrina the Teenage Witch - as part of The Archie Comedy Hour, which later became The Archie/Sabrina Hour. Over time, both The Archie Show and Sabrina the Teenage Witch would morph into other forms, with "Sabrina" becoming Sabrina and the Groovy Ghoulies and then Super Witch. As both series took place in Riverdale, characters and locations would also cross over frequently.

Sabrina was then integrated into Archie's comics world in Archie's TV Laugh-Out #1 (October 1969), in a story where Sabrina throws a party at home and the Archie gang attends.

She's been part of the universe ever since! She even almost appeared in Riverdale, although it didn't work out. But The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina still mentions Riverdale (and Riverdale likewise mentions Greendale), and the 1996 tv movie is set in Riverdale.