Archie Comics has long been a bastion of diversity, with the publisher introducing many people from marginalized communities over the years. In keeping with this trend, Archie Comics has teamed up with the It Gets Better Project to present 5 exclusive strips on acceptance and tolerance for National Coming Out Day.
The strips, written and drawn by Kevin Keller creator Dan Parent with Bob Smith, depict "5 different 'coming out' scenarios in Riverdale where young people are doing the right thing by fostering a supportive and nurturing environment for LGBTQ+ youth." The organization hopes that these strips will serve as an inspiration for "people to create the world or universe they want to live in."
Parent introduced Keller in 2010's Veronica #202. The character has remained a mainstay of Riverdale, having even appeared in the CW show bearing the town's name. Upon introducing Keller to the Archie universe, co-CEO John Goldwater stated, "Archie's hometown of Riverdale has always been a safe world for everyone. It just makes sense to have an openly gay character in Archie comic books."
The It Gets Better Project kicked off in 2010 with a mandate "to uplift, empower, and connect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth around the globe." More than 60,000 young people have shared their stories on the site, and over 600,000 have pledged money to help the organization. As the site notes, the project has grown from social media campaign to "a major, multi-media platform capable of reaching millions of young people every year through inspiring media programming, a growing network of international affiliates, and access to an arsenal of community-based service providers." The site also boasts a "Get Help" page, along with numerous links for at-risk queer youth.