Jughead Jones: Riverdale's Portrayal Vs. Archie Comics' Source

Plenty of people are tuning in to Riverdale to watch Cole Sprouse play Jughead Jones. Sprouse has done a fantastic job in making an already beloved character even more beloved, portraying Jughead with wry humor and attractive intelligence. However, the role Sprouse is playing is not just the Jughead Jones from Archie Comics. Like every member of the Riverdale gang, Sprouse's Jughead is a respectful adaptation of the originally innocent teen from Riverdale. But there are a lot of things that changed about him as well. We're big Jughead fans around here, so we thought we'd put together a list of what those changes look like. So put on your hats and make room for another burger, TV fans; this is five things Riverdale completely changed from the comics (and five things they kept).

10. Different: Comic Jughead's Dad Is A Completely Different Character

FP Jones is one of the most lovable characters on Riverdale, despite his rough personality. FP is a rebel through and through — a guy who can take a beating and give one depended on what's needed. But in Archie Comics, this couldn't be farther from the truth. Forsythe Pendleton Jones II is a pragmatic, average father. He's a hard-working man of a middle-class family, as stable and somewhat boring as you'd expect a sitcom father to be. For Forsythe Pendleton Jones II, the jump to King of the South Side was a long one.

9. Same: He's Always Eating

Archie and the gang are at Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe all the time, but sometimes it's just for a milkshake. Unless, of course, Jug's there. Both the Riverdale version of the character and the comics version are always hungry, frequently going through multiple meals in one sitting. Technically, this entry could also say that Jughead's metabolism is the same in both versions because both iterations are on the lean side. Of all the things that the Riverdale writers could carry over from the books, endless appetite and superpowered metabolism are definitely fun choices.

8. Different: Comic Jughead Is A Daydreamer, Not A Conspiracy Theorist

Both Riverdale Jughead and comics Jughead frequently get lost in their thoughts. For Riverdale Jughead, those thoughts are of murder and mayhem. Who killed Jason Blossom, who is the Black Hood, etc. For comics Jughead, those thoughts are, well, a whole lot lighter. Comics Jug will spend time imagining worlds in which he's a secret time traveler, or a superhero, or best friend to a version of himself made entirely out of food. Though it seems like comic Jug's fantasies are more fun, it's actually a pretty good thing that the Riverdale Jughead's brain is a little bit darker. Otherwise, the Black Hood would've probably killed a lot more people, while one of the only people that could've stopped him thought about milkshakes.

7. Same: He's Got a Dog Named Hot Dog

Archie's dog Vegas is one of his best friends, and Archie's human best friend also has a furry companion. In Riverdale, Jug acquires the dog while trying to get into the South Side Serpents. They run him through several trials, one of which being a task to keep care of "The Beast." The ominous-sounding job just turns out to be responsible for a lovable mutt named Hot Dog, lifted straight from the comics and put into the show. Though Hot Dog appears a little bit more often in the comics, he's a welcomed addition of positivity to the frequently grim world of The Town with Pep.

6. Different: Comic Jughead Is Asexual

Jughead and Betty Cooper are one of the most well-loved couples on Riverdale. However, in the world of Archie Comics, there's no chance they'd even exist. Jughead Jones of the comic books is asexual. Even though he does accidentally go on a date with someone (more on that later), Jughead's most meaningful relationships are with his friends. If Riverdale would've adapted him to be this way, there would be no Bughead, no Toni Topaz fling, and no love-triangle tension between Betty and Archie. However, comic Jughead still gets caught up in romantic drama a lot. It's hard not to when your best pal is the most heartsick teen on the planet.

5. Same: He Wears Those 'S' Shirts

If you're the type of person who notices details, you've probably noticed that Jug frequently wears shirts with an "S" on the front. So what does this mean? Well, no one in Riverdale could tell you, and apparently, neither could anyone in the Archie Comics. The letter on Jughead's sweaters and t-shirts never definitively get explained, even though it's been a part of his character since he first appeared in fiction. It's just another unsolved mystery on Riverdale and a cool callback to the history of the comic book character.

4. Different: Comic Jughead Is Really Lazy

Whether it's investigating the Black Hood or organizing the South Side Serpents, Jughead Jones of Riverdale is always busy. He's constantly under pressure on a hundred different fronts, which means very little sleep or social time for our favorite crown-wearing sleuth. That's definitely not the case in the comics. There, Jughead will spend days on end playing video games or just lounging around. He's perfected a Bohemian lifestyle, rarely trying his hardest or finding a reason to. If Riverdale Jughead can be trusted to do whatever it takes to find the truth, comics Jughead can be counted on to do...very little.

3. Same: The Whoopee Cap

We've talked about the "S," but the fashion item Forsythe Pendleton Jones III is really known for isn't his shirts. No, it's the infamous crown hat that Jones wears wherever he goes. This hat, called a whoopee cap, was a popular accessory for boys of the '30s and '40s. It was made by cutting a hat's brim in a zig-zag pattern, then folding the brim upward. Admittedly, Riverdale's version is a little bit more modern (it's essentially a knit-cap with spikes), but the look is the same. And what's really important is that it's a constant feature of Jughead's wardrobe. Whether he's in a hot tub or at a funeral, he's rocking the whoopee cap.

2. Different: Comic Jughead Accidentally Goes Out With Sabrina

You read that right. Archie Comics, home of both Sabrina the Teenage Witch and America's coolest teens, doesn't share the TV fear of crossovers. In a fairly recent Jughead adventure, Sabrina drops out of high school and moves to Riverdale to try to make it on her own, When she gets there, she asks Jughead on a date, which he reluctantly agrees to. It goes poorly, of course, but after a brief heart-to-heart and a little bit of magic, the two agree to be friends. If ever there was a Riverdale/Sabrina crossover, this would be a great friendship to see.

1. Same: He's Archie Andrews's Best Friend

Well, of course, this was going to be the number one similarity. Through thick and thin, good times and bad, old comics to the new TV show, Archie Andrews and Jughead Jones are best friends. Now, that's not to say their relationship is perfect. In both the comics and TV show the two will get into little fights, usually because one doesn't approve of the other's actions. But at the end of every issue and every season, these two are brothers in arms. And there's no cultish killer or teenage drama that can come between that.

Are you a fan of the comic book Jughead Jones (A JugheadHead?)? What other aspects of the Archie Comics character have made it onto Riverdale, and which haven't? Let us know in the comments section below!