A bitter family feud behind Archie Comic

The past three years have been upbeat ones for Archie, the everyteen hero of one of America's most enduring comics. He's gotten married -- twice, no less. His social circle has expanded to include his first gay friend. He's even appeared on a postage stamp.

But behind the scenes, a bitter and sometimes bizarre feud has brewed at the company that produces the more than 70-year-old comic. Its two chief executives, a son of one founder and the daughter-in-law of another, are accusing each other of all sorts of funny business.

He and some other staffers say she's an abrasive menace who has sexually harassed employees with vulgar remarks, made bad business moves and even paraded a former football player around the office to intimidate people. She says he's a scheming chauvinist who has demeaned her, kept her in the dark about Archie Comic Publications' finances and invented allegations to try to force her out and seize control of the company.

He's asked a court to strip her of her role at the company. She's sued him for defamation and $100 million in damages.

A judge has at least temporarily barred her from the company's suburban New York headquarters, fined her $500 over the ex-football player's visit and vowed to appoint a temporary receiver to protect the company's assets amid the fight if the two sides can't choose someone on their own by Wednesday.

Altogether, it's a far cry from the congenial environs of Riverdale, the fictional town where Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and friends have navigated dating quandaries and high school high jinks.

It's unclear whether the clash has had any financial impact on Archie Comic Publications Inc., which declined to release sales figures.

But "it's bad for image" at a time when the company has been eagerly looking to line up movie and other deals, said writer and comic book historian Mark Evanier.

There has been some concrete fallout: A Cleveland-area group cited the court fight in canceling speeches that Archie co-CEO Nancy Silberkleit was to give at three schools in December, according to news reports. And the other co-CEO, Jon Goldwater, has cast the stakes in dramatic terms.

"An iconic American company is in serious danger of failing and being liquidated" if Silberkleit stays, Goldwater said in court papers.