A fashion-heavy comic. The titular protagonist first appeared in Wilbur #5 (Summer, 1945). Wilbur was one of several anthology titles in the Archie Comics line of The '40s. She also spent a few years as a back up feature in Suzie Comics. Katy eventually got her own comic in 1949, with some spinoff series devoted to even more costumes. These series were eventually cancelled in The '60s, but got a revival for a few years in The '80s, before another short revival in the mid 2000s.
The plot initially centered around Katy and her unnamed sister going to Hollywood to get into acting, and then she gets involved in the fashion industry, as well as getting involved in several relationships. The plot was tweaked in both revivals.
Created by Bill Woggon, although this wasn't the only fashion-heavy comic, it did gain a strong fanbase, especially by having fans submit costumes, and the artist adapting them to the comics. Katy also had an officially sanctioned fanzine in The '70s, where one of the fans was future Promoted Fanboy John S. Lucas, who would eventually be brought on as one of the main artists for work relating to Katy.
In January 2019, a Live-Action Adaptation of the comic was announced to be in development. The second spinoff of Riverdale following Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Katy Keene was a musical comedy set in New York City a few years after Riverdale. Lucy Hale stars as Katy, and the main cast also includes Gloria Grandbilt, Ginger Lopez from the mainline Archie series, the Cabot twins from Josie and the Pussycats, and Ashleigh Murray's Josie McCoy, introduced in the parent show. It aired for one season in 2020 before being cancelled, due to a combination of low ratings and the impact of COVID-19.
Millie the Model is a similar comic, and the two characters even debuted the same year. Compare also the original Patsy Walker series.
This comic provides examples Of:
- Big Beautiful Woman: Bertha, pre-Retool. She had several pin-up pages, and no trouble attracting male attention.
- Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: Gloria, Katy, and Lucki, respectively. After the retool, Sis would sometimes fill the role of the redhead.
- Comically Missing the Point: Sis put one of Katy's mink stoles on a snowman to keep him warm.
- Contrapposto Pose: Plausibly for a fashion model, Katy is sometimes depicted adopting this stock pose.
- Costume Porn: Just browsing the covers shows the loads of different outfits, from fancy to really fancy.
- Deadpan Snarker: Katy, Gloria, and Lucki are this to each other.
- Death by Adaptation: In the 80s revival, Katy's parents are Killed Offscreen by a drunken driver early in the series.
- Dresses the Same: A few stories involve Katy showing up somewhere and someone else wearing the same dress.
- Failures on Ice: Sis has trouble skating, compared to Katy's graceful moves.
- Fairytale Wedding Dress: Although just modeling them.
- The Fashionista: Katy, Gloria, and Lucki.
- Flag Bikini: One where she, Gloria, and Lucki each wore a one-piece suit that was a third of the US flag, so standing together, it made a whole flag. See here.
- Going Fur a Swim: When Katie got her own series, the first issue showed Katy wearing a swimsuit with ermine tails pined to the center of the neckline, and an ermine-lined cape.
- Happy Holidays Dress: Christmas issues would give her quite a few.
- Live-Action Adaptation: Currently airing Thursday evenings starring Lucy Hale in the title role.
- Medium Awareness: At least on the covers.
- Meganekko: Sis.
- No Name Given: Sis, although both revivals gave her different, yet still rarely spoken, names.
- Passive-Aggressive Kombat: Particularly between Katy and Gloria.
- Pimped-Out Dress: Loads of them.
- Pretty in Mink: Several furs, either modeled or owned.
- Really Gets Around: Although nothing sexual is stated, there are jokes about Katy having several boyfriends. Mostly because she is dating them simultaneously.
- Retool: Twice. A major change in the first revival was aging Sis from about seven to fifteen (although Katy would stay the same age).
- The Rival: Gloria and Lucki, though Lucki and Katy have more of a Friendly Rivalry
- Sexy Santa Dress: She's worn some in various designs.
- Showgirl Skirt: The middle outfit◊, in this set of Raygun Gothic outfits, has a green skirt that drapes only behind her waist.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Sis being the Tomboy (although not against wearing pretty clothes, making her more of a Tomboy with a Girly Streak), and Katy being the girly girl.
- Unlimited Wardrobe: To the point where Veronica actually celebrated when she realized she finally owned more outfits.
