Betty first appeared in Pep Comics #22, also the first appearance of both Archie and Jughead. Veronica made her debut a few months later, in Pep #26, as an immediate rival to Betty for Archie's affections. Blonde Betty is the sweet wholesome hometown "girl next door," in contrast to brunette Veronica, a spoiled and often selfish rich girl. The girls were featured in other Archie comics before launching into their own title, Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica, in 1950. In issue #6 artist Dan DeCarlo did his first work for Archie, beginning a fifty-year career with the publishing house.