On June 18, 2014, Archie Comics introduced its first disabled
character, Harper, a wheelchair user. Harper is the cousin of
Veronica Lodge, a staple character in the comic series. Her
character was involved in a motor vehicle accident as young girl,
and grows up to be a successful fashion designer - and perhaps a
contender for the heart of Betty and Veronica's beloved
Archie.
Harper's character is inspired by Jewel Kats, an
award-winning Toronto children's author, who has written a
number of children's books featuring characters with various
disabilities. In a recent interview with CBC Radio, Kats
revealed that she first approached Archie author Dan Parent with
the idea of creating a disabled Archie character at the 2013
Toronto Fan Expo. The two then worked together to create a
realistic and inspiring wheelchair using character. Kats
described being driven by the need for children and young adults to
see people similar to them reflected in the media, something
