Archie, Jughead and friends are helping raise money for a Newfoundland fire department

A volunteer fire department in Newfoundland is hosting a telethon to help raise funds for new equipment over the next year. It's also getting a boost from an iconic cast of comic book characters.

The Harbour Breton Volunteer Fire Department, located on the south coast of the island, has partnered with Archie Comics to release a special edition.

"Harbour Breton just happens to be one of the most beautiful towns that I've seen here on the island. [It's] beautiful scenery down here on the south coast [and a] perfect place for Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica to visit," Kevin Hickey, a member of the fire department, told CBC Radio's On The Go on Thursday.

The cover of the comic shows Archie, Betty and Veronica watching Jughead get rescued by local firefighters. Jughead got stuck in a tree while trying to avoid kissing a cod fish — a classic part of Newfoundland's screech-in ceremony. 

"It turns out that Jughead, though his appetite is usually quite strong, didn't quite have the appetite for this," Hickey said with a laugh.

The comic came from a desire to have an outside of the box idea to help raise money, says Hickey, who has a relationship with Archie Comics through his career as a comic book retailer. He says the company was eager to help.

"We presented them with the idea for the cover, and they made it happen. So yeah, we're super excited about it," he said. "Everyone in the fire department is super proud."

But it isn't the first time Archie and friends travelled to Newfoundland. The crew found its way to L'Anse aux Meadows in Life With Archie #280, released in 1990.

Hickey says 250 of the collectors' edition comic books have been printed. They will be given to the first 150 people to donate $50 or more to the telethon, while the remainder will be given away through a raffle for anyone who donates $25 or more.

He says he knows it will be a hot-button item, given Archie's large fan base and a Newfoundland connection.

"We think it will be sought after by collectors, including Archie collectors from abroad," Hickey said. "There's going to be people, you know, at home in this province looking for this book, and people all over the world."

The telethon runs from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. NT on Sunday.

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