Archie Comics features front-cover of first ever gay wedding.

It may have been read by teenagers for more than 70 years, but Archie Comics this week proves it is still as current as ever. The Life With Archie #16 issue due out on Wednesday features for the first time a same-sex wedding between characters Kevin Keller and partner Clay Walker. After months of anticipation from fans of the comic book, readers will able to see soldier Kevin marry doctor Clay in front all their friends and family.

In the issue, Kevin has joined the army but is injured while serving a tour in Iraq. While recovering from his injuries in a hospital rehabilitation unit, he meets Clay and they eventually fall in love.

Kevin is the series' first gay character and was introduced to the comic series in April 2010. Last month, chief executive of Archie Comics Jonathan Goldwater told CNN Kevin was introduced: 'to reflect what's going on with kids today in the real world'. The hit comic, which was first published in 1941 in 'Pep Comics', has sold more than 1.5billion and is published in a dozen foreign languages.

The Life With Archie series - a spin-off from the original - follows the lives of the Riverdale High School students as they enter their 20s.

In 2010, the Life With Archie series was revived as a magazine-sized comic devoted to stories that grew out of the main character's wedding to his high school sweethearts Veronica and Betty.

Archie marries both, in parallel universes, so readers get to enjoy two different storylines. After Kevin's character was introduced, a four-issue miniseries which focused on him sold out in 2011 and he is reported to be getting his own series from next month.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk