Archie Andrews, comic book icon, to 'die' in upcoming issue

Archie Comics says the famous comic book character will heroically sacrifice himself while saving the life of a friend in a July 2014 installment of "Life with Archie." (AP/Archie Comics)

Archie Andrews' 73-year run as a comic book icon is about to turn the page -- sort of.

The beloved character will be fatally shot saving a friend as a conclusion to the "Life with Archie" series that explores Archie's life in the future, the New York Post reported.

In the present, however, he remains alive and well.

"We've been building up to this moment since we launched 'Life with Archie' five years ago and knew that any book that was telling the story of Archie's life as an adult had to also show his final moment," Goldwater said in a statement, CBC.ca reported. "This story is going to inspire a wide range of reactions because we all feel so close to Archie. Fans will laugh, cry, jump off the edge of their seats and hopefully understand why this comic will go down as one of the most important moments in Archie’s entire history. It's the biggest story we've ever done, and we're supremely proud of it."

The next issue in the series, No. 37, leaps forward a year and looks at how the rest of the Riverdale crew -- including Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge, as well as best friend Jughead Jones and friend/nemesis Reggie Mantle -- deals with his death, the CBC added.

Click here to read more from the New York Post and the CBC.