The News Minute | July 14, 2014 | 11:20pm IST

The worlds favourite red haired comic book icon, the hero of Riverdale, Archie Andrews will die in Wednesday's issue of the comic. Archie will be killed as he tries to save his best friend Kevin Keller, the first openly gay character in the Archie comics. 

The Verge reports that Archie dies selflessly according to Jon Goldwater, Archie Comics publisher and co-CEO. Goldwater speaking to the Associated Press said, "He dies in the manner that epitomizes not only the best of Riverdale but the best of all of us."

Rollingstone.com reports that Archie will take the bullet in the 36th issue of Life With Archie (out Wednesday, July 16th), while the following installment will move forward one year and feature the Riverdale crew honoring the life and legacy of their fallen friend.

Though Archie Comics has not revealed who the villain is, Keller is shown as a newly elected senator fighting for tighter gun control laws.

Keller fights for tighter gun control laws after his husband is shot dead. Archie's death for his friend comes at a time when many Americans and people across the world are engaged in the fight for LGBT rights.