'Way ahead of the times': A 1997 Archie comics predicted virtual schooling in 2021

Coronavirus pandemic forced the students worldwide to continue their classes virtually owing to the unprecedented situations due to the lockdown. Although it was unusual for the students, Archie Comics appeared to have predicted "online classes" in one of their editions in 1997. Archie Comics on its Facebook and Twitter page has shared a picture of a 24-year old issue of 'Betty' which had predicted what schooling would look like in 2021 and the post has gone viral. Online schooling remains applicable in several parts of the world in order to social distancing and to curb the spread of the deadly virus and students have been attending classes using their laptops, desktops or phones at home. 

Archie Comics prediction about 2021

The publisher on his Twitter page has shared a picture of a page that is from a 24-year-old issue of 'Betty'. The comic book was titled "Betty in High School 2021 AD".'The comic book revolved around the life of Elizabeth Betty Copper. In the picture, Betty and her parents, Alice and Hal have worn fancy space-age attire. The writers have shown Betty doing virtual classes. A poster near Betty's monitor reads a message, "video monitor must remain uncovered at all times."

In the picture, Betty's mother is telling her that school is about to start to which Betty responds that she still has 30 seconds for class. Betty's father feels that kids in the present time are lucky to have school in the home. The students do not have to carry books to school. They do not have to worry about the weather as well. Betty then responds that the class is about to begin. The caption alongside the post read, "Originally published in Betty #46, Feb. 1997." Take a look at the post

Netizens are amazed at an accurate prediction done 24 years ago. Since being shared, the post has got more than 28.3K likes and accumulated tons of reactions from users. One user wrote, "This comic has an impressive prediction of the future." Another user commented, "And they say The Simpsons always predicted the future." That computer though! That looks like a computer from 2006 or 2007! But still accurate", wrote another user.