Tag: Archie

Four Reasons to Visit ‘Riverdale’

Get in on the scandalous awesomeness of Archie’s TV world.

A memorable scene in episode one of “Riverdale” perfectly captures what makes this CW drama work. Archie and Veronica end up in a closet for Seven Minutes in Heaven during a party, and Veronica begins to see through Archie’s wholesome exterior.

“You’re a lot more dangerous than you look, aren’t you?” she asks.

“You have no idea,” he says.

Well!

“Riverdale” is far more dangerous than the historically G-rated comics universe it’s based on, and therefore destined to be polarizing. But if last Thursday’s crackling debut is any indication, it promises to be a juicy treat full of curveballs and intrigue. The show pulls off an impressive feat in maintaining the essence of beloved and loathed archetypes while turning their volume way up and messing with viewers’ expectations. Continue reading “Four Reasons to Visit ‘Riverdale’”

Archie #1 is a flawless relaunch

Looks like Riverdale is reborn in the best way possible.

Writer Mark Waid and artist Fiona Staples are working a special kind of magic with Archie #1. They’ve managed to create something that’s fresh and surprising without sacrificing any of the things that make the best Archie stories so much fun. The two of them just plain get it, and the result is a flawless re-launch that will delight longtime readers and intrigue newcomers. Continue reading “Archie #1 is a flawless relaunch”

Saying Goodbye to Archie

E. reviews Life With Archie #36.

As a longtime Riverdale fan, I had all of the feelings when Archie Comics announced a certain iconic redhead’s death in Life With Archie #36, out last week. You can read my review in Newsarama (and Lindsey’s review of Squidder #1), but suffice it to say that it fell short in my opinion. I say that as someone who has thoroughly enjoyed the Life With Archie series overall and cares about the characters in that universe. Check it out, and if you’ve read this issue, I’d love to know what you thought.

On brighter note, my friend Craig had an amazing idea: “It’s the perfect opportunity to pitch my proposal for “Betty and Veronica: Riverdale’s Avenging Angels.”

You’re welcome, comics.

Proof that Veronica Lodge is the worst best friend ever

Veronica Lodge: Knifing you with a smile since the 1940s.

After a lifetime of reading Archie comics, I have yet to receive a satisfactory answer to a burning question. And no, it’s not “What does Archie have that has kept two women on lock for 70 years?”

I want to know why Betty Cooper keeps dealing with Veronica Lodge. Continue reading “Proof that Veronica Lodge is the worst best friend ever”

Five Reasons to Read … Afterlife With Archie #1

Don’t care about Riverdale or zombies? Read Afterlife With Archie #1 anyway.

Afterlife With Archie PanelMy Archie love has been well documented in the G3 space. However, I know there are plenty of comics readers who care as much about Riverdale as I do about zombies. Which is to say, not at all. But believe me, you don’t have to be a big fan of either to enjoy Afterlife With Archie #1, a new horror-themed series that knocked my socks off. “But E.,” you’re saying right now, “Give me one good reason to spend $2.99 on a comic about a bunch of goofy teenagers inhabiting a sanitized version of middle America.”

I’ll give you five.

Continue reading “Five Reasons to Read … Afterlife With Archie #1”

E.’s Megacon Highlight Reel

If you’re ever suffering from a case of fan malaise, find the nearest comics/sci-fi/fantasy/anime convention and go. You won’t regret it.

As Megacon reminded me, there’s nothing quite like a con to reconnect a person with the joys of fandom. Spending a few days surrounded by happy people in costumes and talking to the creators who make Wednesdays special are two things that deserve spots on your bucket list.

Some highlights and observations: Continue reading “E.’s Megacon Highlight Reel”

Far from Riverdale: ‘Criminal – The Last of the Innocent’

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips throw childhood comic book archetypes into a dark adulthood, with brilliant results.

Criminal Last of the InnocentEd Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Criminal: The Last of the Innocent has been described as the most messed up “Archie” reimagining ever published, and that assessment is catnip for readers who frequent Riverdale. But this widely praised arc, trade Vol. 6 in the Criminal noir series, is much more than an exercise in taking beloved archetypes to hell. Brubaker and Phillips have crafted a harrowing portrait of unhappy adulthood and the longing for youth’s fleeting golden moments. Continue reading “Far from Riverdale: ‘Criminal – The Last of the Innocent’”

2012 Memorable Moment: Kevin and Clay Tie the Knot

Erika fondly recalls one of Riverdale’s most memorable celebrations.

Kevin Keller's weddingLife with Archie, the best soap opera in comics, has grabbed readers’ attention with storylines about unhappy marriages and separations, untimely deaths (Mrs. Grundy!) and characters ravaged by disease (Cheryl Blossom!). But there was at least one happy occasion in Riverdale in 2012 with war veteran Kevin Keller’s marriage to his boyfriend, Clay, in issue #16. It’s yet another example how Archie Comics has modernized, and fans have embraced the publisher’s first gay character since he arrived in 2010. Writer Paul Kupperberg handled the story just right, matter-of-factly showing Kevin and Clay as two people a loving relationship. I propose a toast.

G3 Gift Guide: Part E.

You could argue that every Wednesday is a holiday for those of us who get a weekly comic book fix. We play Santa Claus to ourselves, merrily leaving the LCS with a fresh stack and maybe a few … unplanned purchases that prompt our significant others to ask what the hell is up with these weird charges on our credit card statements.

But don’t we all have a few special items in mind that would bring joy to ourselves others? Because this is the season for giving, we’ve prepared our second annual G3 Gift Guide to inspire you and your loved ones. Continue reading “G3 Gift Guide: Part E.”

WTF? Hall of Fame: Archie and Betty’s Motel Scandal

Remember that time Archie and Betty checked into a motel cabin far from Riverdale, shed their clothes and spent a memorable night together in front of a crackling fire? And then Betty’s dad showed up in a rage just as Archie was putting his clothes back on, subjecting them to a lengthy diatribe about values and his daughter’s compromised honor? No? Then you’ve clearly missed the best story ever printed in an Archie comic. Continue reading “WTF? Hall of Fame: Archie and Betty’s Motel Scandal”

G3 Review: Archie #631

Valerie is back in town and the sparks fly! E. reviews Archie #631

Archie #631
Written by Dan Parent
Art by Dan Parent, Rich Koslowski and Digikore Studios
Letters by Jack Morelli

Betty and Veronica who?

It takes quite a romance to make a love triangle that’s more than 70 years old seem irrelevant. But that’s precisely what happened when Archie and Josie and the Pussycats guitarist Valerie rocked each other’s world in 2010, making headlines as Archie Comics’ first interracial romance, ever. Continue reading “G3 Review: Archie #631”