So...Archie #1 by Mark Waid and Fiona Staples. Pretty Effing Awesome. Best damn teen comic I've read.
I'm in.
Yeah, it's pretty damn fantastic.
Archie, really? How do you make Archie interesting? Guess I'll have to give it a try but if it's got this buzz, most likely sold out.
AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE is pretty much saving my interest in new monthlyish comics and keeping me from becoming a back issue or TPB only buyer.
I'm willing to bet all the relaunched ARCHIE titles will do the same. I've added them all to my all-NEW all-NOW extremely SHORT pull list.
A pull list that I am sad to say at present has NO DC title on it. (One Marvel-- the upcoming SQUADRON SUPREME)
The rest? ALL ARCHIE BOOKS.
Archie has stepped up like never before! I was really blown away by Archie #1, which made a lot of other comics I've read since feel like a letdown.
And the writer of the upcoming Jughead, Chip Zdardsky, is one of the most hilarious people in the world. Everything he does--art on Sex Criminals, his twitter, Howard the Duck, it just hysterical.
Loved the first issue. So odd to say that, and to write this. I have all the Archie titles (Archie, Juggy, etc) as well as Afterlife and Sabrina on my pull list. Never thought that would happen.
Can't figure out what is so appealing about Archie comics after all these years, but this updated version is very promising. Riverdale pre-Veronica! I'm curious to see how her story develops.
In a way, there's not anything massively innovative about this. It really reads like an episode of Saved by the Bell or any number of Nickelodeon tv shows from the past twenty years. But seeing a comic done in that style, and done really well, and particularly something as iconic as Archie, well... somehow it just works.
I'm hitting the CBS Thursday if plans hold!
My plans were shot to hell in a handbasket as I should have expected (glare).
But I'm HITTING THE CBS in the next 13 days no matter WHO IT PISSES OFF.
Archie 1 (two different covers), Sabrina 4, Archie vs Sharknado, Archie vs Predator 1-3.
My current stack of new to reads. DC and Marvel can frag off.
My current stack of new to reads. DC and Marvel can frag off.
Amen, brother!
I am the proud owner of a single back issue of Reggie & Me from years and years ago. That's it. I've never had an inkling to pick up an issue of an Archie book. But Sabrina is pretty good. As is Afterlife with Archie (although I'm a bit behind there).
So, I peeked at the last issue of the old Archie run. I have to say I'm a bit saddened it's getting relaunched. It was a decent read. Certainly better written than the vast majority of books from the big 2. It's more familiar than the scattershot of Image books glutting the market too.
A strong central series with quality spin offs that actually work. I'm pretty surprised that it's Archie that's pulled this off. I'll be taking a look at the relaunch.
I picked up the Kevin series because of the whole gay thing (yes I can admit my shallowness). I was underwhelmed overall.
BUT because of all the positive feedback here, I'm thinking of trying out the Waid relaunch. Don't know if I'm up for the other crossover books, but I could check out Archie.
Besides, Marvel and DC have largely alienated me as a buyer (and this is from someone who easily had 40 titles on their pull list pre-Civil War).
Thanks for the heads up on Archie!
So I picked up the first two books on Comixology
The artistic and narrative flow really works well on a digital format. As someone who has switched to digital, I appreciate this.
I agree with EDE about it - nothing particularly innovative, just good, solid storytelling (which probably highlights how bad the other stuff is)
Definitely more of a seasoned sensibility here - primetime tv maturity, rather than kids stuck in the 1950s. Particularly impressed with how the backstory on Jughead was so deftly put together.
Thanks for the recommendation!
AVP 1-3 are great fun! Loved ARCHIE #1! NOW.... ARCHIE VS. SHARKNADO!
AvS was... Pretty much as expected! Now.... SABRINA #4!! (chills)
I was all prepared to hate on the Archie relaunch for desecrating my childhood but I really liked the first issue! It's really cute and if you're gonna update the house style, Fiona Staples is the way to go. I think using a more traditional comic book artist would be a big misfire.
I wasn't a big fan of Archie back in my kidhood but this relaunch is quite charming. I picked up Archie #2 last month, then found #1 this week. It's going on my pull list.
Which makes 4 books on my pull list.
It seems like every 3 months or so, another behind the scenes corporate story shows Archie has been in some chaos for some time. I suspect they've been unprofitable for years, and recent lawsuits over their senior management shake-ups have drained them dry.
This probably has led to all this wonderful risk-taking they've done with the Archie relaunch, Afterlife with Archie, attempts to get TV shows and movies made, etc. Sometimes when you're back is against the wall, you step up and surprise everyone. I hope they're able to succeed.
^ Could explain the recent Kickstarter thing, too.
I just hope they can stay afloat and independent.
ARCHIE is the only thing keeping me interested in monthly-ish comics. Hoping for the best!!
Each month, I've continued to enjoy reading Archie, and I always can't help but think Lash would be loving it as well. Next month's introduction of Cheryl Blossom should be very Lashtastic!
Right now I just read Jughead and the Sabrina horror book. I did pick up Josie & the Pussycats #1
I love Archie and Afterlife with Archie, but I actually dropped Sabrina.
I really loved Betty & Veronica #1, which I bought on a whim.
I actually passed on Josie & the Pussycats #1, but am curious to hear how it is.
(FYI, up until about two years ago, I never read an Archie comic in my life).
Never too late to start, Cobie.
I read the Archie books sporadically as a kid. They were never my favorite comics franchise, but, as I said recently in the Legion forum when talking about the Postboot Legion, for all that the Archie books had their cheesy and formulaic aspects, they also had a genuinely winsome charm to them.
And now, after hearing all the good things about the relaunch, I've decided that on my next monthly trip to the comic shop (which is always the second week of the month, as that's when both Doom Patrol & Superwoman arrive), I'll see if they still have any copies of Betty & Veronica #1 (and I guess by then, #2 and maybe even #3 will be out?) Who knows, B&V might even become my 3rd monthly!!
Thanks, all.
Well, the current Archie series by Mark Waid and friends has remained consistently great 16 or so issues in. Hopefully the Riverdale show gives sales a small boost, as this is good enough to deserve to be read by more people. Waid is really showcasing his humor and using different storytelling techniques to do so, which is fun.
The art recently has been by Joe Eisma, the ongoing artist on Morning Glories, as series Lardy and myself and some others really love. He's perfect for the series here and his art has been fantastic.
I'm delighted I'm still collecting this. It really is a fun book!
^