Staff Picks (December): Archie Volume 1 TP
Nov 18, 2015
In October 2013 Archie Comics recaptured my attention with Afterlife with Archie. I had read a lot of the press surrounding the book but was worried that the series would read just like any other zombie title. I was wrong and I am so glad I was. Afterlife was amazing and I quickly realized I needed to start keeping an eye on what Archie Comics was doing. They were taking risks with their classic characters and striking gold. Not too long after picking up Afterlife I added The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina to my box at my local shop but I was still only reading the Archie Horror titles. I hadn’t really jumped back on board with Riverdale because I wasn’t reading the main series. That changed this year when Mark Waid (Kingdom Come) and Fiona Staples (Saga) were charged with the task of rebooting the classic Archie series into the present day.
You won't need to know decades of history to jump into this title. Mark Waid has given each of the classic characters a fresh start taking the time to cleanly reintroduce and redefine each of them with their own voice. Fiona Staples' art especially shines whenever Archie is deep in a soliloquy speaking to the audience as our guide to Riverdale. It is in these moments that Fiona's expressive pencils are the only force that allows the characters surrounding Archie to speak through their body language such as the hesitation of Betty as Archie monologues about their recent breakup. She wants to speak to her lifelong friend but she can't find the words and is crushed when he doesn’t notice her predicament.
If you have not jumped back on board with the new ongoing Archie series be sure to pick up the collected trade out this February! People say that you cannot go home again but thanks to Mark Waid and Fiona Staples you can go back to Riverdale.
—Matt Demory
Publisher: Archie Comics Item Code: DEC15 1006 Release Date: 03/9/16 SRP: $19.99 |