Mobile Menu Toggle

Scream Dream: Alex de Campi Pits Predator Against Archie

by Vince Brusio

Burgers, chocolate malts, and teen talk wouldn’t be the backdrop you’d expect in a Predator comic. Which is what made the concept of Archie vs Predator so intriguing to writer Alex de Campi. A redheaded kid and his friends would merely be reduced to fish food if they went up against the big hunter with the dreadlocks. Yeah. And wouldn’t that be totally cool! Especially when the writer is a self-professed lover of action and gore. She might actually come up with a really crazy idea of making Betty an exploitation-film scream queen. The possibilities were endless. And in the PREVIEWSworld Exclusive interview, Alex de Campi tells us that Archie Vs. Predator #1 (FEB150015) is so much fun, it’ll make you dance in your living room.

**********

Article Image 3392PREVIEWSworld: How did the idea of the Archie gang meeting Predator first come about? Did you read the Archie/Kiss book and say, "I can top that!"

Alex de Campi:  I wish I could take credit for being the person high enough to have thought up Archie vs Predator up. But alas, it wasn't me. I'm still somewhat amazed I got the call to do it. I typed "Yeah, sure, sounds interesting" or something like that in response to my editor, pressed send, turned up Single Ladies all the way, and danced around the room with my four-year-old whooping ecstatically. Anyone who knows me knows I love action and gore, and I also love writing teenagers.

PREVIEWSworld: How did you find the balance between the two different audiences when writing this book? It's general audience meets hack-and-slash sci-fi. How did you cross the streams?

Alex de Campi: The same way you do in any teen horror book; do the kids really well. I read about 3,000 pages of Archie comics to prep for this mini-series, from 1940s 3-panel strips all the way up to Afterlife (which, y'know, is really fantastic. I know other people might have told you this, gentle reader, but in this case they are correct and you should go buy it). The Archie characters are a blast to write (nearly all of them are in the mini-series) and I'm treating them with a lot of respect and love (even as I kill them horribly), and I hope it shows.

Article Image 49caThe art is also by Fernando Ruiz, one of the great Archie masters (and a super human being, too) so it has that traditional Archie feel, though Fernando is subtly pushing some of it to a more Warren / EC Comics feel. (Wait until you see Exploitation Betty. Oh my god, Betty as an exploitation-film scream queen... so great!). It's not the dark, noirish art of the Archie Horrorverse ... we internally refer to this book as being in the "Archie Splatterverse", population: me. So, the traditional Archie reader will enjoy their characters being zingy and witty and fun, while the Predator fan will find the book has all the gore they were hoping for, and then some extra for good measure. The issues are also highly episodic and leave you wanting more just from an "omg how are they going to get out of THIS?!" standpoint.

PREVIEWSworld: What can you tell us about the storyline for Archie Vs. Predator? And spare no details. We want to know who was impaled first.

Alex de Campi: Well, it's Spring Break, and none of the kids really have any plans... until Jughead wins a deluxe trip to a Costa Rican beach resort in a packet of chips. Off the kids go. They're delighted to find it's a hot, hot spring, maybe the hottest on record... and they get there and notice a shooting star on their first night.

Article Image 2fd2Well, things go downhill from there, with interpersonal issues making the luxury vacation considerably more fraught than expected... and causing a certain pair of eyes in the jungle to start focusing on our teens as targets. In the first book, two kids are skinned alive. And that's the lightest death toll of the entire series. 

PREVIEWSworld: Without spoiling anything, what scene(s) would you be most excited to blog about in full geek mode?

Alex de Campi: There's a Sabrina subplot that mostly happens off-panel that I just adore... it makes me happy every time I think of it. And basically most of Issue #3, which I just finished, and is the issue that I am going to hell for... for so, so many reasons.  Now I have to just top it and stick the landing in Issue #4. Really, hopefully this book will have you howling with laughter one page, and then really grossed out the next page. And if some of these panels don't get crazy-reblogged on tumblr, I'd be surprised. 

PREVIEWSworld:  If people want to learn more about Archie Vs. Predator #1, what social media sites do you use so they can contact you?

Alex de Campi: I am on Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter as @alexdecampi!

 

Follow Us Facebook Icon Twitter Icon Instagram Icon YouTube Icon Rss Feed Email
Search for a Comic Shop

Cookies
We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. To manage our use of cookies click Cookie Policy.
By clicking 'Accept & Continue' or closing this banner, you accept our use of cookies.
}