Mark Waid Ushers in a New Era in Riverdale with Archie #1

by Ashley Hurst

The Archie comic line has been making headlines these past years with a number welcome cast additions, unexpected storylines, and a few radical departures from what comic readers are used to seeing from the publisher. However, nothing in the line's nearly 75 year history can quite prepare fans for what awaits the redhead this coming July: a total and complete series reboot!

After entertaining generation after generation of comic lovers, the main Archie comic series is starting fresh with issue #1 by immersing readers in a Riverdale that hasn't just been given a fresh coat of paint and a single-digit number on the front cover just for publicity's sake. For long-time fans, a fresh chapter in the iconic character's lifetime is about to unfold—one that, while seemingly familiar, promises an entirely new adventure. And for new readers curious as to what has made Archie such a lasting part of America's comic legacy, this new number one will provide the perfect jumping-on point!

PREVIEWSworld had the opportunity to speak with comic writer extraordinaire Mark Waid about the upcoming first issue of the new Archie comic. Read our interview below to learn more about what this momentous reboot entails and why you should be keeping this new series on your comic radar (and your pull list)!

Be sure to also head over to your local comic shop to pre-order issue one (APR151026 - Main Cover by Fiona Staples)  and make sure you don't miss out from the start!

PREVIEWSworld: The Archie Comics line has steadily been shifting in new directions over the past several years, but the upcoming re-launch will mark the biggest change to rock Riverdale since the series’ launch! What factors lead to this complete overhaul of the title, and why do you think rebuilding the series entirely is more necessary than just introducing gradual changes?

Mark Waid: I think it’s smart to launch big rather than stealth-sneak this approach out to the fans. It sends a very clear signal: START HERE. I believe, unfairly, that the Archie books have gotten a bad rap over the past couple of decades as being nostalgic relics of years gone by, and it’s tough to shift that perception with gradual change. The trick is to go big and at the same time honor and respect the last 70+ years of Archie—and I think we’ve found the right approach.

PREVIEWSworld: The residents of Riverdale have made I an enduring fixture in American comics since their debut. What is it about these characters that makes them so iconic and beloved by generation after generation of comic fans, and what do you personally find appealing about them?

Mark Waid: These characters survive, even thrive, because we know them even if we’ve never read them. Everyone knows a tomboy like Betty or a self-centered fashionista like Veronica or a laid-back wise guy like Jughead or a bully like Reggie. What I find appealing about them personally is that they’re so archetypal that you can tell pretty much any kind of story you’d like with them, from slapstick comedy to farce to something with real emotional gravity.

PREVIEWSworld: The Archie series has over 75 years of history to draw from, meaning there’s plenty of material to be inspired by but also A LOT to try and have to navigate through and build off of. How have you gone about trying to balance the series’ past with where you would like to see it headed in the future? What are some of the challenges involved in rebuilding a series that is so familiar with so many fans?

Mark Waid: Not many people remember that I was on staff in the Archie editorial department for the first half of 1990, and one of my best weeks there was having the opportunity to sit down in their library and read every single Archie story published up to that time, taking notes as I went along for a proposed Who’s Who series. And in revving up for this relaunch, I’ve since read thousands more Archie stories, because I genuinely want to be respectful to what’s come before. The only real challenge is to give a little more depth, dig much deeper, with these kids and flesh them out emotionally without losing the interpersonal dynamics. That involves a lot of deep, deep thinking about who they are in 2015 and why they’re that way. What makes Jughead a loner? What in his backstory makes him such an oddball? What does Veronica see in Archie? What’s that romance really about? Questions like these keep me up nights, but they’re a blast to crack.

PREVIEWSworld: Can you share any new ideas or concepts you’re particularly excited to introduce into the series?

Mark Waid: I’ve given a lot of thought—a LOT of thought—to Jughead, and while I can’t give too much away, we’ve invented a heretofore-unseen history for him that, to me, really helps me understand how someone so different from the rest of the gang is nonetheless such an integral part of the Riverdale dynamic.

PREVIEWSworld: Finally, what was it like working with artist Fiona Staples on the Archie re-launch?

Mark Waid: She’s astounding. She loves the Archie characters, really loves them, and that shows in every illustration and on every page. She’s such a great storyteller, it’s a joy to work with her!

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