Welcome to the Archie Comics Pubwatch for the month of January! I’m Lisa, reporting from a corner booth at Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe, and here’s this month’s news! In this month’s Archie Comics Pubwatch, a new year dawns, which means a new season of Riverdale – and a new Archieverse comic from Rob Liefeld (yes, really)!
Archie Teams With Rob Liefeld to relaunch Archie’s Mighty Crusaders
In the hope of reinvigorating Archie’s semi-dormant library of superhero characters, Archie’s Mighty Crusaders will endeavor to tell the stories of such characters as the Shield, the Comet, the Jaguar, and Fly-Girl in a wholly new arena and era.
The series will be drawn by Liefeld. There is no word on if he will also write the series.
“I’ve been chomping at the bit to work with the folks at Archie and do something with these legendary characters,” said Liefeld in a press release. “The Shield is the first patriotic comic book icon, pre-dating Captain America. These are the original comic book superheroes, with a glorious history behind them. I’m so psyched to tell this story and turn my fans on to these characters!
The four-issue series will launch sometime this year, according to the press release from Archie Comics, where you can see examples of panel art.
Riverdale Season 5 Trailer Drops; New Spoiler Stills.
TVLine also has exclusive stills from the upcoming season, which will debut on the CW on January 20th.
Archie Comics Begins Publishing the webcomic Bite-Sized Archie on their social media and website.
Written and laid out like a Sunday morning comic strip, the weekly series debuted on December 10th and has published a new (and free) strip every Tuesday since. The series has been written by Ron Cacae with art by Vince Lovallo since its inception.
To read the full series so far, click on this tag on the Archie Comics blog!
92nd Street Y and Archie Comics team to Create New Online Comic Creation Course For Kids
Kids 9-13 who take the course will be invited to create their own comic under the tutelage of Archie mainstay Dan Parent. The classes retail for $200 all total and will take place from January 14th to February 4th, starting at 4:30 PM EST and lasting for an hour. It is part of 92nd Street Y’s Afterschool Program.
Stadium Comics Offers Exclusive Riverdale Presents: South Side Serpents #1 Ghost Rider Cover Homage Variant
As with previous variant exclusives, Nuno Pereira has drawn this variant cover, a parody of the cover of Marvel Spotlight #5, which introduced Ghost Rider. It is limited to 300 copies, all guaranteed to be VF/NM-graded quality or higher, or as part of a three-cover set, which has already sold out.
The edition retails for $14.99 and can be pre-ordered here!
Dan Parent Offers Custom Valentine’s Day Archie Drawings
You can get any character you like for $49.95 plus shipping- just be sure to specify on the form!
Archie Comics Twitter Tweet of the Month
— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) December 13, 2020
To be honest, I’m pretty darn enchanted by these Jughead crowns and burger cookies posted by a fan this month. I might just be hungry, but then again I know how hard it is to make grey cookies palatable.
A bonus thread from Mike Pellerito about the Archie Comics history of Dan DeCarlo, which taught me a few things!
So today is the anniversary of #DanDeCarlo ‘s birthday. Hard to find a better Archie artist. His start telling and style he brought to the girls changed to company. Want to hear a couple of stories? 1: https://t.co/ysb5mXKzhI pic.twitter.com/g1kSii37as
— Mike Pellerito (@pellertweeto) December 13, 2020
Sugar Sugar of the Month
World of Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comic Digest #1
Jack Morelli (art); Dan Parent (Cover); Jamie L. Rotante (Writing); Glenn Whitmore (art); Brittney Williams (art)
January 6th, 2021
Archie Comics will debut two new digests over the next couple of months, and this Veronica and Betty-centric issue – with a creative team culled from the Betty and Veronica: The Bond of Friendship graphic novel – leads the pack by combining new trends with old-fashioned sensibilities. The lead story takes on the Archieverse versions of TikTok and BTS, but always keeps the friendship between Veronica and Betty paramount, making it a clear favorite. Brittney Williams – who’s done some excellent work with properties like Rainbow Brite – brings the girls to cartoony life, and Rotante’s writing is hip and sweet.
Hotdogs and Hotshots
Riverdale Presents: South Side Serpents #1 (of One)
David Barnett (writer); Tyler Boss (Cover); Matt Herms (Art); Jack Morelli (Art); Richard Ortiz (Art and Cover)
January 27, 2021
Warning: if you’re not into the Riverdale version of the gang, this will be an easy skip. But if you’re obsessed with the epic highs and lows of high school football, this tale about the South Side Serpents biker gang will scratch an itch for you. A one-shot about F.P. Jones’ attempt at recruiting his son, Jughead, into the South Side Serpents Motorcycle gang, it’s got moody action and excellent art by Richard Ortiz.
Archie Modern Classics Vol 3 (TR)
Dan Parent (cover); Various (art and Writing)
January 13th, 2020
Did you miss out on any of Archie’s 2020 digest stories? This TR gathers some of the best of the year, with most of their bigger digests covered.
Archie Unlimited Picks of The Month
If you have Archie Unlimited, here are a few highlights from this month’s offerings!
World of Archie Jumbo Comics Digest #100: A milestone issue with some fun stories.
Archie Comics 80th Anniversary Presents: Jughead’s Couch Surfers: Some 90’s era Jughead ridiculousness.
Archie’s Explorers of the Unknown: Another 90’s-era series, with neon clothes and the gang globetrotting.
Archie: 1955: A Waid/Augustyn take on Archie’s past canon.
Picks From The Timecops
Sabrina: Something Wicked TR
Veronica Fish (art and cover); Andy Fish (art); Jack Morelli (art); Kelly Thompson (writer)
March 3rd, 2021
The latest Sabrina series packs magical hijinx and fun worldbuilding into a single, tight story. Beautifully illustrated by Veronica and Andy Fish.
Archie Jumbo Comics Digest #318
Jim Amash (Art); Pat and Tim Kennedy (Cover and art); Jack Morelli (Cover And Art); Dan Parent (writing); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Bob Smith (Cover); Glenn Whitmore (Art)
March 24th, 2020
In the grand traditions of the Beverly Hillbillies and Caddyshack, Archie does battle with a groundhog that’s wrecking his family’s garden. Sounds hinjinx-heavy!
Betty And Veronica: Jumbo Comics Digest #292
Bill Golliher (Writing); Jack Morelli (Cover And Art); Dan Parent (art and cover); Bob Smith (art); Glenn Whitmore (Art)
March 31st, 2021
A what-if story asks what would happen to Riverdale if Veronica and Betty were smarter than Dilton. A worthwhile question!
World of Archie Vol. 2
Rex Lindsey (Cover); Rosario “Tito” Peña (cover); Various (Art and Writing)
March 31st, 2021
Want to flashback to the ’90s? This series takes you and the Riverdale gang on a trip through time itself.
World of Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comic Digest #3
Bill Golliher (Writing); Jack Morelli (art); Dan Parent (Cover and Art); Bob Smith (Art); Glenn Whitmore (art)
March 17th, 2021
Your genderswap fanfics come true when Beau and Vernon pursue the hand of the lovely Archina in another Reversedale tale!
