Welcome to the Archie Comics Pubwatch for the month of June! 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, There’s a new writer on the Mighty Crusaders series, Bite Sized Archie makes some giant-sized moves, and much more!
Rob Liefeld Replaced by David Gallaher as Writer on The Mighty Crusaders: The Shield #1; Archie Still Aiming for June Release Date
According to a press released posted on the official Archie Comics website and two Tweets posted to the official Archie Twitter account, David Gallaher will be replacing Rob Liefeld as the writer of “The Mighty Crusaders: The Shield #1.” Gallaher will be scripting a new story centered around Liefeld’s art, according to the above press release. Archie comics anticipates that the issue will arrive in time for its solicited June 30th release date.
In addition, Liefeld’s secret cover for the project was revealed on Diamond Comics Select, and Archie canceled the release’s planned blank variant cover.
When the comic was announced, the series was set to have more one-shots centered around other Mighty Crusaders characters. According to another Tweet posted by the account, there are no further updates on those issues.
First Sixteen Bite Sized Archie Comics Collected for Comixology; Now also Available on Tinyview
Archie’s runaway successful daily comic strip Bite Sized Archie is now available in multiple new formats, aside from the comic’s official website and Archie’s social media.
Fans can now read the strip via the comics app TinyView, where they will get an early preview of strips, receiving them on the Thursday prior to their typical Friday social media postings.
On Comixology, fans can buy a digital collection of the first sixteen strips in a collection that includes bonus sketches and other material. Each edition will cost $2.99, and it will be available for free to Comixology Unlimited subscribers as of June 2.
Listen to a Preview of the Audio Adaption of Vampironica
Listen a short GraphicAudio sample from Vampironica! She protects the people of Riverdale from other vampires as she attempts to break the curse on her and the other victims by destroying the master vampire. https://t.co/rhsxJz0AEz #ArchieComics #Archie #Vampironica pic.twitter.com/nOvs6DhSRD
— GraphicAudio (@GraphicAudio) May 29, 2021
Archie Comics’ partnership with Graphic Audio continues apace, and now the Archie Horror series hit Vampironica is available as an audio play. If you like the sample above, the full production is available for $13.95 at this link.
Graphic Audio summarizes the series as follows: Veronica Lodge, a cheerleader at Riverdale Senior High who becomes a strigoi or a vampiress after being bitten by Ivan, a blood sucker, hundreds of years her senior. Forced to contend with this new, radical transformation, Veronica must deal with the prospect of feeding on her own small-town cohorts. She protects the people of Riverdale from other vampires as she attempts to break the curse on her and the other victims by destroying the master vampire.
Even More Dan Parent Exclusive Cover Announced For VA Comic-Con and Alaska Comic-Con
Want even more Dan Parent exclusives to fill up your lonely bookshelf? You’re in luck!
The first cover is a variant for The Shield #1 from VA Comics. It shows The Shield punching Adolf Hitler in a tribute to the classic Captain America Comics #1 cover published by Marvel in 1940. The second – an Alaska Comic-Con exclusive – features Betty, Veronica, and Sabrina Spellman flying over snow-capped mountains in winter clothing. While Sabrina is joyful, Betty looks freaked out as she clings to a smiling Betty.
While the Alaska cover is not yet available for pre-order, the Shield cover variant is limited to 250 copies each. As with their previous pre-order, VA comics cannot guarantee specific grades, but all issues will be case fresh when mailed, and are available with Parent’s signature.
The signed edition will run you $24.95 plus $9.95 shipping in the US, with overseas customers paying $39.95 plus $15 shipping. Unsigned variants will cost $19.95 plus $9.95 shipping for US customers and run international customers $29.95 plus $15 shipping.
The issues have no mentioned shipping date. The variant can be pre-ordered here.
Riverdale Season 5 Wraps; Series Set to Move to Tuesdays In the Fall
#Riverdale will move to Tuesday nights at 9pm on The CW when Season 6 begins this Fall! https://t.co/1N6uvgQ91o
— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) May 25, 2021
The CW sudser will return on August 11th to finish off its 5th season, then moves to Tuesdays at 9PM for its sixth season, according. The fifth season wrapped filming on June 2, according to this tweet.
Jamie L. Rotante and Ron Cacace Promoted
Via this press release, editor Jamie L. Rotante has been promoted to Senior Director of Editorial, and Ron Cacace has been promoted from Digital Marketing Manager to Director of Publicity and Social Media.
Aside from her editing duties, Rotante also wrote the comic series and the recently released Betty and Veronica: Vixens and Betty and Veronica: The Bond of Friendship graphic novel. Cacace writes the Bite Sized Archie comic strip series.
“I’ve spent not only the last eleven years at Archie working with these characters, but the better part of my life as a fan,” said Rotante in the press release. “I’m so grateful to Jon Goldwater for giving me countless opportunities to share my ideas and help usher these characters into a new era, and that’s exactly what I plan on continuing. We’re currently in Archie’s landmark 80th year, and while we’re celebrating its history, we’re also looking to its future. I’m honored to help keep these comics current and forward-moving, hoping to reach even more generations of fans to come.”
“Comics are my life-long passion and I’m incredibly lucky to be able to share my enthusiasm for the medium and everything Archie Comics has to offer through ridiculous tweets, overwritten press releases, rambling quotes and more,” said Cacace. “Our goal is to find fun and exciting ways to welcome new Archie Comics readers to the fold while continuing to put smiles on the faces of our dedicated fans. When we engage openly and honestly with our community, it creates a lasting connection that is invaluable. That’s something I’m excited to double-down on as we move forward with new projects in all areas of the company.”
Archie Comics Twitter Tweet of the Month
Happy 2 year anniversary to this tweet. https://t.co/CWdjj35Trs
— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) May 8, 2021
For those who are baby.
Also, this lovely Pride Month drawing by Dan Parent:
Happy Pride Month!! @ArchieComics @CW_Riverdale #pride pic.twitter.com/gyBpG2LTZ4
— Dan Parent (@parentdaniel) June 3, 2021
Sugar Sugar of the Month
Everything’s Archie #1
Ben Caldwell (Cover); Rian Gonzales (Cover); Fred Van Lente (Writing); Aaron Lopresti (Cover); Jack Morelli (Letters); Dan Parent (Art, Cover); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Bob Smith (Inks); Glenn Whitmore (Colors)
June 9th, 2021
This one’s just charming as all get out. In this special anniversary miniseries, band-new stories (the best one’s about Archie trying to earn enough money to buy the guitar of his dreams, which makes a wonderful commentary about the gig economy and the perils of achieving your desires) collide with a special reprint (remember that comic that went viral which featured a prediction of online schooling? It’s in this one). The combination of old and new here is very good, and that makes it an essential buy for any Archie collector!
Hotdogs and Hotshots
Archie at Riverdale High #3 (GN)
Stan Goldberg (Cover); Various (Art And Writing)
June 23rd, 2021
If your familiarity with the Archie series mainly revolves around The Archie Show (which spawned that huge pop hit “Sugar, Sugar” for The Archies in 1969), you likely read and remember this 1970s-era comic that focused on the gang’s high school exploits. This is the third volume in a series of graphic novels covering the comic series, and will likely bring up some fond memories for readers, and make new fans out of
Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest #294
Jim Amash (Art); Bill Golliher (Writing); Dan Parent (Art and Cover); Jack Morelli (Letters); Glenn Whitmore (colors)
June 9th, 2021
Sometimes the most charming Archie stories feature the sort of stuff you really do (or did) as a teenager yourself. In this issue, Betty, Veronica, and the rest of the gang dedicate themselves to having the ‘best summer ever,’ which requires them each to pick an activity. Together, they go through the list and complete each item, trip by trip and place by place. They devote themselves to eking every drop of enjoyment they can out of the summer sunshine, but will they make it through the list before school reconvenes?
Picks From The Timecops
Betty and Veronica: Friends Forever: What If..? (GN)
Various (Art, Colors, Letter, Writing); Dan Parent (Cover)
July 21st, 2021
I get a huge kick out of the “What If…?” stories in the Betty And Veronica: Friends Forever series. They’re basically an AU look into various alternate realities for the gang. This GN attempts to collect the best of the series’ recent tales of this nature, and I am excited to see what gets picked.
Archie 1,000 Page Comics Dream
Dan Parent (Cover); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Bob Smith (Cover); Various (Art And Writing)
July 28th, 2021
Love Archie comics? Like reading lots of Archie comics? This issue has over 1,000 pages of Archie stories, all for one convenient price. Not bad!
Archie Showcase Digest #4: A Jughead in the Family
Craig Boldman (Writing); Digikore Studios (Art); Rex Lindsey (Art and Cover); Jack Morelli (Letters); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover)
July 28th, 2021
For the first time ever, Archie Comics reprints the “A Jughead in the Family” arc. Jughead finds himself bouncing all around Riverdale after a fight with his dad causes him to move out of his family home. Cue all the infighting as he crowd surfs at his friends’ houses!
Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest #295
Bill Golliher (Cover); Dan Parent (Art); Jack Morelli (Letters); Rosario “Tito” Peña; Jamie L. Rotante (Writing); Jeff Shultz (Cover); Bob Smith; (Art); Glenn Whitmore (colors)
July 14th, 2021
Betty and Veronica learn to talk like pirates when they take part in Riverdale’s Mermaid Day celebration. They’re such a success that they annoy Cheryl Blossom, who’d hoped to take center stage with her own talents. But all three of the girls are stunned when a mysterious voice begins to sing enchantingly and grab all the attention. Who’s behind it? You’ll have to read to find out!
Second Looks
Archie and Friends: Summer Fun #1
