Welcome to the Archie Comics Pubwatch for the month of August! 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 notorious hero returns, some exclusive covers, and more!
Archie Comics brings back Bob Phantom
Per an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, Blue Ribbon Comics character Bob Phantom will be back in action with a new one-shot. Much like the rest of their revived Might Crusaders line, this will put a modern spin on Irv Novick’s character. In this version of reality, Walt Whitney is a theatre nerd and critic who, by night, protects New York’s theatre district under his superhero moniker, Bob Phantom.
The book will be written by James Ill, with art by Richard Ortiz, colors by Matt Herms, and letters by Jack Morelli. You can expect to see the first issue on November 16.
Forbes Covers Archie Comics
A fresh article interviews Mike Pellerito, Editor in Chief of Archie, and Jamie L. Rotante, Senior Director of Editorial, about Archie’s past, present and future.
Exclusive Development Art for Chilling Adventures in Sorcery now out
Click through to see more advanced artwork by Vincenzo Federici (who also provided some interior panels), Liana Kangas, and Corin Howell at Daily Dead! Pictured above: Liana Kangas’ take on Toni Topaz!
New Variant Covers from Great Wall of Comics and Stadium Comics
It’s new variant cover time! We start with Bill Walko’s Scooby Doo-inspired variant cover for Chilling Adventures: Weirder Mysteries #1. As with all Stadium Comics variants, the cover is limited to 250 copies, is guaranteed to be VF/NM or better, and had a metal cover variant that only ran for 30 copies, was packed with a virgin variant of the Walko cover, and has since sold out. You can order the regular variant for $14.99 here.
The other two comics hail from The Great Wall of Comics and covers is Sabrina Anniversary Spectacular #1. The first cover is a virgin variant by Elias Chatzoudis and features a portrait of Sabrina, before which stands Amber Nightstone. The other is a virgin variant cover by Dan Parent featuring Sabrina and Salem on the beach. The Parent cover is limited to 250 copies and the Chatzoudis 150. Both comics come with a COA. You can get the Chatzoudis cover here and the Parent cover here.
Archie Comics Tweets of the Month
Hello, leftovers my old friend
I've come to snack on you again
Because a hunger softly creeping
Woke me up when I was sleeping
And the craving that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the fridge of burgers#ArchieComics #Archie #Comics pic.twitter.com/JNo8sfvA5r— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) August 12, 2022
Archie meets that 90s show where that Laura Palmer lady died pic.twitter.com/yrHcvWLo7x
— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) August 1, 2022
Archie failed to notice Veronica's new shoes and now he must suffer.#ArchieComics #Archie #Comics pic.twitter.com/YV3vLi1k21
— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) August 13, 2022
Archie Twitter was on a roll this month, with some great parody work and some perfect zingers.
Sugar Sugar of the Month
Sabrina the Teenage Witch: 60 Magical Stories
Dan DeCarlo (Cover); Various (Writing/Art/Inks/Colors/Letters)
August 31, 2022
Look, I truly love me some Sabrina Spellman, so you probably knew this was going to be my pick of the month. This big, thick compilation issue helps fans gear up for Sabrina’s big 6-0. Between its pages, you get early adventures, recent incidents, and some fun insight into Sabrina’s personality. All of this captured in 60 simple installments of the comic book. If you’re curious about Sabrina or have any holes in your collection, this will do an excellent job capturing Sabrina’s long history in 60 magical installments.
Jinx’s Grim Fairytales #1 (One-Shot)
Craig Cermak (Art); Eva Cabrera (Art); Francesco Francavilla (Cover); Matt Herms (Colors); James III (Writing), Joe Corallo (Writing); Vic Malhotra (Cover); Jack Morelli (Letters); Evan Stanley (Art); Magdalene Visaggio (Writing)
August 17, 2022
This one’s just good old-fashioned wicked fun. If you’ve been missing the Archie Horror imprint, look no further; this horror one-shot focuses on Jinx Holliday, tough babysitter, story weaver, and close friend of Sabrina Spellman. While sitting for some kids, she tells them a variety of stories which just happen to star her Riverdale brethren. The violence level here sits at roughly a strong PG-13 with some mild gore, but it’s very suitable for older teens, and is a fun introduction to Jinx.
Hotdogs and Hotshots
Archie Milestones: Best of the 2000s
Dan Parent (Art, Writing, Colors, Cover); Various (Art, Writing, Inks, Colors, Letters)
August 31, 2022
The Archie Milestones series finally reaches the new millennia. As always, the issue packs in the very best Archie stories published in the ’00s, and adds on a new story called “Movie Melee,” in which Archie finds himself stalked by a mail-order DVD service. The new story is a lot of fun, and the older picks manage to capture everything that was great about Archie in the ’00s.
Picks From The Timecops
Chilling Adventures Presents: Weirder Mysteries#1
Juan Bobillo (Writing); Adam Gorham (Cover); Matt Herms (Colors); Ryan Jampole (Writing); Aaron Lea (Cover); Jack Morelli (Letters); Ron Robbins (Writing); Federico Sabbattini (Art); Joanne Starer (Writing); Frank Tieri (Writing)
September 21, 2022
Remember that animated show from the ’90s where Archie and the gang explored the unknown? This one-shot is kinda like that; only the spooky goings-on are quite real. The issue takes a look at Riverdale’s paranormal side.
Sabrina The Teenage Witch Anniversary Spectacular #1
Dan Parent (Art, Writing and Cover); Jack Morelli (Letters); Glenn Whitmore (Colors)
September 7, 2022
Ready to celebrate Sabrina’s big 6-0? This issue introduces a new rival for everyone’s favorite magic-loving teen, Amber Nightstone, who seeks to swipe Sabrina’s place in the mortal world!
A Very Archie Christmas [TR]
Dan Parent (Cover); Various (Art and Writing)
September 21, 2022
What do you mean, it’s too early for Christmas? In this big collection of holiday tales, happy golden days of yore from Riverdale’s past are discussed.
Archie Showcase Digest #10 Presents: Sabrina: 60 Years of Magic
Dan DeCarlo (Cover); Various (Writing/Art/Inks/Colors/Letters)
September 28, 2022
Looking for even more Sabrina-related action? This digest has a plethora of Sabrina stories to choose from.
World of Archie Jumbo Comics Digest #123
Jim Amash (Inks); Ian Flynn (Writing); Bill Galvan (Pencils); Bill Golliher (Cover, Writing and Pencils); Jack Morelli (Letters); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Bob Smith (Inks); Glenn Whitmore (Colors)
September 21, 2022
In a set of unusual Halloween tales, Jughead had an underground lair and the gang is a bunch of comic-creating artists and writers who help Detective Sam Hill discover why a supervillain has it in for them. Maybe Count Rugen’s mad Jughead stole his secret torture room?
The Archie Encylopedia
Ian Flynn (Writing), Caty Koehl (Writing), Dan Parent (Cover); Jamie L. Rotante (Writing); Gillian Swearingen (Writing); Various (Art)
September 28, 2022
Reference! This volume takes a deep dive into the Archie universe and its many, many characters!
