Welcome to the Archie Comics Pubwatch for the month of February! I’m Lisa, reporting from a corner booth at Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe, and here’s this month’s news! In February’s pubwatch, Bingo Wilkins develops a cult and Jinx Holliday holds an exorcism; Forbes talks up Archie Comics; some fresh cover exclusives, and much more.
Archie Horror and Chilling Adventures Present The Cult of that Wilkin Boy#1 in April…
Looks like we have a bumper crop of Archie Horror comics set and on the way this year, and this time out it’s Michael J. Fox-alike Bingo Wilkin who finds himself dealing with a curse.
The Cult of That Wilkin Boy sees Bingo making a deal with a demon for fame and fortune. He should’ve learned from the folkloric example of Robert Johnson that exchanging your soul for eternal fame is never a great idea, and in this case he ends up with a ravenous horde of fans willing to do anything to appease their idol. Literally anything.
“Dan’s vivid and detailed work helps accentuate the darkest and most disturbing aspects of Cullen’s writing. I was inspired by cult-based horror movies like Mandy and Midsommar, but Cullen took it to the next level, using musician character Bingo Wilkin to tell a story that’s about the darker sides of fame. This is an unforgettable story that I know will delight all horror fans,” said Archie Comics Senior Director of Editorial Jamie L. Rotante in a press statement.
The Cult of That Wilkin Boy will also feature a visual update for the character. “Music plays a big part in the character makeup of Bingo Wilkin, but instead of the classic late ‘60s pop rock aesthetic, we’ve updated him with more of a grunge/alternative rock vibe. I pulled visual inspiration from bands like Weezer, Nirvana, Beck, and Green Day. With the touches of horror throughout the tale, I directed my attention towards Harry Clarke’s Faust illustrations and the phantasmic work of Hieronymus Bosch,” said issue artist Dan Schoening in the same press release.
Aside from Cullen Bunn’s writing and Schoening’s art, the issue will feature inks by Ben Galvan, colors by Matt Herms, and letters by Jack Morelli. Schoening will also provide the main cover art, with an alternate by Robert Hack. The Cult of That Wilkin Boy streets on April 19.
…And Chilling Adventures Presents… Jinx: A Cursed Life #1 in May.
Jinx Holliday has seen a revival after last year’s Chilling Adventures Presents… Jinx’s Grim Fairy Tales turned out to be a huge hit. Now it looks like May will be her month. Not only will she lead Archie’s Free Comic Book Day one-shot Chilling Adventures Presents…The Cursed Library, she’s got a fresh one-shot headed out during the same month.
In Chilling Adventures Presents: Jinxed: A Cursed Life, Jinx and her best friend Danni find themselves in a fight to the finish with Satan for the soul of Jughead Jones. You can expect Jinx to use her musical skills to set up that exorcism, and since her own soul belongs to Satan – well, expect life to get messy for her.
Chilling Adventures Presents: Jinxed: A Cursed Life will feature writing from Magdalene Visaggio, art from Craig Cermack and Ellie Wright and letters from Jack Morelli. Cermak also tackles main cover duties, and Reiko Murakami provides the variant cover. The issue will street on May 17.
Forbes Talks Archie Comics
Multiple members of the Archie Comics staff were interviewed for this new article.
New Variant Covers from Great Wall of Comics, Mellow Fellow Trading, Bird City Comics, My Bargain Comics and Stadium Comics
It’s new variant cover time!
Dan Parent’s got some exclusive covers coming out at Great Wall of Comics, but only two are available at press time. The first cover, featuring Veronica Lodge and new character Jola Kitt in another tribute cover for Planet Comics #1 and covers Betty and Veronica: Friends Forever: Rock And Roll #1. It was limited to 200 issues and came complete with a COA, and there was a metal variant limited to 22 copies; both have sold out; the former cost $24.99 apiece and the latter cost $39.99.
Next up is a variant for Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe of Horrors #1, featuring Betty, Veronica and Archie doing battle with a creature which closely resembles Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors, which is operating from behind a beachside bar. It, too, was limited to 200 copies and came with a COA, cost $24.99 apiece and sold out as a pre-order.
What’s left? Well, these two cool covers for Betty and Veronica: Friends Forever: Rock And Roll #1. The first one features Veronica Lodge dressed up like Joan Jett on the iconic cover of her Joan Jett and the Blackhearts: Album cover. The other features Betty Cooper posed and dressed like Deborah Harry from her famous photo shoot with Anthony Barboza. While the metal variants created for the release have all sold out – there were 25 apiece, and only came as a double-cover set. You can, however, buy a single Betty cover and a Betty and Veronica set, the former for $24.99, the latter for $39.99. Each come with a COA and are available here.
Dan Parent has released another variant for Betty and Veronica: Friends Forever: Rock And Roll #1 which, per his Twitter, it will soon be available at Mellow Fellow Trading via WhatNot, possibly in March.
The next stack of variants come from Stadium Comics. First is Harry Lucey and Nuno Pereira’s variant cover for Betty and Veronica: Friends Forever: Rock And Roll #1, which in itself is a tribute to Lucey’s cover for Laugh #166. The limited metal variant, available only in a two-cover pack, featured Betty, was limited to 50 copies, cost $59.99, and has sold out. Pereira’s variant contains Jola Kitt as well as Veronica Lodge. The main variant is limited to 250 copies apiece and is available here.
Stadium also has a variant for Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe of Horrors #1. This Veronica cover is also by Pereira, and is a part of his Pop Art series. It’s also limited to 250 copies, with 50 printed on a metal blood-spattered cover. The metal variant is sold out but the standard variant is available at $14.99 here.
The final Stadium variant covers Betty: The Final Girl #1. Featuring a blood-spattered Betty with a knife, it’s limited to 250 covers and it, t00, had a blood-spattered metal variant which has sold out in a bundle at 50 copies. The regular pop-art variant is worth $14.99 and is available here!
One more Dan Parent variant was available at Bird City Comics. Another variant on the Archie Comics #50 cover we featured last month showing off Cheryl Blossom, this version features Veronica Lodge. The homage covers Betty and Veronica: Friends Forever: Rock And Roll #1 and was limited to 425 copies.
A final Parent variant for Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe of Horrors #1 is set to be released through his My Bargain Comics website. It pays tribute to Archie Comics #48. This variant is limited to 250 copies and features the original cover on the back. It is available for pre-order now and is expected to be in by mid-March. Each comic costs $27.99 and is also available in bundles with damaged covers leftover from Parent’s wares.
Archie Comics Tweets of the Month
The #M3gan sequel we deserve. pic.twitter.com/4b2PSsNgJO
— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) January 25, 2023
Isn’t it nice to have a friend?
Sugar Sugar of the Month
Archie Valentine’s Spectacular #1
Jim Amash (Art); Holly G (Art); Jack Morelli (Letters); Dan Parent (Cover); Jamie L. Rotante (Writing); Glenn Whitmore (Colors)
February 1, 2023
It was a pretty tight race for me between this and Betty the Final Girl for the top spot of the month, but this one has a little more fun and oomph to it. And I really, really love Cassie Cloud, who’s probably my favorite among the spate of recently-added-to-the-Archie roster characters.
Cassie is nerdy, she has no pretentions or preconceptions, and she’s not interested in rivaling Betty and Veronica for Archie; those facts instantly make her lovable. She’s introduced for the first time in this Valentine’s Day-centered one-shot. The tall, nerdy, rainbow-haired Cassie confuses all of Riverdale with her dating habits; she seems to prefer short, nerdy types. In fact, she walks out of a big school dance (where she had been cutting a rug with expert timing) to go play D&D with a bunch of folks. Cue murmurings from the Riverdale High social enclaves, but Cassie shows them there’s more than one way to have fun. This is delightful, and makes picking the issue up a big priority for anyone who wants a little more from Archie than the same-old, same-old.
Hotdogs and Hotshots
Betty: The Final Girl #1
Carola Borelli (Art); Laura Braga (Art and Cover); Casey Gilly (Writing); Matt Herms (Colors); Sam Maggs (Writing); Jack Morelli (Letters); Natalie Nardozza (Art); Micol Ostow (Writing);
February 15, 2023
I have a longer review upcoming for this one, but this was a good, if not great, little thriller. I liked the majority of the stories here, but a couple of logic holes keeps this from being my Sugar Sugar of the month. Which is a shame, because this was my most anticipated Archie comics issue of 2023 so far. I love me some horror tropes, love me some final girls, and this Archie Horror trilogy offers both with a sizable slice of gore and blood to boot. Featuring Betty Cooper battling the elements (and her own mind) while stuck in a fancy “cabin” with a kid during a snowstorm, Melody Valentine battling a group of twisted serial killers wearing animal costumes who plans on taking all of the Pussycats out, and Brigitte Reilly facing a twisted romantic stalker who’s killed nine of Riverdale’s loveliest singles, Betty: The Final Girl provides twists and thrills aplenty, but it’s just a hair below being perfect.
Big Ethel Energy Vol. 2
Keryl Brown Ahmed (Writing); Siobhan Keenan (Art and Cover)
February 22, 2023
OK, it’s taken awhile, but Big Ethel Energy has finally grown on me. Ethel’s growing relationship with Moose, the way it’s complicated by her attraction to Seth, the entanglements of Betty, Veronica and Archie, and the way Jughead has emerged as a real friend to Ethel after a huge and ugly misunderstanding tore them apart back in high school have made the ensuing volumes of this one an improving ride. If you’re not following it over on WebToons, then this softcover volume chronicling the next step in Ethel’s Riverdale adventures will surely please!
Picks From the Timecops
Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe of Horrors #1
Ryan Cady (Writing); Amy Chase (Writing); Francesco Francavilla (Cover); Adam Gorham (Cover); Matt Herms (Colors); Liana Kangas (Art); Jack Morelli (Letters); Jordan Morris (Writing); Chris Panda (Art); Federico Sabbatini (Art)
March 22, 2023
More Archie Horror is afoot as the world learns all about the evils inherent in the running of the seemingly-sweet and peaceful Pop’s. Might there be some teens ground up into his hamburger meat? Well, one of the stories is called Soylent Teen. You’ll have to read this book to find out!
Betty and Veronica: Friends Forever: Rock And Roll #1
Holly G! (Art, Cover, Writing); Jack Morelli (Letters); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Bob Smith (Inks); Glenn Whitmore (Colors)
March 8, 2023
Betty and Veronica break free from the Archies to form their own band, Rock Candi, with drummer (and new character) Jola Kitt. Angst ensues in this issue brought to you by the talents of Holly G!.
Archie Decades: the 1960s
Keryl Brown Ahmed (Cover); Various (Art, Writing, Inks, Letters); Siobhan Keenan (Cover)
March 22, 2023
Looking for a peek back into some of Archie’s golden years? This issue captures the best of his 1960s-set adventures.
Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest #312
Jim Amash (Inks); Steven Butler (Art); Ian Flynn (Writing); Bill Golliher (Cover); Pat and Tim Kennedy (Art); Jack Morelli (Letters); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Bob Smith (Inks); Glenn Whitmore (Colors)
March 15, 2023
Kevin Keller and Veronica try to figure out new student Kitsune. Might he secretly be the equally-mysterious Ghost Fox?! Also: Betty goes cowgirl when she’s called upon to help Nevada Jones with a stampede at the Lodge Ranch!
World of Archie Jumbo Comics Digest #128
Francis Bonnet (Cover); Tom DeFalco (Writing); Ian Flynn (Writing); Pat and Tim Kennedy (Art and Cover); Jack Morelli (Letters); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Bob Smith (Inks); Glenn Whitmore (Colors)
March 22, 2023
Were you looking to add more Nevada Jones to your life? Archie finds himself agreeing to help Mr. Lodge out with the Lodge Ranch’s latest cattle drive in trade for an all-expenses paid date with Veronica, but quickly learns that Mr. Lodge was so eager to say yes because cattle drives take months. Jones offers to let Archie out of his contract if he’ll help drive the cattle to the next town over, exposing Archie to all of the joys and horrors of life on the range.
Plus, more superhero alts as Pow Girl tries to help Pureheart the Powerful out!
World of Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest #23
Francis Bonnet (Writing and Cover); Lily Butler (Art); Steven Butler (Art); Tom DeFalco (Writing); Ben Galvan (Art and Cover); Bill Galvan (Art and Cover); Ian Flynn (Writing); Jack Morelli (Letters); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Glenn Whitmore (Colors)
March 1, 2023
Cheryl and Veronica get into a tussle over their yachts – which causes them to enter into piratical naval warfare (!!). Elsewhere, more Little Betty and Veronica shenanigans take them to a dangerous archeological dig.
Archie Comics Wonder
Jim Amash (Inks); Bill Galvan (Art); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Various (Writing, Art, Inks, Colors, Letters)
March 1, 2023
Want a ton of Archie for your bucks? This release has over 1k pages of Riverdalian goodness!
Archie Milestones Jumbo Comics Digest # 19: Jughead Fun and Games
Dan Parent (Cover); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Bob Smith (Cover); Various (Writing, Art, Inks, Colors, Letters)
March 29, 2023
Do you love yourself some Jughead but have a limited budget? This issue packs in all of the Jug for a small amount of dinero.
