In this exclusive interview, Chris Cummins talks about writing his first story for Archie Comics after working as their social media manager!
Archie Comics social media manager Chris Cummins makes his writing debut in World of Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest #34. His tale features Moose finding a pet of his own after attending a pet fair. We asked him about his appearance in the story, his dream Archie tale, and his Archie-based roots.
WWAC: Do you remember what the very first Archie story you ever read was?
Chris Cummins: I do, it was a story called “Spring Is Sprung” that was printed in Archie Comics Digest #53 from 1982. I was in the supermarket with my parents, and the colorful cover grabbed my eye when I saw it at the checkout. They bought it for me, and my life was forever changed. Little did I know the impact a parental impulse buy would have on me!
WWAC: “Canine Chaos” teaches a wonderful lesson about being mindful when adopting the right pet for your family. How did you know your own pup Dumpling was right for you?
CC: My friend Tom got his pit bulls from a rescue organization called Philly Bully Team, so he followed them on social media. This was just as the world was hesitantly starting back up after the pandemic. The organization occasionally got in other dogs besides pit bulls to rehome, and so he sent me this picture of this incredibly adorable and soulful pug who had been found wandering the streets of North Carolina. Apparently, she was used for breeding before possibly being involved in dog fighting. All we know for sure is that she was emaciated, diabetic, and nearly septic when she was found. I didn’t see any of that, I saw an incredible creature who needed love. I immediately knew this was the dog I was waiting for (I was mourning the death of my ex’s and my previous rescue Ms. Moneypuggy for two years, but once I saw a picture of Dumpling I knew I was ready for another pug). I reached out to the rescue and fostered her for a short period with intent to adopt. It was love at first sight and this lil potato has been by my side ever since!
WWAC: After decades of being a major part of the Archie universe, Moose finally gets a pet in “Canine Chaos.” How did you pick out Mini-Moose’s breed? Was it entirely up to you?
CC: The folks at Archie – especially Jon Goldwater, Shannon Goldwater, and Mike Pellerito – gave me free reign to do whatever I wanted. One thing I discussed a bunch with Mike was that the dog had to be massive and funny to look at. We ultimately decided on a Tibetan Mastiff. It’s just so hilarious that in Moose’s mind, Mini-Moose is a lap dog despite the thing being enormous.
WWAC: It’s lovely to see Moose and Midge together again – I love how her determination lead him to Mini-Moose! What do you think of the two of them as a couple?
CC: I am a huge, huge, huge fan of the Life with Archie: The Married Life saga, which showed a complex and dark side to Moose. Dude clearly has anger management issues, and for a long time the character was just a punchline, portrayed as nothing more than angry and dumb. But The Married Life gave him a complex and complicated reality. Inspired by that, I wanted to show Moose and Midge at their most loving, as I think they are a great couple who contrast Archie’s indecision – they love each other and are in it for the long haul, but Moose needs to deal with his issues. I briefly address that in my story by having Moose mention how he doesn’t fight anymore…but Pow sure does try his patience.
In this story, Moose and Midge are each other’s biggest cheerleaders, and I love that dynamic and would love to explore that in future stories. Especially now that the behemoth that is Mini-Moose is in the mix, there’s a ton of potential for comedy there. But yeah, I think Moose and Midge are endgame so long as Moose continues to work on himself!
WWAC: Are any of the other animals we see in the story’s art pets of Team Archie?
I’m not 100% certain, but I believe Rex Lindsey – who provides the great art for this story – may have included either his pets or some of his friends’ pets in the story. I certainly did! I just wanted this story to be a huge celebration of the rescue animal movement and was so thrilled that Archie gave me the opportunity to do so!
WWAC: Pow is such a wonderfully, rarely-used character in the Archieverse; what made you realize he and Tiny were right for this story?
CC: Pow only appeared once before as a nameless thug Archie encountered in a ‘Gag Bag’ strip that originally was published in the 1970s and I was just obsessed with his own vibe. Being a huge Archie nerd, I have wanted to develop the character for ages. I realized I needed an event to be the catalyst for the story I wanted to tell, so I was able to do this through having Pow turn up with a mean dog in tow. I kind of view him as the evil Moose, you know? One of the million things that I love about Archie Comics is these fringe characters who appear, be it interesting looking background characters or one-time villains like Pow, previous to my writing of this story. I had such freedom to play in the Archie sandbox while constructing this tale that I knew I just had to figure out how to include Pow. I’m really pleased that I was able to do so in an organic way, and I really hope I have the opportunity to develop him and Tiny in future stories. I think they both are tremendous foils for Archie and company!
WWAC: A lot of other Archieverse pets, like Hot Dog, Vegas, Salem, and Vader appear in the story – do you have a favorite Archieverse pet?
CC: This is a really, really tough one, as I adore them all so much. First off, if any of you reading this haven’t checked out Tom DeFalco’s work on Reggie and Me, grab the trade. The relationship between Reggie and his dachshund Vader is just beautiful and hilarious. Vader rules. Obviously I’m partial to Mini-Moose, too. But the first Archie pet who won my heart is Hot Dog! In fact, I have a framed screenprinted advertisement featuring Hot Dog from a 1970s supermarket potato chip promotion hanging up behind me as I answer this question!
WWAC: You and your pup Dumpling both appear in the comic. Did you have any instructions for artist Rex Lindsey as to how to draw the two of you or were you fine with letting him feel free to draw y’all as he sees you?
CC: Rex gave me calves! And he truly captured the lazy-potato-like essence of not only Dumpling but pugs everywhere. I supplied him with a reference photo and couldn’t be more thrilled with how we turned out. I’ve been a fan of Rex’s for years, so what an honor it was to be immortalized in a comic by him.
WWAC: Do you have any advice for young readers setting up their own pet fairs?
CC: I would encourage everyone to see what rescues and no-kill shelters are in their area. Most of these places rely on volunteers to survive, as well as donations from the public. Reach out and see how you can help. I’ve had two rescue animals, both pugs, and as someone who deals with depression and anxiety, I can’t state enough how much they have changed my life for the better. Some people have this erroneous opinion that rescue animals are “used” or lesser than ones from pet shops, and this is beyond wrong. Get involved. Adopt, don’t shop. Your life will be so much richer for it.
WWAC: Barring this very story, give us your dream Archie comics tale and which characters would you use to tell it.
CC: Okay, I have a very definitive answer for you as this is a question I have literally spent decades thinking about. In the late 1970s/early-’80s, the Life with Archie comic regularly published comedy/adventure tales. During this time, there were recurring “Starship Rivda” stories that were created as a response to the sci-fi boom of the era that Star Wars sent into hyperspace. In my non-Archie life, I produce and run a comedy event called Sci-Fi Explosion (facebook.com/scifiexplosion and @scifiexplosion on Twitter and Instagram) that celebrates the weirdest moments in sci-fi history and explores how the genre has permeated every aspect of daily life. I’ve been doing this show here in Philadelphia and at fandom events like NYCC and Dragon Con, and since the pandemic, weekly on Twitch (twitch.tv/scifiexplosion). So, sci-fi is a huge deal to me. I would love love love to do a new Starship Rivda story. I actually have the story outlined already; I’m hoping it becomes a reality so all I will say for now is that it involves deep space, Jughead, and a cloning machine…
World of Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest #34 is on sale now!
