Welcome to the Archie Comics Pubwatch for the month of December! 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 column, Archie mourns the loss of artist Tim Kennedy, offers some free Christmas comics, some fresh cover exclusives, and much more.
Archie Comics Mourns the Passing of Tim Kennedy
On December 2, 2022, Archie Comics announced the death of Tim Kennedy who, alongside his brother Pat, illustrated such memorable books as Jughead: The Hunger and Archie: The Married Life along with many main-line Archie titles.
“Every page the Kennedys would turn in was more beautiful than the last,” Senior Director of Editorial Jamie Lee Rotante said in a statement. “The eye for detail and sheer dedication to the craft was unparalleled. Tim was a tremendous talent that will be missed. My heart goes out to the whole Kennedy family, especially to his brother Pat.”
Kennedy had completed some work before his passing which will be published by Archie soon; his drawings will be seen in January’s World of Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest #22.
Archie Comics Offers Free Holiday-centered Comics
Every week for the month of December, Archie Comics will be offering a whole free digital comic to read! Click here to read through each issue of Archie’s Holiday Hijinx.
Riverdale Season 7 Exclusive Photos and info available at Entertainment Weekly
Click through to see some sneak peaks and get some exclusive news about the show’s final season!
New Variant Covers from Great Wall of Comics, Mellow Fellow Trading, Dan Parent and Stadium Comics
It’s new variant cover time! Our first two issues are Dan Parent exclusives for Great Wall of Comics. The first features Veronica feeling festive, the second features Veronica and Betty raining down candy on some very creepy-looking onlookers. Both cover Happy Horror Days #1. These Great Wall of Comics exclusives were both limited to 200 copies apiece, retailed for $29.99 and have both sold out.
What is still available from Great Wall of Comics? This pre-order for Betty: The Final Girl #1. This virgin variant was drawn by Elias Chatzoudis and is limited to 200 copies. You can buy your own for $24.99 here!
Dan Parent has also released a Sabrina Spellman variant and, per his Twitter, it’s available at Mellow Fellow Trading via WhatNot. Parent is also offering his A Charlie Brown Christmas-inspired variant cover for Archie’s Christmas Spectacular #1. There are only 60 copies extent, and to obtain one you should DM Parent on his Twitter.
The rest of our variants come from Stadium comics. First is FLOPS’ Terminator tribute, which covers Happy Horrordays #1. It’s limited to 250 copies and there were 25 metal cover variants that sold out as part of a two-cover bundle. The standard variant costs $14.99 each and is available here.
Next there’s a super cute Betty Cooper cereal box-inspired cover for Archie Christmas Spectacular#1. It was drawn by Mariano Sanchez Lorente aka Mariano San, who drew the Veronica cover for Archie’s Halloween Spectacular #1, which has already sold out. The Betty cover is limited to only 100 copies. It costs $14.99 and you can grab it here.
Then there’s Nuno Pereira’s visual tribute to The Scarlet Witch, which covers Archie’s Halloween Spectacular #1. It is also limited to 250 copies with 25 metal cover variants that are long-gone. The standard variant is $19.99 and you can grab it here.
Archie Comics Tweets of the Month
Archie. No. pic.twitter.com/XvBTkLVDfp
— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) November 21, 2022
Archie YES!
Sugar Sugar of the Month
Happy Horror Days #1
Joe Corallo (Writing); Joe Eisma (Art); Adam Gorham (Cover); Robert Hack (Alt Cover); Matt Herms (Colors); Butch Mapa (Art); Jack Morelli (Letters); Patrick Piazzalunga (Art); Joanne Starer (Writing); Frank Tieri (Writing);
December 14, 2022
The Archie Horror imprint has come roaring back this year, between the rebirth of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and a series of one-shots that have proven to be increasingly popular. This time, they’re making the most wonderful time of the year the scariest time of the year. There’s a Jughead: The Hunger story which proves to be the issue’s highlight, but the other three stories aren’t a slouch, either, with a visit from Krampus completing the picture. It’s funny, bloody, and scary — anything and everything you’d want from an Archie Horror comic.
Hotdogs and Hotshots
Archie Presents: Laugh Comics (TR)
Dan DeCarlo (Cover); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Various (Art/Writing/Letters/Colors)
December 28, 2022
If you have a fondness for retro Archie stories like I do, then this is fun. Journey back in time and feast your eyes on some of Archie’s earliest endeavors. A lot of Archie’s first adventures were published in Laugh magazine, a tradition that started in the ’40’s and ended in the ’90s. This TR assembles a variety of stories from the comic’s entire run.
Picks From the Timecops
Archie Vs the World #1
Jed Dougherty (Art and Cover); Matt Herms (Colors); Aaron Lopresti (Variant Cover); Jack Morelli (Letters); Aubrey Sitterson (Writing)
January 18, 2023
Archie meets Fist of the North Star meets Mad Max: Fury Road. As Riverdale grapples with life post-apocalypse and Archie and Reggie prepare for the ultimate battle. If you like Archie Horror and its off-kilter take on the canon, then this one’s sure to please!
World of Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest #22
Tom DeFalco (Writing); Ian Flynn (Writing); James Fry (Art); Bill Golliher (Cover); Pat and Tim Kennedy (Art); Jack Morelli (Letters); Dan Parent (Writing and Art); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Bob Smith (Inks); Glenn Whitmore (Colors)
January 25, 2023
This month Veronica has a secret admirer, Cheryl Blossom gets a life coach, and a superhero tangle!
Archie Jumbo Comics Digest #336
Steven Butler (Art); Tom DeFalco (Writing); Ian Flynn (Writing); Ben Galvan (Art); Bill Galvan (Art); Bill Golliher (Cover, Writing, Art); Jack Morelli (Letters); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Glenn Whitmore (Colors)
January 11, 2023
The whole gang takes on what’s basically a Polar Plunge for various reasons. Who will make it, and whose feet will get way too cold? Plus, more superhero frolics!
Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest #310
Ian Flynn (Writing); Ben Galvan (Art); Bill Galvan (Art); Ryan Jampole (Art); Jack Morelli (Letters); Dan Parent (Writing, Cover, and Art); Glenn Whitmore (Colors)
January 4, 2023
Hiram Lodge finds himself in a position to make (yet another) big financial splash when a big winter storm knocks out Riverdale’s power and results in half the town converging on his place. There’s hope for him to make a successful hotel out of it – if, that is, his clientele doesn’t kill him first. Also featuring more SuperTeen shenanigans!
Archie Milestones Jumbo Comics Digest 18: Jughead Guide to Life
Craig Boldman (Writing);Rex Lindsey (Art); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Colors – Cover); Jeff Shultz (Pencils – Cover); Bob Smith (Inks – Cover); Glenn Whitmore (Colors); Various (Writing, Etc.)
January 18, 2023
Do you want to live burgerliciously? This Archie Milestones issue is all about Jughead. Among the classic stories is a brand-new tale in which he discovers the glory of VR.
The Archies In India #1
Bill Golliher (Writing); Rich Koslowski (Letters), Dan Parent (Cover and Art); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Various (Art, etc) Glenn Whitmore (Colors);
January 25, 2023
Excited about the upcoming Netflix India Archies film? This collection combines all of the gang’s previous sojourns to India with a brand-new story involving a handsome new Bollywood star.
