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 August’s Pubwatch, Darkling debuts, Riverdale reaches its conclusion, we’re introduced to The Archies, exclusive covers, and more!
Darkling to get her own Comic Book in Darkling #1
Fans of the Archie superhero universe are about to be treated to a whole new ball game with Darkling #1. The Red Circle heroine hasn’t been a part of the comic scene for decades, but she’s about to receive a brand-new makeover through a fresh Archie superhero series.
“Darkling’s been popping up recently in some of our classic-style titles as Riverdale’s resident goth queen–who just so happens to have powers that often put her at odds with supernatural entities and monsters,” says Archie Comics’ senior director of editorial Jamie L. Rotante in an exclusive statement released by Popverse. “We wanted to take that energy and bring it to a new audience, and Sarah Kuhn’s impressive work on Shadow of the Batgirl and Girl Taking Over: A Lois Lane Story made her a perfect choice to tell the story of Darla Lang, a.k.a. Darkling. This one-shot explores more of her life, demystifying the character who was once defined by being cloaked in shadows. This story is so much more than a superhero tale. It’s sure to impress fans of the paranormal, true crime, and dark academia alike!”
Archie’s official blurb for the issue reads: “From the outside, Darla Lang looks like a normal college student—save for the peculiar voluminous black cloak she wears everywhere. Her peers and professors chalk this up to Darla’s eccentric, introverted, slightly creepy persona, but Darla is a young woman with a secret… and a mission. Darla’s cloak is actually a mystical artifact that she can use as a melee weapon, trapping her enemies inside and teleporting them away. Darla’s power and connection to the supernatural world have always been a curse, and now she’s enrolled in Ivy Hollow University which harbors some dark secrets of its own. Will Darla find within its hallowed halls the answers to the questions about herself and her powers that she’s been seeking?”
Kuhn will write the issue, while art will be provided by Carola Borelli. Ellie Wright will provide colors, and Jack Morelli letters. Covers were provided by Dave Mack and Maria Sanapo (above).
Darkling #1 streets on November 22.
Josie and the Pussycats: Anniversary Spectacular #1 coming in November
We have the exclusive scoop on this one over here!
Archie introduces the cast for The Archies
Meet Archie Andrews, the heartthrob of Riverdale who isn’t sure where his heart belongs 😍
Guess we’ll find out on The Archies, coming soon only on @netflix! @netflix_in ❤️@zoieakhtar @tigerbabyofficial @graphicindia @TheArchiesOnNetflix pic.twitter.com/br6nVnD3mP— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) August 5, 2023
The company also revealed the actors for Jughead, Betty, Reggie, Veronica, Ethel Muggs, and Dilton Doiley across all of their social media accounts! The Archies will be released December 7 through Netflix India.
Jamie Rotante and Vin Lovallo appear on Comic Book Club
Click through to Comic Book Club Live to see the livestream.
Archie Reveals new concept art for Sabrina Villains
According to a press release put out by Archie Comics in August on the topic, nature, much like Amber Nightstone (at far right) in the above graphic, will guide the actions of the newest characters in Sabrina’s world.
“Jade is this feisty pixie, a force of nature—don’t judge her by her size! (Should I have written that in Yoda-speak?). Then there’s Sapphire; she isn’t anyone’s puppet. She wants a place at the table, working with other witches to get the power she craves,” Holly G!, the story’s writer, explained in the press release. Sapphire, meanwhile, is a level-headed sea witch who communes with marine life and can control water. The art above was created by Vincent Lovello of Bite-Sized Archie fame.
The characters will bow in Sabrina Annual Spectacular #1 on September 6.
Riverdale officially concludes
The show aired its series finale on August 23rd.
New Variant Covers from Great Wall of Comics, Dan Parent, Jetpack Comics, Happy Comics Company, Arsenal Comics and Games, and Mellow Fellow Trading
It’s new variant cover time!
Great Wall of Comics has two exclusive variants available, though one is sold out. The first covers Sabrina Annual Spectacular#1 and was drawn by Dan Parent. It’s limited to 200 copies with a COA. Each issue goes for $24.99 here. You can also buy the Great Wall of Comics exclusive purple, green, and white blank variant cover for the issue here; it’s $14.99 apiece.
Elais Chatzoudis own Sabrina Annual Spectacular #1 exclusive cover has sold out. It was limited to 200 issues with a COA and retailed for $24.99. You can look at the comic in living color here.
Back to Parent, he’s offering this Betty and Veronica: Game On #1 variant at TerrifiCon and through Mellow Fellow Trading, presumably with leftovers available to those who DM him on Twitter. Next up is a variant for Sabrina Annual Spectacular #1, which is also a New York Comic Con exclusive. You can buy them remarqued For $50 or signed for $25 by emailing Parent.
Jetpack Comics has a bunch of exclusives available, including some fresh covers for some older issues. Matt Talbot has provided them with covers for The Archies Anniversary Spectacular #1 and Betty and Veronica: Friends Forever: Rock and Roll #1. But the jackpot lies in Chilling Adventures Present…Strange Science #1 – Jetpack Comics has exclusive covers from Matt Smith, Rich Woodall, and Matt Talbot. Each Strange Science cover costs $14.99 plus shipping; the other Talbot covers are $9.99 or $12.99 signed by Talbot. They also have exclusive covers for Chilling Adventures Present…Jinxed: A Cursed Life #1 drawn by Vero Stewart at the same price point as the Talbots.
Happy Comics has one new issue for sale. Dan Parent variant for Sabrina Annual Spectacular#1 is available CGC graded or not. It’s limited to 250 copies apiece and costs $30 for the non-graded variant and $75 for the graded, which comes in at a 9. You can buy both here.
Arsenal Games and Comics has three new covers for sale. The first is Ryan Carr’s variant for Chilling Adventures Present…Strange Science #1, which is limited to 250 copies. The next two are both by Bill Galvan and cover Fear the Funhouse: Toybox of Terror. For the Chilling Adventures issue, you can buy a standard cover for $14.99, a cover signed by Car for $24.99, and a cover remarque with a drawing of Archie, Betty, Jughead or Veronica by Carr for $39.99. For both Toybox of Terror covers, standard prints go for $14.99, but you can get the issue signed by Galvan, Timmy Heague – who wrote a story in the issue, both together, or Galvan, Heague and Ryan Caskey (Artist), Elle Wright (Colorist) and Michael Northrop, and Danielle Paige (writers). You can also get the issue with a remarque from Heague of various Archie characters. The solo-signed issues are $14.99 (Heague), $19.99 (Galvan or both) apiece, with the seven-times signed issue $34.99 and the remarqued issue for $24.99. All three are available here!
Our final issues comes from Mellow Fellow Trading. This EC Horror tribute cover is by Bill Galvan, and it covers Archie Horror Presents…Camp Pickens #1. It’s limited to 150 issues for the regular virgin variant at $15, as was its sub-variant. The covers for the first variant were auctioned on WhatNot. The second variant is by Dan Parent, whose I Know What You Did Last Summer poster variant will be limited to 150 regular for $12, 50 foil for $20, and 12 metal variants for $50. There will also be 3 wood, 3 gunmetal, 3 gold, 3 green marble, and 1 grey marble variant. All types will be made available for sale on Sunday, September 2 at 2 PM EST on comicbookexclusives.com.
Archie Comics Tweets of the Month
The Archie/#Oppenheimer crossover you demanded!* pic.twitter.com/reqRQ6JPjg
— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) August 5, 2023
Listening to #ArianaGrande pic.twitter.com/dOFU0jXe91
— Mike Pellerito (@pellertweeto) August 9, 2023
🎵But, ahhh, those Cheryl niiiiighhhts!🎶 pic.twitter.com/BvWVQmklnM
— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) July 24, 2023
Archie's just goofin'. New boot goofin'. pic.twitter.com/Vc5EbPOgEH
— Jamie Lee Rotante (@Jamitha) July 28, 2023
Death, the destroyer of burgers, new boot goofing, traitors, and tell us more, tell us more.
Sugar Sugar of the Month
Chilling Adventures Present…Strange Science #1
Butch Mapa (Art and Cover); Jack Morelli (Letters); Skylar Patridge (Variant Cover); Magdalene Visaggio (Writing); Ellie Wright (Cover and Colors)
August 16, 2023
Jinx Holiday and her bestie, Dani Malloy, might just be the best characters to be revived by Archie Comics. If you’ve become as enamored of Dani and Jinx as I have, then Strange Science is going to be a delight to read that deserves to be savored.
This is Dani’s story – about reconciling with the child she couldn’t help, with the way others have reacted to her transition and how they perceive her because of it. It’s also about her figuring out if leaving science behind for a life of rock and roll was worth it. All of this is handled in mind-bending but fun ways, with heavy doses of sci-fi-based eeriness. The old old score which lay unsettled for them brings one of Archie’s most underutilized players back into the fold and allows him to do interesting things. The time-bending catalyst for the story is her former rival Dilton Doiley, who calls on her for help when his invention results in the breakdown of the timestream. Dani realizes that the call of science cannot and will not wait for her, and thus must delve into her old interest to save Dilton and unstick Riverdale from its time warp for good. I hope we get more issues about Dani and Jinx’s adventures through life and time, which can be both ordinary and ridiculous and are perfectly leavened with humor since they have been without fail perfectly charming.
Hotdogs and Hotshots
The Best of Archie: Musical Madness
Dan DeCarlo (Cover); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Various (Writing/Art/Inks/Letters/Colors)
August 30, 2023
A delightful little read that gives you a ton of Archies adventures for your buck. Tons of the best of Archie’s best music-related stories, which include all of the book’s main characters!
Picks From the Timecops
Chilling Adventures Present…Madam Satan: Hell on Earth #1
Vincenzo Federici (Art and Cover); Soo Lee (Cover); Jack Morelli (Letters); Eliot Rahal (Writing); Ellie Wright (Colors);
September 20, 2023
The adventures of Madam Satan continue in the latest portion of her now-annual series. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina spin-off sees Madam Satan dealing with the ramifications of her actions in last year’s Chilling Adventures in Sorcery. During the apocalypse, she finds a friend, but can she turn back time?
Sabrina the Teenage Witch Anual Spectacular #1
Jim Amash (Inks); Holly G! (Art); Vincent Lovallo (Cover); Jack Morelli (Letters); Dan Parent (Cover); Jamie L. Rotante (Writing); Glenn Whitmore (Colors)
September 6, 2023
Archie Comics’ Month of Mayhem kicks off with Sabrina finding herself in triple trouble. Amber Nightstone calls on fellow witches Sapphire and Jade to make her life miserable and seek revenge for the various humiliations Sabrina has visited upon her. Will Sabrina be able to save herself?
Big Ethel Energy Volume 3
Keryl Brown Ahmed (Writing); Siobhan Keenan (Art and Cover)
September 27, 2023
A softback collection of the ongoing WebToons comic sees Ethel trying to figure herself out romantically while giving Ms. Grundy her flowers.
Archie’s Christmas Wonderland #1
Ben Galvan (Cover); Bill Galvan (Cover); Rosario “Tito” Peña (Cover); Various (Writing/Art/Inks/Letters/Colors)
September 20, 2023
What do you mean, it’s too early for Christmas?! Not in the world of Archie, where 120 pages of Christmastime goodness are set to land right on newsstands in late September.
Archie Showcase Digest Presents: Archie: Freshman Year (Archie Library #15)
Bill Galvan (Color Art); Bob Smith (Cover Inks); Various (Writing/Art/Inks/Letters/Colors)
September 20, 2023
Collecting the famous ’90s series which explored the titular freshman year of high school for our favorite gang.
Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest #317
Lily Butler (Inks); Steven Butler (Art); Tom DeFalco (Writing); Ian Flynn (Writing); Pat Kennedy (Art); Jack Morelli (Letters); Dan Parent (Cover); Bob Smith (Inks); Glenn Whitmore (Colors)
September 6, 2023
Yes, I will always brake for Nevada Jones. When Mr. Lodge thinks it’s a swell idea to create a Westworld-like western-themed Lodge-related theme park…well, things don’t go well and Jones has to save his hide. Bonus: A chaotic mystery at a cricket match featuring Jake Chang and Raj!
World of Archie Jumbo Comics Digest #133
Jim Amash (Inks); Steven Butler (Art); Tom DeFalco (Writing); Jack Morelli (Letters); Dan Parent (Writing and Art and Cover); Bob Smith (Inks); Glenn Whitmore (Colors)
September 13, 2023
Archie Andrews falls into the Upside D – I mean the Topsy Turvy while exploring a haunted house with Jake Chang! It’s an Archie Comics Stranger Things parody, but can Sugar Sugar bring Archie back to the real world or will Jake have to plunge in to rescue his friend? Bonus: more SuperTeen adventures featuring She-Fox!
World of Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest #29
Jim Amash (Inks); Ben Galvan (Art); Bill Galvan (Art); Jack Morelli (Letters); Dan Parent (Cover and Writing); Rob Sinnott (Writing); Bob Smith (Inks); Glenn Whitmore (Colors)
September 27, 2023
Ghost Fox pulls double duty to keep anyone from finding out his secret identity when he co-hosts a Halloween party with Veronica and Betty nearly becomes a tragic fashion victim until she is saved by The Mighty Crusaders!
