[REVIEW] CLASSIC AND CAMP UNITE IN “ARCHIE MEETS RIVERDALE #1”

Ever since Riverdale premiered on The CW in 2017, Archie purists have questioned the dark, campy take on this beloved cast of characters. How does one reconcile the goofy hamburger-loving Jughead of the classic comics with the brooding, alcoholic still-hamburger-loving writer on the television screen?

Well, this week’s Archie Meets Riverdale #1 tackles this question by introducing the characters to their alternate selves–proving that these various versions aren’t so different after all (and leaving this I’ll-consume-Archie-and-co.-in-any-form fan with a sense of vindication).

In this one-shot, classic Archie has a classic Archie dilemma: who should he take to the dance, Betty or Veronica? Instead of just choosing one or the other–as he can never seem to do–he asks Dilton to fashion an Archie replica. According to Dilton, it’s a simple matter of plucking an Archie from an uninhabited parallel universe. However, it turns out the the parallel universe he chose wasn’t uninhabited, and when the characters from The CW’s Riverdale start appearing in classic Riverdale, a date for the dance becomes the least of Archie’s problems.

Archie Meets Riverdale #1 is a fun read from start to finish, and it’s clear that the creative team has a deep love for these characters–in all their iterations. I appreciate how they carefully contrasted the two worlds in both the script and the art, while still managing to make it feel like a cohesive book.

Plus, there’s basically 50 versions of Sabrina, so that’s reason enough to pick up a copy!

Archie Meets Riverdale #1

10

Classic Archie Vibes

10.0/10

Campy CW Riverdale-ness

10.0/10

Sabrina Saves the Day

10.0/10

Aesthetic Cohesion

10.0/10

Easter Eggs

10.0/10

Credits

• Script: Daniel Kibblesmith
• Pencils: Pat Kennedy, Tim Kennedy
• Inks: Bob Smith
• Colors: Matt Herms
• Lettering: Jack Morelli

Credits (cont)

• Cover Art: Derek Charm
• Publisher: Archie Comics