Riverdale #9 Review

Riverdale #9

Publisher: Archie Comics
Cover Art: CW Photo Cover – Cheryl Blossom
Creator: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Writer: Greg Murray
Artist: Thomas Pitilli
Colorist: Andre Szymanowicz
Letterer: Janice Chiang

Review by Anelise Farris

Riverdale #9, like the eight who have come before it, is an issue featuring stories that take place in between episodes of the CW TV series Riverdale. I admit that although I have been faithfully watching the show, this is my first time venturing into the Riverdale comics. However, as someone who can’t get enough of the show, I was eager to jump in!

This issue opens up with several of our Riverdale favorites—Cheryl, Moose, Jughead, Archie, and Ethel—competing for a truck. Whoever manages to keep a hand on the truck the longest wins. Alice Cooper is on the scene to report what is going on, and Veronica and Betty are there for support. Although the truck competition is the larger overall plot, Riverdale #9 highlights two primary tensions: one, Archie and Jughead are fighting, and, two, Ethel is determined to prove that she is definitely not a loser.

Do Archie and Jughead come to an agreement? Does Ethel win the truck, as well as her peers’ respect? Well, you’ll just have to pick up Riverdale #9 to find out! I can tell you that I’m not sure where this issue falls in the CW timeline. If you are caught up on the show, the comic will feel significantly dated. Not only is it set in a different season, but there have been several breakups and get-togethers in the show that clearly have not taken place in the accompanying comic yet.

That being said, the humor and witty dialogue is spot on—even if the characters do not look anything like their CW representatives. The coloring is also a lot brighter than what you might expect based on the CW’s quite dark and bleak Riverdale. The art is well-done though; it’s realistic with sophisticated line-work. There is also smart panel arrangement, varying perspectives, and well-chosen wide gutters throughout.

Verdict: Check it out.

I do not feel that I wasted my time reading Riverdale #9. However, as someone who is all caught up on the show, I am having trouble placing Riverdale #9 in the show’s timeline. In this sense, it seems like false advertising to say that it is in-between-episode stories. Overall though, the story is enjoyable—just don’t expect the darkness that has made CW’s Riverdale so good!