I realize I've talked about nothing but Marvel Comics since I started this blog. You must be thinking, "Why won't you talk about DC comics, you hater? It's Marvel this and Marvel that". Maybe you didn't say that, but I hear you anyway. That's why I'm going to talk about another company that's near and dear to my heart... Archie Comics!
I'll spare my personal history with Archie Comics. All I will say is that they are my guilty pleasure and one of the first series of comics I got into when I was a kid. They are one of my go to reads when I'm feeling down. So I have an attachment that will always be there. Also, the answer to the eternal question is always Betty. You know what the question is, so don't act like you don't.
Anyways, a company that has been around for seventy five years and has stories that have felt like they're seventy years too old have been one of the more daring, progressive companies out there. The cynic in all of us could think it's pandering moves, but I applaud them. I can't say that I've read all of these moves, but I will touch on them anyway because I did know they were happening.
Right now, there is a series called "Afterlife with Archie". This book is a take on the horror genre with all of the Archie characters, in a more realistic setting. By that I mean, it's drawn by the amazing Francesco Francavilla which does not fit the Archie house style at all. It has been a gut wrenching tale about the characters surviving in a world of a zombie apocalypse, ghosts and many other monsters. I mean, they've already killed a few of the characters we know and love. At the center you have Archie Andrews trying to lead his rag-tag group of friends to safety. Let all of this sink in and think about how fascinating this is. From Archie comics, right? This is easily one of my favorite books right now.
Let's not stop there. Even though it was in an alternate reality, they addressed the age old question of who would Archie choose, Betty or Veronica? The answer is both. In the "Life with Archie" series that was revived in 2010, this book followed his marriage to either women in two different stories each month. This is the first glimpse you get at what their lives would be like together. To take it further, the book ends with the death of Archie. You want more?
In 2010, Archie comics introduced Kevin Keller, their first openly gay character. It was a move that showed that this comic company that seemed to be stuck in the fifties was showing progress. It's a big deal because of how well it was received and the non-pandering manner in which it was presented. It received national acclaim. There was even an event where they showed him getting married. Kevin is his own character and has starred along with the other Archie favorites in other series, including having his own.
Finally, to continue the fresh changes this company has gone through, they have now hired top talent to write a new Archie series. Perhaps you've heard of Mark Waid and Fiona Staples? No, then let me tell you these are some big names that the company has lured. Even though their Kickstarter campaign to crowd fun a few new projects (a move they backed off of because it seemed like a huge misstep), we're still going to see books from Chip Zdarsky, Adam Hughes and Dan Parent as well. The fact that they are able to lure these creators to the company to freshen up the line is huge news.
I check in with these characters from time to time (I like to buy the digests occasionally), but with moves like these, I'm proud to stick around and read more. This was my sales pitch to get everyone to take a look. Do you trust me?
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