Archie Comics is always finding new and interesting things to do with their characters, and this fall brings another “Premium Event” from the publisher — Archie Is Mr. Justice, a four-issue miniseries featuring stories of Archie Andrews as the hero Mr. Justice, told with a more modern tone.
The first issue is by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton, and subsequent issues will include stories by Amanda Diebert, Blake Howard, Kenny Porter, Maria Laura Sanapo and Brent Schoonover. The stories in each issue will be told after the fact — Mr. Justice has left Riverdale for some undisclosed reason, leaving his friends to remember his selfless and incredible exploits.
“Mr. Justice plays with the absolute sincerity of the Archie cast of characters, through the filter of a much more cynical superhero world,” Seeley said. “I think, understandably, we’ve spent years being jaded by the idea that someone with power would be good, but that’s totally who Archie Andrews is. However, his world is full of people who care a lot more about money and power than he does.”
Here’s the description for the first issue:
Young Archie Andrews is your typical teenager, except for the fact that he has superpowers and an undying urge to do what’s right, inspiring his superhero persona, “Mr. Justice.” Guiding Archie on the path of heroism is his best friend Jughead. The pair aim to right the wrongs of the greedy Hiram Lodge, who turned their tranquil hometown of Riverdale into a luxury city, forcing families out, and big businesses in. Can Archie’s brand of justice bring Riverdale into a new prosperous era, or will his need to do good ultimately be his downfall?
“This is a much more modern take on the ‘Archie as a superhero’ idea,” Norton said. “It’s an examination of an incorruptible soul in a corrupt world. Archie is the perfect character to put in that environment because he’s the original ‘good guy.’ It’s been fun to read and even more fun to draw!”
It’s not the first time we’ve seen Archie as a superhero, as he’s regularly appeared as Pureheart the Powerful since the 1960s. But if Pureheart is firmly rooted in the Silver Age, this new series sounds closer to something like Invincible. And Archie’s new identity is a throwback to another Archie character — Mr. Justice, a Golden Age character who is a member of the Mighty Crusaders.
“This isn’t just another superhero story,” said Archie Comics Senior Director of Editorial Jamie L. Rotante. “This is a story about hope in a world that feels increasingly hopeless. And in this timeline, Archie is our beacon of hope.”
Look for the first issue to arrive on Nov. 20.