Tag: Archie Comics

Can’t Wait for Wednesday: Slowly turning the faucet

DC Comics returned to (some) stores this week with a handful of comics, plus see what’s new in digital, OGNs and more.

And we are back, not with a bang, but with a whimper. We’re still several weeks away from Diamond and most of the comics industry returning to regular operations, but DC decided to break the model and bring back new comics in April, using two new distributors. Also, their new comics were available Tuesday, rather than Wednesday. Up is down, right is left … everything’s insane in this new world.

This feels more like a “beta” week for DC, too, who slowly dip their toes back in the water with their two new distribution partners. Thus, the new release list is very limited. But subsequent weeks should see more new comics from DC. And Diamond is targeting May 20 for their triumphant return, which should bring back even more comics from other publishers. The list of comics for that week is still being finalized, but you can see how it’s shaping up.

Anyway, let’s jump into what came out this week …

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Can Wait for Wednesday: DC, Marvel delay many of this week’s digital comics

Just a handful of digital releases will arrive on comiXology this week.

Although it seemed to take them longer to make a decision than most of the other publishers, both DC and Marvel have indicated that many of the single-issue comics they had planned to release this week digitally have been pushed out.

The news comes after Diamond Comic Distributors announced they would halt physical comics distribution to comic shops due to the coronavirus, starting with the comics originally scheduled for this Wednesday, April 1.

Many comics publishers announced fairly quickly after the news broke that they planned to hold off on releasing their comics digitally until their print releases were rescheduled.

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Comics Lockdown: The latest on comics and COVID

Featuring news from Valiant, Archie Comics, MICE and more.

As the news that Diamond Comics Distributors is putting shipments on hold as of April 1 reverberated throughout the comics industry, reactions came from many quarters. Here’s a roundup of as many as I could find, with more (I’m sure) tomorrow:

Let’s start with some perspective: At Comichron, John Jackson Miller looks at the history of the comics retail market and offers some hope for the future.

At ICv2, editor, comics market analyst, and former distributor Milton Griepp gives his perspective.

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Betty gets super powers in ‘Betty Cooper: Superteen’ one-shot

Betty takes center stage, thanks to Danielle Paige and Brittney Williams.

Danielle Paige and Brittney Williams are giving Betty Cooper a superhero makeover, as they bring Betty Cooper: Superteen to the pages of her own one-shot this June.

“The best part about the Archie characters is how flexible and durable they are. They’re icons. So, you can bring in a zombie apocalypse or the B-52s, and if you’re true to the characters, it works. This is another genre-bending example of that, with a Spider-Gwen twist,” said Archie Comics Co-President Alex Segura.

Betty Cooper’s secret superhero identity isn’t new — in fact, it debuted back in the 1960s as part of “Archie’s Super Teens.” Paige and Williams are giving her an update, though, and her costume was redesigned by Spider-Gwen’s Robbi Rodriguez.

“I’ve gotten to write everything from soaps to Oz to fairytales to Mera and Aquaman,” Paige said. “Betty and Veronica’s friendship/rivalry is just as epic as those worlds with all its history and drama. And giving Betty and Veronica superpowers super-charges their conflict. I hope that readers enjoy turning the pages as much as loved writing them. And getting to partner with Brittney Williams, whose art just surges with girl power and creativity, was such a joy.”

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Worlds collide when Archie meets Flash Gordon in new one-shot

Jeff Parker, Dan Parent and Rich Koslowski bring the pulp legend to Riverdale in June.

Mongo and Riverdale will collide in June as Archie Comics presents Archie Meets Flash Gordon in a one-shot by Jeff Parker, Dan Parent and Rich Koslowski.

“I’m now a pretty big believer that the Riverdale gang can fit with practically any other characters and genres,” Parker said, “but it’s best when they get to really flex and go way outside their zone like say, the planet Mongo with Flash Gordon, King of the Impossible. This of course coincides with the sad passing of cinema great Max Von Sydow who was the most memorable Ming the Merciless, and wait until you see our take on the Emperor of Mongo.”

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Smash Pages Q&A: Eva Cabrera

The artist of ‘Kim & Kim’ discusses most of her recent comics work, Boudika Comics and much more.

Kim & Kim artist Eva Cabrera has been on a lot of people’s radar since 2016 for her skill at drawing body language and emotion; conveying complex emotions in a loose, cartoony style; and the ways that she manages to dynamically draw action sequences. Her action sequences are all the more impressive because often there aren’t many major fights or moments of violence. Her skill is at how she’s able to capture those moments before and after, at suggesting so much and depicting the buildup and the aftermath that it feels as though the reader has experienced it alongside the characters.

Besides all three Kim & Kim series, Cabrera drew most of the series Betty and Veronica: Vixens; drew the Oni/Limerence graphic novel Open Earth, a much quieter book with sex scenes instead of fight scenes; filled in on Oh Joy, Sex Toy; had a story in the anthology Dead Beats; and worked on #Guardian, the first issue which was released in January. She’s one half of Boudika Comics, a studio consisting of her and artist Claudia Aguirre (Morning in America, Hotel Dare).

I’ve been reading Cabrera for years ,and her artwork and design work are always excellent and always a joy, so I reached out to see if she would answer a few questions about her work.

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Exclusive Preview: ‘Cosmo the Mighty Martian’ #3

Check out preview pages from next week’s issue featuring the galaxy’s mightiest little Martian.

After a 60-year hibernation, Archie Comics’ Cosmo, the mightiest little martian in the galaxy, returned in 2018 with a refreshed look and a new lease on life. His first miniseries was successful enough to warrant a follow-up, which is in full swing now.

Courtesy of Archie Comics, take a look at an exclusive preview from next week’s issue of Cosmo the Mighty Martian, the third of five in the little guy’s second miniseries. It features the work of Ian Flynn, Tracy Yardley, Matt Herms and Jack Morelli, who are joined this issue by Evan Stanley, who drew the pages shown below.

You can also catch up on his adventures at comiXology.

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Space Jam: de Campi + Neogi launch Josie and the Pussycats into space

The comiXology Originals series will debut this Wednesday.

Josie and the Pussycats are going where no … pussycat has gone before — outer space. ComiXology and Archie Comics have teamed up for a new digital series by writer Alex de Campi with art by Devaki Neogi.

Josie and the Pussycats in Space debuts this Wednesday as part of the comiXology Originals line.

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Bring your jukebox money: The B-52s meet Archie next year

Alex Segura, Matthew Rosenberg and Dan Parents bring the new wave band to Riverdale.

Alex Segura, Matthew Rosenberg and Dan Parent are bringing together The Archies and new wave band the B-52s in a new one-shot next year.

Archie Meets the B-52s sees the creators of such songs as “Roam,” “Love Shack” and “Rock Lobster” heading to Riverdale for some quirky fun.

“I’m so excited to not only revisit Archie’s legendary run of off-the-wall, awesome music crossovers, but to do it with my original partner in crime, Archie legend, Dan Parent,” said co-writer and Archie Comics Co-President Alex Segura. “The B-52s are a seminal, quirky, and groundbreaking group, and I feel so lucky to have the chance to make a little rock and roll history with them and Riverdale’s own, The Archies. Expect a lot of bonkers fun, eye-popping art, and a lot of new wave-y adventure.”

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Exclusive Preview: Archie’s ‘Katy Keene’ collection arrives next week

Read Katy Keene stories from the past few decades before her new show debuts next year on The CW.

If you aren’t familiar with the glamorous Katy Keene, you soon will be — she’ll be joining the boys and girls from Riverdale on The CW next year in her own show. Set five years after the events of Riverdale, the series will also feature Josie, played by Ashleigh Murray, who makes the move from Riverdale to New York City to pursue her dreams.

But that’s next year — before the new show debuts (likely causing more headaches for Archie Comics’ social media person), take a look at this preview for next week’s Katy Keene collection. It features stories, art and paper dolls from throughout the character’s history by the likes of Bill Woggon, Andrew Pepoy, Dan Parent, Chic Stone and many more.

Check out the exclusive preview below, courtesy of Archie Comics, and look for the collection in comic shops next week.

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Smash Pages Q&A: Cullen Bunn on ‘Blossom 666’

The writer of ‘Harrow County,’ ‘The Sixth Gun,’ ‘X-Men Blue,’ ‘Unearth’ and more discusses the recently wrapped-up Archie Horror title.

Cullen Bunn has written a lot of horror comics in recent years – along with a lot of comics in a lot of other genres. In comics ranging from Harrow County to The Empty Man to Bone Parish to The Damned, he’s played with the genre in different ways.

The five-issue miniseries Blossoms 666 which Bunn made with artist Laura Braga just wrapped up, in which Cheryl and Jason Blossom compete to become the Antichrist. The Archie Comics horror line has a reputation for being shocking and brutal in a lot of strange and creative ways, but Blossoms 666 is a much quieter book compared to the others, with the horror being much more subtle and running under the seemingly placid surface.

Now that the series has wrapped up, Bunn answered a few questions about the comic and playing with an ideal version of Riverdale.

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Who will reign as the Anti-Christ? Find out in ‘Blossoms 666’ #5 [Exclusive Preview]

Cullen Bunn, Laura Braga, Matt Herms and Jack Morelli’s tale reaches its final conflict, and no one in Riverdale is safe.

The Blossom twins’ devilish schemes will come to a head in the final issue of Blossoms 666 by Cullen Bunn, Laura Braga, Matt Herms and Jack Morelli.

Part of the Archie Horror line, Blossoms 666 features the two Blossom siblings, Cheryl and Jason, competing for the title of Anti-Christ. Throw in their long-lost brother and Satanist family, and you’ve got all sorts of trouble for the rest of Riverdale.

Courtesy of Archie Comics, take a look at an exclusive preview of Blossoms 666 #5 below, which wraps up the five-issue miniseries.

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