Archie Comics 2015
Written by Mark Waid & Lori Matsumoto
Illustrated by Joe Eisma
Coloured by Andre Szymanowicz
Lettered by Jack Morelli
Archie Andrews and Betty Cooper have finally repaired their months long damaged friendship—unfortunately that came at the disrepair of Betty’s relationship with her boyfriend Sayid Ali and Archie’s relationship with Veronica Lodge—unlike Betty and Sayid, however, Archie and Veronica were able to patch things up… but it was too little too late. After Hiram Lodge’s embarrassing loss in Riverdale’s mayoral election, he packed up the mansion and moved the family far, far away. Now, Veronica has to adjust to a new life in a new place, and Archie must learn to adjust to life back home in Riverdale, without Veronica.
I’ll hand it to Mark and Lori for this issue I mean I fully expected something totally different to go down. We’ll get into that a bit later for now though I really do like seeing Archie keep acting like Veronica is with him and then forgetting she’s gone. Oh and yeah thanks for the opening panel singing his song. I think it’s great that instead of his not being able to figure out which girl to date that he’s focused on Veronica and that they show he’s got those genuine feelings for her through not so normal means.
Meanwhile Veronica was shipped off to Switzerland to an all girls boarding school once daddykins lost the election and ran off in a huff. Daddy also blocked all ways for her to communicate with Archie, phone or computer. How even he pulled that one off is beyond me but I gotta say Hiram really does hate that boy something fierce. A week into school just when she thinks things might not be so horrid after all she meets someone who is more ruthless, nasty and makes Veronica look like a saint. You guessed it Cheryl Blossom.
This whole thing was one of the near absolute best things i’ve read in comics. How Veronica got played by Cheryl is something you have to read to experience. This will set off a rivalry like none other and I cannot wait to see just how sharp Ronnie’s claws can get after everything comes to light. I was flabbergasted, gobsmacked even after reading this issue because I thought something entirely different was going to be happening here.
Meanwhile Jughead tries to cheer up Archie and Kevin takes on Betty. Well we’ll see how long it takes for them to get over what’s happened but it doesn’t look like that’ll be anytime soon. Ah young love, crushes or whatever they have these days. Still cute and wholesome and not nearly as thrilling as what’s happening with Veronica. But the day to day life stuff that’s reality and it’s nice to see and the way it helps show off the characterisation is fantastic.
Welcome aboard Joe to the artistic chores here. With his work on Morning Glories taking on this is a synch right? Actually he does really well with these iconic characters and keeps showing off that great eye for storytelling using page layouts, angles and perspective. I could do with more backgrounds but that’s just me I love when they are used and bring us more depth to the scene or moment.
While Veronica steals the show this issue it’s still a great all around read. The start of a new arc and a great jumping on point things are going to be getting intense and I cannot wait for the newest feud to begin in earnest!