Archie Comics 2015
Written by Mariko Tamaki & Kevin Panetta
Illustrated by Laura Braga
Coloured by Matt Herms
Lettered by Jack Morelli
PREVIOUSLY IN THE TOWN OF RIVERDALE...
Now that some time has passed and the dust has settled, Archie and Sabrina are finally able to pursue their relationship without having to keep it a secret. With the mysteries that have plagued
Riverdale behind them (for now, at least!) they can focus on their romantic life and Archie’s hope to have a blooming musical career. But things are never really quiet in Riverdale, and the appearance of a new mystery fashionista by the name of Katy Keene has got everyone talking. Who is she, where did she come from and, more importantly, why is she in Riverdale?
Okay I get it by taking Katy, making her a teenager and utilising the popularity of the CW television program, and the upcoming series of her own, it's supposed to broaden her appeal. I am okay with that even though they shared a publishing company and universe if never any proper storytelling. Still the idea that this newest version of Riverdale's finest could use another shake up isn't something I am going to pass up. After all everyone has gotten used to Sabrina so let's keeping adding fast and furious style.
I love the Archie franchise, I always have and I always will and to me this feels like the current now version that the times call for. What the storytelling does is create a world where the kids behave like teenagers, have all the familiar struggles and it's as relatable today as it was when they first hit the scene. Some things are timeless and the struggles of a teenager, feeling like everything is life or death, yeah those struggles will always be real heh. I like the idea of this new Katy, or updated Katy and she definitely adds a certain something to the mix that is surprising for a number of reason. Who's next Ginger or that Wilkin Boy, which would be my choice? In the meantime Katy could be a contestant on Project Runway, America's Next Top Model or the Voice so I cannot wait for her life to be explored.
The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold and how the reader learns information is laid down with great precision. From the way Katy wanted things to be versus how they were yeah I think what we see is stupendous writing from the two of them. The character development is phenomenal and that everyone we see is given the same kind of respect and treatment makes for some great reading. Juggie, Archie, the Pussycat's and Sabrina, alongside Katy and Sis really shine here. The pacing is excellent and how we see this take us through the pages while revealing the twists and turns along the way is sheer joy to me. The way all of this works together to create the ebb & flow of the book and showcasing just how well the book is structured is rockin.
Laura is an amazing artist and illustrator and just a peek at the interiors will show you that. The linework is exquisite and how we see the varying weights utilised to bring this level and quality attention to detail to us is mindbogglingly good. Matt is a master colourist and I have said this time and again and to see him get the chance to take on a more realistic Archie story like this showcases why I am a huge supporter of his talent. So the way that backgrounds are utilised and how they work within the composition inside the panels as they show depth perception, scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the book is amazing. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a masters eye for storytelling. The way that we see the various hues and tones within the colours as they create the shading, highlights and shadow work and bring us these little moments to life, be it Sabrina's knee highs, to Katy's colour choices this is freaking stellar work. Also Laura as a fashion designer I would totally wear these as unisex fashions or non-binary clothes or whatever the current pc thing to say is.
The aspects of the story here that you want to focus on and it takes so many passes through the issue to get to them. That this book is so adept at getting readers to become engaged in what we see, so they think far beyond what's on the page and thus become incredibly invested is everything it's supposed to be and so much more. This is perfectly written and extraordinarily illustrated and it's impossible not to have bright sunshine day feeling when your done.