Archie Comics 2019
Written by Alex de Campi
Illustrated by Robert Hack
Coloured by Kelly Fitzpatrick
Lettered by Jack Morelli
**FULL-METAL (VARSITY) JACKET!**
The Predator has tallied his first kills from the ranks of the Riverdale gang! Can they turn the tables without Riverdale becoming a smoking ruin and without getting detention?
Last issue the Predators came to Riverdale and crashed the dance killing anyone who moved by taking off their heads with the spine attached. Pretty gruesome and brutal for an Archie book but since it's Predators well that's par for the course. So our gang of doppelgänger have decided it's time to go inside and face what's happening. I absolutely love what Alex is doing here and how she manages to take our main travelling dimensions gang and give them the history of pretty much every other version of themselves. I mean Betty summoning a Demon, mentioning the Crusaders and everyone else, including Cosmo is probably some of the best writing and reading around.
I love the way that this is being told, the story & plot development here is simply amazing to see as we learn information and how it's the story moving forward. The character development is pretty spot on and I have to say that regardless of which timeline they come from the characters represent pretty much everything they should and more. I love the way we see the actions and reactions to the situations and especially the dialogue here which should earn Alex a Best Writer nod. When we factor in the pacing for the story and how it brings the twists and turns, and a revelation or two, to the reader this story becomes so much larger than life.
There are very few times in my life where I have seen the Archie gang in a situation such as this one. I mean the first arc was good and all but this this one is outstanding and whether or not that's because Alex is able to do things that don't affect any kind of continuity is an unknown factor but it's something to see. I am having so much fun with this and while yes it's all kinds of crazy and all kinds this shouldn't be happening there is a story about the characters here and we see them in such a different light and manner that is inescapable.
We all know Robert is one hell of an artist and his work here is truly inspired. I mean the utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a masters eye for storytelling at work. The way he can manipulate the linework and how he creates imagery with varying techniques bring this to life in the most spectacular and interesting ways. I mean the opening page, nine panels all one image that's so frakkin good it's unreal. The Predators themselves look like their film counterparts and there's no holding back here we see bones and spines and it's all extremely realistic. They spared no expense. The colour work is phenomenal! I mean you've got the kids, in costumes, Predators in various visages and then the cloaking and all this is seen with such beautiful colouring. The way hues and tones within a colour are utilised to create shading and shadows is stupendous.
The end of this book makes me shake like an addict waiting for their next hit. Who knew that all this time that was what we should be seeing? Still I am golly gee whizz impressed with the entire creative team here and the level and quality of work that is on display. This might be one of the best limited series we'll see in a long time and they deserve all the credit in the world for this.