Archie Comics 2020
Written by Bill Golliher
Pencilled by Dan Parent
Inked by Jim Amash
Coloured by Glenn Whitmore
Lettered by Jack Morelli
Get to know the siblings and relatives of Betty, Veronica and other notable figures in Riverdale! Meet Veronica’s mischievous cousin Leroy, Smithers’ debonair nephew Liam, Mr. Weatherbee’s charming niece Wendy and Betty’s cunning cousin Jessica! It’s a full-on family affair!
I have to say that I get excited every time one of these comes out. There is something that these characters bring to the table that makes the toilet paper crisis and the Covid-19 fade into the distance for a little while. This really is the definition of all-ages fun and this creative team really knows, loves and understands these characters in ways not many can and the work they do is sensational. I never know if these are going to be original stories or if they are reprints from elsewhere but in the end it doesn't really matter because for someone they will be an introduction to classic teens in Riverdale.
One of the things about these series of one-shots is that we see the girls in their element as things come up and kind of throw monkey wrenches into these times. It always has this positive message in the stories that do not beat you over the head with it. This makes this ideal for the entire household to read, I keep saying device free meals are a great time to talk about these books which could bleed into real life scenarios. This is what life is all about, what should and what could be depending on how you treat those who are younger or different than you are.
I am in awe every single time that I read these because of how seamlessly the stories flow. Four tales one standard size book and each one feels complete. This is one of the few series where I don't mind the format since everything is pretty much the same in creator work, even though this issue the creative team doesn't falter. The introduction of family that we aren't familiar with is a sensational idea and while Leroy is great for his hair alone and Smither's nephew is drop dead handsome it's really interesting to see different members of their families. Plus this isn't all about Archie though he may appear here and there it really does let the girls shine in the best possible ways.
The interiors here are beautifully rendered. The linework is phenomenal and how there are these subtle differences in the way characters come to life is perfectly done. Also I have noticed that Dan's ability to create facial expressions is utterly amazing and they really do further the characterisation. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkable eye for storytelling. In one story we see Liam and the girls in silhouette and filled in with colour and it's a striking panel. The inking is just as good and with pencils like this it's no wonder they look so strong. Glenn, I have such admiration for him and what he's able to do. In this world he has mastered the affect of the old school four colour style in a truly modern way and if you've seen his work elsewhere then you'll understand just how damn talented he is.
So have a case of the Quarantined blues and don't know how to channel some of that energy, well this, this right here is something that will entertain everyone as well as provide some great opportunities to talk about. This is what every single one of should be reading!