Archie's Birthday Celebrations Deliver A Present For Me

Proudly showing off my new Archie magazine - shipped all the way from the good ol' U.S. of A.

I took a gamble on Archie and it paid off.

Back in February, I wrote about the planned release of a special magazine-sized Archie issue celebrating the 85th anniversary of the first appearance of Archie Andrews.

I've been on Archie Comics' mailing list for ages, but never dreamed of ever buying anything from them direct - what with me being on this side of the Atlantic and they being on the other.

There was a time, not that long ago, when I'd think nothing of ordering a book from the States or sending a parcel to a friend across The Pond, but these days, with outrageous postal charges and random tariffs, the idea of doing such things is usually comparable with the prospect of tooth extraction... without anaesthetic.

However, one email from Archie Comics caught my eye with its promotion for the Archie Jumbo Comic Magazine that seemed to suggest, through a combination of offers, that I could not only get the magazine on pre-order at a reduced cost but I could also secure free shipping.

I was sceptical at first - such deals usually turn out to be region-locked. But I did all the clicks, entered my address, and both the deals and my home address were accepted!

So, I pressed the equivalent of "buy it now" and paid what I considered to be an acceptably low sum should the magazine never actually appear. Perhaps someone at Archie would realise this was a mistake and not process it... 

But, the gorgeous Archie Jumbo Comic Magazine turned up this week, 112-pages of oversized stories from throughout the decades, classic Archie artwork, full-page character profiles, pin-ups, puzzles, and text introductions to each "age" of Archie stories (Golden, Silver etc).

As I've said before, amidst all the costumed fisticuffs, laser blasts, gorefests, and barbaric fury of the bulk of comic book reading, I've always - since my early days in the hobby - found room for the wholesome antics of the Riverdale crew. 

I guess it's a kind of palate cleanser, but that's not really what keeps bringing me back to Archie comics: it's their consistency, both in the art and writing. Not every joke lands, but enough raise a smile or even a chortle to make think "this was money well spent".

The Archie Jumbo Comic Magazine looks like it's going to be a wonderful book to dip in and out of, peeling back of the layers of Archie's history across the last 85 years.

However, the latest marketing email from the company reminded me that it's not just Archie that's celebrating a special anniversary this year... but his homeland as well:

Archie Comics Celebrates America's 250th is a 32-page, one-shot due out on July 1.

"America is celebrating its 250th birthday, and who better to ring in the occasion than the beacons of Americana - Archie Andrews and all his friends and family in Riverdale!

"Take a walk down memory lane (no, not THAT Memory Lane), as we revisit some of the best U.S. and U.S. history stories from Archie’s 85 years!"

World Cup Fever Raises Temperatures In Riverdale

Main cover art by Dan Parent

Seems like my "new-found" love for the beautiful game has spilled over into the world of Archie Comics.

Scheduled for release this June, just in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Archie American All-Stars one-shot comic is not only part of the publisher's 85th anniversary celebrations but also introduces a new sporting character into the canon: football star Eternity Fields.

"It’s almost time for the big Boy vs. Girls All Star Soccer Game and Reggie wants his team to do whatever it takes to win — but when a mysterious new girl named Eternity Fields joins the girls’ team and makes them unstoppable, the boys are going to have to work extra hard to beat them... but will they heed Reggie’s advice? And just who is Eternity Fields, and how is she so good?! Celebrate the World Cup with this fun, sports-themed issue!"

Written by Tania del Rio with interior art by Dan Parent, who also provides both the main cover and variant cover art, Archie Comics 85th Anniversary Presents: Archie American All-Stars (One-Shot) is guaranteed to be an emphatic victory for readers, no matter who actually wins the game.

Variant cover by Dan Parent

Jumbo Celebration of Over Eight Decades' Worth of Archie

Iconic cover art by the legendary Dan DeCarlo and Rosario “Tito” Peña

This year marks the 85th anniversary of the first appearance of Archie Andrews in 1941's Pep Comics #22 and, as part of Archie Comics celebrations, a new magazine is being launched for the occasion.

Hitting stores on March 18, the first issue of Archie Jumbo Comic Magazine is a 112-page collection of the comic strips from throughout the decades.

Honouring 85 years of heart, humour, and hijinks, this must-have magazine will collect some of the most important (and hilarious!) stories in Archie’s history, featuring your favourite characters from the worlds of Archie, Sabrina, Josie & the Pussycats, and more!

Unfinished horror masterpiece Afterlife With Archie aside, it's this continuity-free, classic style of Archie antics where my love for these characters lies.

Archie's Battle With The Army of Darkness Continues

Main cover art by Francisco Francavilla

Following on from February's launch of the delirious crossover we never knew we wanted, but now can't live without, Archie X Army of Darkness issue two drops in March.

Written by the great Erik Burnham, with interior art by Bill Galvan, sees the Evil Dead's Ash Williams stuck in wholesome Riverdale with a horde of deadites accidentally summoned by none other than Archie Andrews himself.

IT'S A DEADITE PARTY!

Reggie's lake house soiree was supposed to be the social event of the season, but now it may prove to be the town of Riverdale's swan song! Following Archie Andrews's unwitting awakening of the Army of Darkness, chaos - in the form of an undead horde - has descended upon the shore.

With slavering evil literally at their doorstep, the gang has only one hope of making it out alive - the Savior of S-Mart, one Ashley J. Williams. Unluckily for them, the Chosen One's car currently has four flat tires!

The issue comes with a variety of variant covers, as shown here, along with a selection of black and white variants and art-only alternates (without the text).

Variant cover by Bill Galvan

Variant cover by Laura Braga

Variant cover by Craig Cermak

Variant cover by Stuart Sayger

Archie & Pals Retaining Their Youthful Looks At 85

In March, Archie Comics is releasing a "jumbo comic magazine" celebrating 85 years of the wholesome adventures of Archie Andrews, Jughead Jones, and Betty Cooper (Veronica didn't appear until the following year!).

The publishers publicity blurb for the 112-page book reads as follows:

"Archie Comics is proud to present a jumbo-sized magazine celebrating 85 years of heart, humour, and hijinks! This magazine will collect some of the most important (and hilarious!) stories in Archie’s history, featuring your favourite characters from the worlds of Archie, Sabrina, Josie & the Pussycats, and more! This is a collector’s edition you can’t miss!"

The Dan DeCarlo/Rosario “Tito” Peña cover depicts the icomnic image of Archie sharing a milkshake with Betty and Veronica.

Lost In Space With The Archie Gang

Main cover art by Dan Parent

Another forthcoming out-of-the-ordinary Archie title that caught my fancy is a one-shot of science-fiction yarns featuring our favourite eternal teenagers from Riverdale.

Written and drawn by Dan Parent, Archie & Friends: Space Adventures (One-Shot) is a 32-page intergalactic issue pitching our heroes into the depths of outer space.

When Archie and the gang gets ready to head into space on a rocket Dilton built, everything goes smoothly, until the spacecraft enters a realm where it becomes lost. With the teens lost in space, it’s going to take someone out of this world to save them — someone like Cosmo The Mighty Martian!

Archie & Friends: Space Adventures (One-Shot) is due to land in stores on February 25.

Variant cover art by Andrew Pepoy and Jason Millet

Variant cover art by Samm Schwartz

Archie Gets Groovy Facing The Army of Darkness

Robert Hack cover art for Archie X The Army of Darkness,
from Dynamite and Archie Comics

Clearly February is the month for crazy comic book crossovers. Following the exciting announcement of the Fantastic Four landing on The Planet of The Apes, it's now come to my attention that a certain Ash Williams (of Evil Dead/Army of Darkness fame) is paying a visit to Riverdale - to save Archie and his crew from a soul-sucking horde of zombie deadites!

There’s a certain man – name’s Ash, you may have heard of him – who is doomed to battle against the forces of evil, over and over again, whether he likes it or not. No matter where he goes, the cycle of violence always repeats itself – until the day that he arrives in the picturesque town of Riverdale.

This supernaturally wholesome community seems to break the curse that has plagued Ash ever since he first encountered its otherworldly evil all those years ago. Or rather, the curse was broken – until an over-curious teenager named Archie finds a copy of the Necronomicon Ex Mortis and reads a portion of it aloud, summoning the horrifying Deadites once again!

Now Ash and the good townsfolk of Riverdale must hold back the undead hordes long enough for Archie to undo what he’s unwittingly done. Otherwise, an Army of Darkness will roll over Riverdale and destroy everything and everyone in its path – and that’s just not going to happen on Ashley J. Williams’s watch!

Fresh-faced author Erik Burnham (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters) joins wide-eyed artist Bill Galvan (Archie, Guardians of the Galaxy) for a long night’s journey into mayhem with Archie X Army of Darkness #1!

Burnham's run on Ghostbusters was superb, so I have high hopes for this melding of two very different humorous franchises when the first issue arrives in stores in February.

Featuring clean-cut covers from Galvan, Robert Hack, Laura Braga, Craig Cermak, and Stuart Sayger , this premier issue also boasts a special Premium Mystery Blind Bag that contains three limited editions of the issue selected randomly from a range of variant covers exclusive to this offering – including two original covers by Galvan and Francesco Francavilla, as well as multiple line art variants and coloured blanks. Please Note: The number of Blind Bags is limited, and allocations may occur.

PROJECT 60: What Does The Future Hold?

As I race towards my sixtieth birthday next year, I can't help feeling that it's time I got my "collecting" hobbies under control before I end up on an episode of Hoarders or Rachel finds me buried under a collapsed pile of books, comics, and blu-rays!

I've already mentioned that my life-long love affair with roleplaying games is dwindling, thanks to the dawning realisation that I'm never going to run a "forever campaign" that comes close to my hopes and dreams.

I still want to keep playing, and won't - and can't - stop thinking about RPGs, but the constant need to be working on 'my next great roleplaying project' has definitely eased off. 

Picture, if you can, the amount of space I could create in our house if I sold off all the games (and supplements) that I own but which I'll never read or revisit.

That's going to take a lot of effort to do properly, but it might generate a decent sum of money to bulk up my ever-shrinking bank account.

On the other hand, I'm currently thinking of burying myself in Cubicle 7's Doctor Who RPG, just not with any expectation of running it (it's simply not a game I could imagine my group, The Tuesday Knights, taking to).

However, I quite fancy the idea of creating Whoniverse scenarios, settings, gadgets, aliens etc to share with the readers of this blog.

If I were to return to running a campaign, with any chance of it surviving more than three or four sessions, it would almost certainly embrace the simplicity of old school Dungeons & Dragons-style gaming. As I did many years ago with the Tuesday Knight's three-year Heroes & Other Worlds campaign.

Honestly, I'd just really love to run a hardcore dungeoncrawl at some point. Just not now.

For reasons of both space and finances, I also need to trim my comic book pull-list from its current 25 titles a month down to something more manageable.

Part of my problem has been that my osteoarthritis has made me feel so uncomfortable that concentrating on reading (and finding a good position to do so) has led to a four or five month backlog of unread comics.

Some, I fear, will have to remain unread if I ever want to get back up-to-date.

Going forward, I'm thinking of streamlining my reading to: DC's Superman (and family); Marvel's Fantastic Four; and Titan's Howardverse titles (Conan The Barbarian, Savage Sword, Solomon Kane etc)

There'll be a few odds and ends in there as well: such as Dynamite's "occasional" Fire and Ice.

I've also heard a rumour that the long-delayed Afterlife With Archie (the greatest unfinished zombie comic book saga of all time) might have finally - after a 10 year hiatus - clawed its way out of the grave to resume its run, but I'll only believe it once that new issue is in my hands.

Of course, on top of all this, there's still my monthly Judge Dredd Megazine subscription and odd runs of 2000AD (I'm still undecided on whether to wean myself off the latter or take out a subscription to sit parallel with my Megazine one).

So, that's still a lot of comics each month, but - as long as I can catch up - it feels like it'll be easier to keep on top of.

Comic Book Collecting Isn't Just A Hobby, It's A Lifestyle

Latest comic book mail call: a pair of vintage issues of The Mighty Marvel Western

A combination of factors has necessitated constant revisions to my monthly comic book pull-list at Paradox Comics in Poole in recent years.

Not only do I find shelf space increasingly limited (despite dedicating most of the wall space in our office to my comic book collection, coupled with numerous short boxes under the bed and stacks of "to be read" books), but the cost of a single, new, comic book continues to rise while my pool of disposable income shrinks.

Yet while my list of new titles contracts, I can't help myself but seek out vintage back issues, either to fill holes in my collection or latch onto new (to me) titles that I decide I want to collect.

The latest arrival in this category is a pair of 1970's The Mighty Marvel Western (which, in turn, reprinted tales from the '50s and '60s), creating a fresh category on my list of titles to look out for.

There are 46 issues in that title, so that's going to take some work to fill up. But the joy is in the hunt.

Other comic book runs I'm gradually tracking down include Shang-Chi, Master of Kung-Fu (which I'm nearly there on); Blue Devil (I'm only a handful issues away from finishing the original run of this title); and Jonah Hex (which I have a long way to go on).

Jonah Hex #40, from 1980: one of my recent acquisitions

While I collected the modern Jonah Hex run as they were published (well, at least, until he got zapped forward in time - again - to contemporary Gotham City) and the gorgeous Joe Lansdale and Tim Truman horror mini-series from the '90s, I'm currently on the hunt for the Bronze Age books.

I'm aiming for the first volume of Jonah Hex, the 92 issues published between 1977 and 1985, with the idea that I'll then look further back in time and try to collect his appearances in All-Star Western and Weird Western Tales (1972 - 1977).

Ultimately, I can see my pull-list of new titles shrinking down to, primarily:

• Superman Family books, 
• Fantastic Four titles, 
• and Titan's Robert E Howard books (currently Conan The Barbarian, Savage Sword of Conan magazine, and my top comic of the year so far Solomon Kane)

Hopefully, there'll be a bit of wiggle-room to still embrace the Justice Society and Justice League, Green Lantern and Daredevil. I'd like to also be able to squeeze some Archie in there too.

Sadly, top indie publisher Mad Cave's excellent books aren't getting distributed over here at the moment (because of the collapse of Diamond), which makes it easier to drop those titles and the first wave of EC horror books are coming to an end soon, so that'll make a convenient point to jump off.

Even though I've loved those books.

This month's Summer of Superman Special