Archie #10 Review: The Redheaded Typhoon Strikes Again

At 75 years old, Archie #10 continues the best run of publisher Archie Comics’ main series.

Archie #10

Writer: Mark Waid

Artist: Veronica Fish

Colorists: Andre Symanowicz and Jen Vaughn

Amid all of the fervor over many iconic superhero franchises reaching iconic anniversaries, one of America’s most well known teenagers is turning 75 himself! Archie Andrews, the freckle-faced teen heartthrob of Riverdale High School (along with other cast mates like Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones) is celebrating such an occasion by enjoying the best run on his main series that it may have ever had!

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Exactly one year ago this month, longstanding comic book publisher Archie Comics announced that they would embrace change in a way that they have never done before. Rolling with successes such as the Afterlife With Archie horror comic or the Life With Archie magazine, it was revealed that the entire Archie universe would be rebooted. The would be a fresh debut issue for their flagship series Archie and would have a bold new creative team applying updated innovation to the usual romantic comedy.

Led by writer Mark Waid (fresh off an Eisner win for Daredevil) and currently drawn by Veronica Fish, the new Archie takes full advantage of modern advances in pop culture and technology to craft a new version of Riverdale, which is faithful both to the spirit of the original comics of the ’40s as well as attitudes and opinions of modern readers. Despite the focus still being on comedy, Waid is writing a multi-layered series in which actions have consequences and subplots matter.

Mixing slapstick with some teen soap opera drama has been a theme of Waid’s run so far, and this tenth issue is no exception. As Archie himself remarks to the reader, his life has only gotten more complicated over the last year. Archie is no longer “with” his best friend Betty and is instead dating the haughty rich newcomer Veronica Lodge, whose father Hiram despises him. Betty, meanwhile, has seemed to move on with another local boy, Syed, while trying to sort everything out.

Archie seems to have one unlikely super power, which is practically being a living cartoon within a mostly realistic world. He is a legendary klutz and his ability to make a mess of things both physically and socially (even without intending to at all or breaking the laws of physics) continues to be a reoccurring challenge to him.

Once again, Archie finds himself at the center of the typhoon when Veronica films him being berated by Mr. Collier, a legendarily stern teacher who also happens to be both Betty’s uncle and Riverdale’s mayoral candidate. When Veronica’s video is utilized by her father’s campaign to aid in the billionaire’s own election efforts, the entire town seems to be split down the middle. Yet none more so than Archie and Betty themselves, whose very friendship may not survive.

Veronica Fish may not have been the first artist this relaunch had (with previous issues being drawn by Fiona Staples and Annie Wu), but she has quickly made her mark as the artist for Archie going forward. She is able to effortlessly mingle hilarious physical comedy on par with a Warner Brothers short in one panel while nailing genuine human emotion and subtle pathos within the next. The look on Syed’s face when he realizes Betty is still sort of into Archie was painful.

Being able to write a post-modern Archie series is harder than it looks, but Mark Waid makes it look amazingly easy. Archie proves to be a good narrator to the chaos around him which always borders on cartoon comedy one minute and network TV drama the next. Not only do all the jokes and dialogue interactions land, but the overall arc of the series is genuinely engaging and riveting.

Anyone who has ever read Archie in the past, or is interested in giving something besides superheroes a try, should seriously consider jumping aboard this run. It mixes hilarious banter and comedic sketches with memorable characterization and a well thought out serialized arc. And watch out for cameos in this issue from other characters, such as the ever hungry Jughead or the usual antagonist of the series, Reggie Mantle. Archie may never have been as good as it is now.

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