Archie #21 review: A Shining Light of Riverdale goes over the Edge
By Alex Widen
Three cars collided, and one went over the edge. Will Riverdale ever be the same?
Archie #21
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Pete Woods
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In times past, Riverdale was known as the town which never changed. For much of Archie Comics’ history, it seemed like a town forever stuck in the Eisenhower administration. Yet ever since 2015, that’s changed. Archie Comics and veteran writer Mark Waid decided to bring the franchise into the 21st century with a full reboot. After supporting a line of partial spinoffs, Waid and Pete Woods are midway through their most ambitious storyline yet. It’s a blend of comedy and tragedy.
Image by Archie Comics
The last issue ended in the mother of all cliffhangers. Three cars crashed, and one went over the guardrail of the Riverdale interstate. Blood rivals Archie Andrews and Reggie Mantle were in two of the cars. The bullying of “Mantle the Magnificent” had finally reached Archie’s last straw, and he accepted a drag racing challenge. In doing so, he made off with a ride he and Betty Cooper had been fixing since they were kids. As a result, Betty sped to the area of the race head-on.
Image by Archie Comics
What Antics Are Jughead and Weatherbee up To?
Because the crux of the issue stems into some dark territory, it could have been a slog. Thankfully, Mark Waid knows how to properly balance tension, tone, and mood. As a result, he assembles all the cast around Riverdale hospital by showing what they were doing just before they got “the word.” Since this is Riverdale, all of them were up to some fairly hilarious shenanigans before learning that at least one of their best friends was clinging to life.
Image by Archie Comics
Jughead was at his usual haunt, Pop Tate’s. He was almost about to be cut off from his precious burgers due to a high tab. Against both Jughead and Tate’s better judgement, they agree to have Jughead work off some of his tab by waiting tables. Unfortunately, for Pop, this means more of Jughead’s influence on his patrons. Suddenly, all his customers want hamburgers, and Jughead’s even offering unsolicited relationship advice! Only one thing could get Jug to abandon a burger!
Image by Archie Comics
Furthermore, Raj and Sheila Wu are up to some extracurricular activities at Riverdale High. Only it’s not the kind that earns extra credit; in fact, it’s trespassing. Raj wants to finish filming a monster movie, and assumes nobody will be present on a Sunday. Little do either of them know, Principal Weatherbee knows no schedule, and is all too willing to improvise the role of a space monster. What follows is a merry chase through the halls that may end in permanent detention!
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The Lodges, Dilton, and Moose Had Their Own Lives Too!
What about Veronica Lodge? She missed the drag race, but got involved in some car drama of her own. She doesn’t like the color of the newest car she’s interested in, and wants her dad to call the manufacturer over it. Hiram Lodge chooses this as an opportunity to test Veronica’s negotiation chops. He challenges Veronica to pretend that he’s the head of the company and to offer a convincing argument with her own resources. Naturally, “the word” concerns her the most.
Image by Archie Comics
Finally, we have Dilton Doiley and Moose Mason. As established in #16, Dilton and Moose have a working relationship. Dilton tutors Moose so his grades never get him kicked off the football team, and Moose protects Dilton from bullies (including Reggie). In a bit that seems like it was inspired by an episode of 1999’s Archie’s Weird Mysteries, Dilton invents an intellect boosting helmet. Moose is the test subject and seems to go on a rampage. It’s a joke, yet no one’s laughing.
Image by Archie Comics
As a metaphor for how tragedy can change lives in an instant, the fun’s over once everyone gets to the hospital. It seems like half the student body of Riverdale are there, including Archie’s and Betty’s parents. As I speculated last month, the cliffhanger for #20 suggested that either Betty or Reggie would be fated with a mortal injury. Since hardly anyone would feel pity for Reggie, and Archie is the star, that only left poor Betty in the cross hairs. Hence, this proves true.
Image by Archie Comics
Great Writing and Art Raise the Stakes!
Mark Waid once again presents a more layered and nuanced script than someone who hasn’t read Archie in years may not think the franchise is capable of. The shift from comedic scenes to tragic drama effectively showcases how an accident or some other horrific event can instantly grab people in a social network. It feels like being uprooted, as if an entire world has come to a halt or turned 180 degrees. As a result, Waid makes the audience feel the weight the cast is feeling.
Image by Archie Comics
Pete Woods turns in another terrific issue in terms of colors, inks, and colors. While some of his inking makes his line work seem simplistic, on the whole, it is as solid as his work for DC Comics. The entire cast look as good as they ever have, at least working off Fiona Staples’ original designs. Like all artists during this run, Woods is able to juggle slapstick, physical comedy with weighty emotional beats all in one work. It matches the respect that Waid puts in his scripts.
Image by Archie Comics
The biggest question is, “Will Betty Cooper really die?” The cliffhanger certainly seems like it may be so. On the one hand, this run of Archie is the centerpiece of an entire line of spinoffs. Jughead, Josie & The Pussycats, and Betty & Veronica (as well as several one-shots or miniseries) have been loosely set in the continuity of this series. Certainly losing Betty would effect all of these titles. In addition, Archie Comics didn’t try to offer this finale to any national media circuits.
Image by Archie Comics
Does Betty Live or Die?
After all, any time Marvel or DC Comics consider knocking off a major character, it makes the headlines of mainstream news. The word of Captain America becoming a Nazi in Secret Empire alone has brought criticism for Marvel lately. It isn’t as if Archie Comics is lacking media representation. Riverdale is currently enjoying a run on The CW, a network TV station. One could imagine if this were “real,” the company could’ve sold thousands more copies via a future reprint.
Image by Archie Comics
On the other hand, the key term regarding the continuity mentioned above with the spinoffs is “loose.” While all of those above mentioned side titles share Fiona Staples’ designs and the modern feel of Waid’s series, they are not interconnected. Heck, Adam Hughes has been running months behind on Betty & Veronica. Archie even has comics set in other continuities, including “classic Archie.” Being less beholden to interconnection may free up Waid to raise the stakes.
Image by Archie Comics
In conclusion, the best I could say about Betty’s odds of surviving this are that it’s not as clear cut as it would seem. While many could see it as being impossible, the changes are greater than zero. Imagine an era where Archie has genuine stakes, and consequences that matter! The very fact that this is a serious conversation demonstrates how much vigor Waid and company have injected into this series. It’s possible to care more about this than the latest superhero crossover garbage!
Image by Archie Comics
Next: See the crash that changed Riverdale in issue 20!
For Once, We Truly Will Have to Wait ’till Next Month!
Image by Archie Comics
There have been no leaks to the press, and less of a sense of the status quo being “safe” than at any point in Archie’s history. It’s this, in addition to more modern storytelling techniques, that have propelled this run. Things like redesigns or iPhones are just details. The real way in which Archie has evolved is in its ability to mix smarter comedy in with genuine romantic drama. By embracing the future in a manner that honors the past, it has become a complete and timely comic series.