Book review: Archie comic volume 1

Book review of Archie comic volume 1

This is a book review of an Archie comic book/graphic novel by creators Mark Waid, Fiona Staples, Annie Wu and Veronica Fish. This Archie comic takes its cue from the aesthetics and look of the new Riverdale tv series, while keeping to the original Archie comics.

Summary of the comic

“Welcome to the new Riverdale! America’s favorite teenager, Archie Andrews, is reborn in the pages of this must-have graphic novel collecting the first six issues of the comic book series that everyone is talking about.

Meet Riverdale High teen Archie, his oddball, food-loving best friend Jughead, girl-next-door Betty and well-to-do snob Veronica Lodge as they embark on a modern reimagining of the beloved Archie world. It’s all here: the love triangle, friendship, humor, charm and lots of fun – but with a decidedly modern twist.”

This summary text is borrowed from the back of the novel

Archie Andrews and Riverdale

Okay, I’m going to be very short and honest about this. Maybe you read more graphic novels, because this is honestly one of the first graphic novels I’ve picked up. I mean, since reading comics as a kid. But not the cool, unknown ones. I just read whatever was available at the local library.

But guys. Is this a cool graphic novel? I highly doubt that this is quality content, even though I would have liked to have liked it.

See, I enjoyed the first few seasons of the tv-series Riverdale. In fact, I binged it and then binged Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. I love the aesthetics, the mix of dark academia vibes, young horror fiction, the dialogue, costumes and comic-esque characters. That definitely felt like a comic come to life in a dark and modern way. (Even though it has problematic content too, for sure, but this is not about that.)

Point being – I was looking for an extended universe feeling, and what a better way than to go back to the roots of the series. The graphic novel – but the modern ones.

This was not the same universe though, even though the artwork is gorgeous and fits incredibly well. The characters are hardly the same, even with clear references, the names and outfits.

From 2D to 1D Archie

Honestly, the stories felt flat, basic and didn’t give me anything as a reader. Maybe this is conditioned by it being a graphic novel, but again, I doubt it. It’s also highly un-feminist in several ways. One being that Archie can’t handle it, when his sweetheart-since-childhood Betty Cooper, puts on a bit of make-up. What horror.

Seriously, the drawings and setting might have gone through the modern-machine, but the writing and characters did not. None of the charm is preserved, and they all feel like one-dimensional stereotypes that fail to gain my sympathy or even empathy.

Really, I don’t want to waste any more of your time with this one. Go for it, if you cannot get enough of the Archie universe, but if you like Riverdale for the actors and the dark vibes, skip buying this Archie comic.

Also, if you’re a graphic novel fan, this is probably not going to do anything for you either.

Have you read the Archie comic book – or any Archie comics? Let me know what you think of it in the comments below, I’m curious to see if it’s just me!

If you’re curious and want to browse through other book reviews on this page, feel free to have a look at my collection of book reviews right here>>