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Released By: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: August 27, 2014
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The Story:
Archie Andrews and I have a long and sordid relationship. As a young kid in the early 80's, I devoured the comic books featuring the exploits of the red-headed troublemaker and his diverse gang of friends. Still into comic books at the age of twelve, the characters of Betty and Veronica (not to mention Sabrina, Josie, and a few other female guests) intrigued me in a way that illustrated ladies intrigue, er, "experimenting" youths. But it was later on in my 20's (still experimenting, I might add) that I gained a real appreciation for Archie and Co., when a laundry day involved a full day's commitment, traveling to the laundromat a few blocks away from our apartment. Stopping at the convenience store en route for smokes, a bottle of soda (sometimes acting as mixer) a couple of bags of Munchos for sustenance, and something chocolate-like for dessert, my idiot girlfriend and I would also pick up the latest Archie (or Laugh, or Jughead, or whatever) digests from the wire rack at the counter to help pass the time. And though the Archie of my childhood through to my 20-something laundry days was a more modern, Dan DeCarlo-ized version, I was aware that Archie had existed long before.
Dark Horse Comics, in a swell move to preserve some of the awesomeness of past Archies, presents the Archie Archives Volume 10, a beautiful 250+ page hardcover collection of golden age Archie, Pep, and Laugh Comics. Although the entries in this book date back almost 70 freakin' years, a lot of the settings, characters, and situations will seem familiar to readers.
However, if familiarity is what welcomes Archie into your home, the differences between then and now are what really make this collection shine. A normal for the time, bizarre in hindsight style of illustration gives the world of Riverdale a somewhat surreal turn; too early for the rock 'n' roll teenager look of the 50's, the characters display a slightly skewed version of their popular selves, accentuated by an exaggerated art style...well, exaggerated if you compare them to the the later DeCarlo years. There are also a few instances of some fairly un-PC behavior that will surely cause an eyebrow raise or two.
But for all of the differences, readers can expect more than a few similarities....redheaded Archie is still palling around with his food-loving, girl-ignoring friend Jughead, while trying to balance the attentions of the lovely Betty and Veronica. Also similar is Archie's ability to cause grief for his parents, and let's not forget poor Mr. Weatherbee and Mrs. Grundy, who have the daunting task of teaching Archie the basics at Riverdale High.
The Final Word:
Dark Horse has done another bang-up job presenting the Archie of the past in a swell hardcover book that will look great on your shelf next to the rest of them.
