Afterlife With Archie could become one of the most important stories in the entire Archie Universe. Everything that has befallen America’s most all-American redhead, whether it’s the arrival of Riverdale’s first gay student, the future ride to see what Archie’s life would be like married to Betty or Veronica, or the ill-conceived attempt to “update” the look of the series, it’s always had that shine of harmless comedy. Even when KISS showed up to battle evil in Riverdale, it was still an Archie book. When the Punisher showed up in Riverdale, it was still an Archie comic.
This is not an Archie comic. I don’t say that to imply that writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa pens Archie incorrectly. Quite the contrary. He has all the beats of the characters down perfectly. He understands the relationships and the mannerisms of everything Archie. To be honest, Sacasa would have to write Archie perfectly in order to deconstruct it the way he has. Afterlife With Archie is not an Archie book because it is so much an Archie book that it’s heartbreaking.
Okay, what do I mean by that? I mean that this terrifying horror book uses all the key things that make up the Archie Universe and lays waste to them. Not in in disrespectful way, but to show us just how crushing the loss of the Archie world can be. I never realized my connection with Jughead until this book, until he died, until a plague fell across Riverdale started by the love of Jughead for his dog. What seems to be the end times for Riverdale is wholly more devastating than you might think.
Perhaps the most curious thing is how Sacasa has turned something as pedestrian as the “zombie apocalypse” into tragedy. Using a strong balance between shock, gore, and humanity, Afterlife With Archie puts a relatable face on something supernatural, a talent The Walking Dead once had but has long since lost. In issue #4, the focus is on the end of Archie’s family, which is another major element of the AU reduced to rubble. Anyone who has read Archie understands the tight bond between them. Usually, it’s shown through wacky adventures or the bigger-than-life reaction of Archie’s father when his son does something ridiculous.
In issue #4, Sacasa builds everything towards the decision Archie much make involving his father and saving his mother. It’s violent, harsh, and relentless, but also completely engrossing. Sacasa does not let up with reality of the end of times, and makes sure the horror comic lover in all of us is well satiated. The final page of Afterlife With Archie will send chills down your spine.
The art from Francesco Francavilla is staggering. Somehow, he has taken the blueprint of Archie comics and injected them with a darkness that speaks to this story, without losing the characteristics of the Archie gang. Francavilla is a master at using shadow and color to tell a story. He works in color themes, allowing sweet colors for flashbacks of happier times, and then darker reds during the current apocalypse. The pencils here are among some of the best in comic book right now.
Afterlife With Archie is not just the most exciting comic on the shelves right now; it’s also one of the most important. Sacasa and Francavilla have redefined how we look at the world of Archie. I cannot stress enough how special this book is.
