Archie upgrades with the undead!

Hey there BZF babes, so before we go any further I’m going to admit that I have never really been an Archie fan.  Some of my friends were into the comics when I was a kid but I was more interested in He-Man, Transformers and Voltron.

Recently, Archie has branched out in a new comic called Afterlife with Archie.  Before we get into the guts of Archie’s new comic, let’s bring those of you who are out of the loop up to speed with this impressive boy wonder.

Believe it or not, the very first Archie comic debuted back in 1941 and tells the story of your average boy next door with much more likeable traits than Dennis the Menace.  It seems from the get go that Archie has always been a relatable chap, whether it be his ongoing love triangle with Veronica and Betty, fighting with the school principle or singing in his self titled band – Jeez this teen is a serious over achiever!!

In an interesting twist, Archie is now heading down Apocalypse Street and having his very own encounter with zombies!  Now I know this may seem like a cash grab, but with such an iconic character and continuing popularity, this really is an evolution of sorts for Archie.  The creators of Archie have been flexible with the brand by allowing different spin off’s, and this is where the zombie fun begins!

The first issue of Afterlife with Archie completely sold out.  The critics love it, the fans love it and some even describe it as ‘one of the best horror comics in a very long time’.  With reviews like that, we need to peel back the rotting flesh and see the bones that are holding this new series together.

First you need to know that Archie’s friend Jughead (don’t ask me) has a beloved dog called Hot Dog and in a terrible turn of events Hot Dog is run down by Archie’s nemesis Reggie!  Completely distraught, Jughead asks Sabrina (yes the teenage witch, who originates from these comics) to bring Hot Dog back to life.  Needless to say, the gang find themselves in a terrible Pet Semetary situation as Hot Dog goes on a biting frenzy, infects poor old Jughead and thus the apocalypse unfolds!!

I have to commend the team for allowing such a well established comic book character to delve into a world that holds many possibilities while creating a setting that will please most zombie fans.

As I said, Archie was never really on my radar, but with the current turn of events, I may just be tempted to see where Archie’s Afterlife leads.

Bite you later

Mr Vitamin G