Afterlife with Archie Volume 1 by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Writer), Francesco Francavilla (Illustrations)

December17 book for Poison Apple Book Club
Instagram: @taleswithnicole
#poisonapplebookclub
 
 
"When Jughead's beloved pet Hot Dog is killed in a hit and run, Jughead turns to the only person he knows who can help bring back his canine companion—Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Using dark, forbidden magic, Sabrina is successful and Hot Dog returns to the land of the living. But he's not the same... and soon, the darkness he brings back with him from beyond the grave begins to spread, forcing Archie and the gang to try to escape Riverdale!" (goodreads)

 
Since the tv show CW's Riverdale has been streaming on Netflix I have been really invested in Archie and the gang. And while I am strong #Bughead and #Varchie shipper on the show, in this graphic novel I am full #Barchie.
 
I remember when the news was going around that Riverdale Season 2 was going to be a lot darker and even though the Black Hood storyline is interesting, it isn't what I was hoping for. There were rumors since Season 1 that Sabrina Spellman was going to make her way from Greendale but that hasn't happened yet and as the show goes on becomes less and less like the type of show to have the fantasy magic from the teenage witch.
So, this graphic novel was basically everything I wanted from the show that I wasn't going to get. I wanted Sabrina to bring Jason Blossom back the dead, I wanted more from his character and the added back from the living dead creepiness.
 
Instead of bringing back Jason, Sabrina tries to resurrect Jughead's dog Hot Dog back from the other side. Jason Blossom is very much alive, at the moment, in this graphic novel and his relationship with Cheryl is beyond creepy enough.

Betty and Veronica are back to being best frenemies and always competing for Archie. This is what I expect from the two of them because that is how it has always been with them, but I do miss their strong friendship like on the show. I have always loved Betty, in every version of Archie I have encountered but Veronica not so much. Riverdale is the only version of Veronica Lodge I actually like and I think it has to do with her friendship with Betty and how she doesn't appear to be the snobby rich girl but a rich girl who is kind and will do anything for her friends. She also has a backbone against both her parents in the show which I admire. And generally, I just love how Camila Mendes plays her. As I said before, in this Afterlife series (despite the title for volume 2) I am rooting for Betty and Archie, like I always am. But in the show, a lot of people like Veronica's character more than usual and I think she deserves to win Archie, at least once. It has always been Betty, and since they drew that line of her and Jughead, I would like to see them work things out. It's so different and I like the twist. I really hope for once the show doesn't give a predictable ending for the threesome. And yet, Veronica might just win in this series so who really knows where Archie's heart lies, he doesn't even knows himself.

The zombie apocalypse has come to Riverdale and some loveable characters aren't going to make it to the end of this collection. Prepare for some upsetting deaths. Archie leads his friends and survivors on a mission to escape Riverdale, but what exactly is the plan once they escape?

I know I compared the graphic novel to the show a lot in this review but it's also kind of hard not to, since the show is such a big hit right now and I am intensely following it. Afterlife with Archie was a perfect horror storyline and I loved all the familiar characters and places it brought in. I am extremely excited to see how this story will continue and what the endgame will be for Riverdale. 

I really loved this version of Archie and highly recommend it. This is currently my favorite Archie storyline and I wish that that show would turn in this direction, since a zombie apocalypse was a major season 1 theory, but I am happy enough to have this graphic novel series. I really look forward to volume 2, despite the title which seems like it will break my heart. 
   
 
Afterlife with Archie Collections:
Volume 1: Escape from Riverdale (Issues 1-5)
Volume 2: Betty R.I.P (Issues 6-10)
Hopefully more to come..
 
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
 


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Spoiler Review: We Can Be Mended

Spoiler Review: Final Girls by Riley Sager

Wonderland: The Queen of Hearts vs. Red Queen