Creative Staff:
Story & Art: Adam Hughes
Colors: José Villarrubia
Letterer: Jack Morelli
What They Say:
IT’S BETTY VS. VERONICA! The most highly-anticipated debut in comics history is here! Betty and Veronica are America’s sweethearts… until they turn on each other! “Pops’ Chocklit Shoppe is being taken over by a huge coffee company. When Betty and Veronica go head-to-head over the issue, all bets are off! Friendships will shatter. Cities will burn. Nails will be broken. Betty and Veronica are back in this ALL-NEW #1 from comics legend Adam Hughes (Wonder Woman, Catwoman)!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Archie comics in general are one of those things where even if you’ve never read a single issue, you’re able to get the gist of what it’s about simply because it’s been in our culture for so long. Something about a red-head with waffley cross-hatches in his hair… his buddy that always wears a crown and has a clear food-obsession… and the one blonde and black-haired love interests. It’s such a slice of Americana from a time long past, and yet like most long-running comics, the essence of each character is solid enough for a modernization to work without compromising what made the original so enjoyable in the first place.
We open with a time not too far into the future of this comic as the titular characters are in a full-on cat-fight: pulling at each other’s hair and cussing the other out, all in clear view of their fellow peers. The single-page spread speaks for itself only to be interrupted by a narration by none other than Jughead’s dog J. Farnsworth Wigglebottom III—better known as Hot Dog. It’s an utterly ridiculous first page that’s made even more enjoyably ridiculous by just how soothing the majority of the rest of the comic is.
Taking place during autumn, colorist Villarrubia does an excellent job filling each panel with relaxed shades of red, yellow and orange. Writer/Artist Hughes does an equally excellent job in using the autumn backdrop to work in some breezy dialogue between Archie and Jughead. Keeping in the spirit of the series’ title, the two have a long-winded conversation about who among famous duos would win in a fight. The conversation starts off innocently enough, with Santa vs. the Easter Bunny, and even gets a bit meta as the two laugh after pitting each other in a versus match, before finally reaching the awkward matchup of Betty and Veronica. It’s a conversation fitting for two high school boys that also sets up the general basis of the series without coming off as too on-the-nose (even if it is).
In perfect comicbook timing, the two boys meet up with the girls just as they bring up their names, and from the get-go, you immediately get a sense for both of them. Betty is a girl-next-door type that isn’t afraid of a hard day’s work, while Veronica is a spoiled princess that doesn’t know the meaning of hard labor. Their contrasts can’t be made any more apparent and make for a good setup before getting into the meat of the story that is saving their regular hangout place—Pop’s—from being remodeled into a fancy coffee shop. Afraid of one change leading to a domino effect that would alter the rest of her hometown, Betty takes the initiative in leading her classmates in a campaign to help save their favorite eatery.
Just as the plot begins to take form, though, we are treated to two “replacement pages” after narrator Hot Dog admits to having eaten the original pages. It’s these moments of meta that prevent the story from getting too trite, and while they interrupt the flow of the story, the fact that the author actively does so is enough to suggest even he knows how “basic teenager-y” the story feels on paper and will hopefully take things in some unexpected directions come the following issues as well.
Following that brief detour, the issue wraps up with the gang realizing Veronica’s father is the owner of the coffee shop putting Pop’s out of business in the first place. The gauntlet has officially been dropped, and Betty is ready for an uphill fight.
The addition of a retro Archie comic featuring Betty and Veronica is also a nice bonus, with the series’ oddball sense of humor still holding up, even if its dialogue is clearly dated.
In Summary:
Betty & Veronica issue 1 is the perfect blend of old-school teenage drama setup and modern-day self-aware storytelling. Its cast of characters is likeable from the get-go, and their back-and-forths are just the right amount of comically unreal while still a joy to read. With how meta writer Hughes is willing to take the story at times, I look forward to how he approaches the following issues.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: All Ages
Released By: Archie Comics
Release Date: July 20th, 2016
MSRP: $3.99