ARCHIE #700 cover art by Marguerite Sauvage
Archie and the Riverdale gang have delighted generations of fans through comics and television series for over seventy-five years. This fall, the longest-running series in the Archie Comics lineup reaches a major milestone with November's ARCHIE #700, kicking off a bold new era in Riverdale history.
Written by top-selling comics scribe Nick Spencer (Captain America, Morning Glories) with art by fan-favorite Marguerite Sauvage (Faith, DC Bombshells), ARCHIE #700 picks up several months after the climax of writer Mark Waid's historic run on the reimagined ARCHIE series, which reaches its conclusion this Wednesday in issue #32.
Launching in November, issue #700 sees Archie and his friends returning to school with new storylines, new mysteries unfolding, and a bombshell secret romance soon to be revealed.
“Getting to write ARCHIE is more than a dream come true for me," said writer Nick Spencer. "I’ve loved reading the exploits of the whole Riverdale gang my entire life, and getting to now tell their stories myself is a real honor. And launching with a milestone 700th issue! It doesn’t get better than that."
"Well, it does actually— I’m working with Marguerite Sauvage, one of the best artists in comics!" added Spencer. "Everyone involved in this project has such a passion for these characters, and it’s our sincere hope to honor the legacy of what’s come before while moving boldly into the future with twists and surprises like you’ve never seen before!”
Additionally, this October will see the release of ARCHIE #699, a special recap issue that covers the key events from the ARCHIE series including the #LipStickIncident, Over the Edge, Heart of Riverdale and more. This issue will be available at comic book shops and digitally for a special promotional price of $1 and is geared towards new and returning readers.
ARCHIE #699 cover art by Marguerite Sauvage
Changes to the flagship ARCHIE series aren't the only shakeups in store. Best friends Betty and Veronica will once again headline their own series in December's BETTY & VERONICA #1. Spearheaded by writer Jamie L. Rotante, fresh off her critically acclaimed alternate universe series BETTY & VERONICA: VIXENS, the new mini-series sees B&V dealing with the life changes of senior year and the impending threat of splitting up as they each make plans for college and beyond.
"The biggest change in this series is that, for the first time, we'll see the characters in their senior year of high school." said writer Jamie L. Rotante.
"I want to take an approach that's very grounded in reality--these are two best friends who have no idea what the future has in store for them. They've just gotten really close and college could separate them from one another. It's going to be a testament to their friendship, how they can pull through anything even when things get tough."
BETTY & VERONICA #1 variant cover art by Marguerite Sauvage
The launch of ARCHIE #700 and BETTY & VERONICA #1 this fall is just the start as more new stories and new perspectives by the comic industry's top creators are in the works as Archie Comics heads into 2019.
"ARCHIE #700 is a legendary milestone in comics, and it was one we could not ignore at Archie," said Archie Comics Publisher/CEO Jon Goldwater. "Having Nick Spencer and Marguerite Sauvage onboard to herald this new direction for Archie and his friends will help kick off a new, legendary era for the characters, and follows in the footsteps of other iconic Archie moments, including Archie's Wedding, the Death of Archie, Archie #1 and Afterlife with Archie, to name a few. If you're a fan of Riverdale, now is the time to jump to the comics and see what started it all."
Visit the official Archie Comics website for more information, follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates, and download the Archie App for iOS and Android to read all your favorite Archie Comics!
Replies
So Nick Spencer is writing Archie at Archie, and Amazing Spider-Man at Marvel. I guess all he needs is Batman at DC for the trifecta.
This version of Archie looks less like the Archie from the comics and more like the Archie from Riverdale. To me, the Archie on Riverdale always seems to have a chip on his shoulder (is it okay to say "has a stick up his butt" anymore?--that used to just mean he takes himself too seriously, but it sounds a little wrong now).
Anyway, I don't want to read that Archie, so I will probably end up giving this one a pass.
At least they didn't say 700th "anniversary."