If nothing else, you can say the people at Archie have no problems being experimental with their properties. Case in point, this week’s issue of Archie (#636) has all of the principle characters swapping sexes. In a world where you have things like a time-traveling length of road, dogs that think like human beings, and a literal teenage witch otherwise unbelievable things like this happen more often that not. That being said, going to the well of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch to make fantastical things happen has been used very often as of late. I do think it’s forgivable this time, because not only does writer Tania Del Rio has an established track record using Sabrina (She wrote her solo title for a respectable 40+ issue run), it’s also just too much fun.
A big part of the enjoyment I got out of the issue is of course, how the character’s interactions/designs are turned on their head. While sexes are reversed and the gang are all in slightly different situations, they are all still recognizable as the characters we know and love. Case in point, Ron (Veronica) and Billy (Betty) still vie for Archina’s (Archie’s) affections, but in this case it’s a show of physical strength rather than feminine wiles. Regina (Reggie) is still an unrepentant jerk/prankster and JJ (Jughead) can still pack away the calories without it showing (though the famous crown has been traded in for a hairstyle that still evokes it).
While the writing is top-notch and clearly shows a love and understanding for the Archies and their motivations, the real star of this issue is the art by Gisele. Her renditions of the group both pre and post magical MacGuffin and a refreshing change up from the usual Archie house style, while still maintaining that flavor. I especially like her rendition of Sabrina, which brings back the widow’s peak hairstyle and slightly mischievous look the character had in her original appearances.
So now the question I have to pose is “What now”? I think this was a very nice one-off, but I can certainly see the potential for an ongoing series, much like the alternate futures presented in Life With Archie. It would give space for these versions of the Archie crew to be further fleshed out, and the story possibilities are endless. You could even take the serious tack and tackle relevant social issues like LwA does. Plus, we’d have a chance to see sex-swapped characters not in this story, such as Kevin (Kevina?) Keller, Big Ethel (Ethan?), Chuck (Chiquita?), Nancy (Nathan?), and Pop (Ma?) Tate.
Archie #636 is in stores and digitally now, and even if you’re the slightest bit curious, I highly recommend you check the issue out. I daresay you won’t be disappointed! For more from Tania Del Rio, check out her website, and for more of Gisele’s lovely art, check out hers as well.