This originally appeared on The Huffington Post:

If you would have asked me five years ago who I thought the most positive and progressive major comics publisher was, I’d have been hard pressed to give you an answer. Comics cover the gamut of politics, civics, and social issues, but no one was really leading the pack. Today, the answer is both simple and surprising.

In the past two years, Archie comics has grown from what was viewed as an anachronisim to the most supportive and all-inclusive universe in comicdom. From bringing Barack Obama and Sarah Palin together to discuss their differences over a milkshake to promote civility, to having a same-sex wedding in a critically acclaimed issue of Life With Archie.

Because of that specific issue, the conservative lobby group “One Million Moms” launched a boycott of Archie and of Toys ‘R Us for their distribution of the issue. The issue in question, Life With Archie #16 is now sold out and fetching $30-$50 on eBay. Amazon has them going for $60.

Thanks to the foofaraw, I decided it was time to talk to Archie CEO Jon Goldwater once more about the boycott and the progressive movement that Archie comics has embraced.

Bryan Young: What was more surprising to you, the proposed boycott over Kevin Keller’s marriage? Or the fan response to the boycott?Jon Goldwater: To be honest, we weren’t really surprised by either. We knew that, at some point, one of these organizations was going to set their sites on Kevin, a character that’s gotten so much positive attention and love from our readers and the world. Thankfully, the fans spoke out in the best way possible – by buying the book. Life With Archie #16 has sold out, and that’s the best, most direct response to those saying Kevin shouldn’t exist.

As I’ve said everywhere I can – Kevin is here to stay. He’s a part of Riverdale and is the most important character we’ve introduced in Archie Comics since Archie first appeared. We are committed to a diverse, welcoming and current Riverdale. To create a world for Archie that is retroactive, disconnected from reality and unrealistic would be unfair to our readers. Archie and his friends live in today, not in someone’s idea of what was or in a world that is not inclusive or welcoming to everyone.

BY: How did the decision to have Kevin get married come about?

JG: It really stemmed from the fact that Kevin had become such a key part of Archie and Riverdale. People kept asking about Kevin. “What’s Kevin doing in the future?” We wanted to give the story we started with Kevin’s early appearances a happy, loving and new chapter. We wanted to show that things worked out for Kevin – and, in a way, that things can work out for people who find themselves in a similar position to him. Things get better. Not everyone can live in a place like Riverdale – where you’re not judged or treated harshly because of who you are – but we’re going to continue to show the potential and hope that a place like Riverdale provides.

So, I sat down with our Editor in Chief Victor Gorelick, President Mike Pellerito, Kevin Keller’s writer/artist Dan Parent and Life With Archie writer Paul Kupperberg and we hashed it out. We knew we wanted Kevin’s appearance to not only bring the two timelines together, but we also wanted it to be a natural progression for him. Once the idea of him getting married – and allowing us to speak out on not only gay marriage but gays in the military and everything else Kevin’s own series had been working toward – was thrown out, we were sold and pushed forward with it. It’s really been an organic and story-based initiative. We always want to stay true to Kevin and show him living his life like any other character in our books, because that’s what he is: a normal kid growing up and, eventually, finding love and happiness. It’s what we’d wish for all our characters.

BY: With all of the controversy surrounding Kevin, what steps are being taken to make sure that he’s about character first and not defined strictly by his sexual orientation?

JG: It’s always been about story with Kevin. He was a product of a story meeting. We got some initial criticism that tabbed him as a token character that we’d created just to get a one-time PR hit. Hopefully, we’ve disproven that. Kevin is an important part of Riverdale and will be part of the Archie gang moving forward. He’s going to go through the same adventures and misadventures that Archie, Betty and Veronica and Jughead all deal with. He’s one of the gang. He’s not “the gay character” or however people want to pigeonhole him. He’s a funny, cool, smart kid hanging out with other funny, cool and smart kids. He just happens to be gay.

BY: I love that Riverdale is so inclusive to everyone. Will we see any more of the LGBT community represented there?

JG: We’re going to continue to explore diversity and show a Riverdale that reflects the world we live in today. We want Riverdale to feel vibrant, modern, relevant, and real. You’ll continue to see us introducing new characters that reflect what’s happening today.

BY: With the upcoming Occupy Wall Street issue, it seems like you have a very easy set of characters that can play in that world. What do you hope people will get by reading Archie’s take on the protests and the level of unfairness Occupy represents? How will Reggie deal with that?

JG: Talking about the Occupy movement just seemed like such a natural fit for Archie. His entire life has been about choosing between two people! But seriously – like I said earlier – Riverdale is a city in the world today. The Occupy movement has affected the entire country and really made us all think about our financial systems and what we’d like changed or not changed. That’s reflected in the story by writer Alex Segura and artist Gisele. It’s still very much an Archie story, mind you. Jughead jokes about food and Reggie pokes fun at Archie, etc. But it brings the characters into contact with something that people in most of our major cities see every day.

As for Reggie…well, it seems to me his choice is an obvious one! But read the issue. It’s got a few fun surprises. We think people will be pleasantly surprised. It’s not preachy, but it shows both sides fairly and with all the elements of a classic Archie story.

BY: Obviously, the issue of Kevin Keller’s wedding sold out. Is it the readers of Archie that are the ones up in arms about things like this? Or is it people who don’t read the books anyway?

JG: I can’t speak for the American Family Association or MillionMoms.com – I’d love for them to read Life With Archie #16 and see that the issue is probably the most family-friendly comic series on stands today. Archie has never been about sex, violence or extremity. Like our President, Mike Pellerito says – everything we do is built around love. Love, inclusion, friendship and family. This issue is an extension of that.

To answer your question, though – I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the protesters haven’t read the issue. Which is a shame, because, controversy aside, it’s one of the best comics out there. Hands down.

BY: Never more than in the last few years has it seemed that Archie has been in the news getting out in front of social issues, what changed at Archie? Or has it always been this way and I hadn’t noticed?

JG: No, there’s definitely been a shift. For a while there, before I came in as Co-CEO about three years ago, Archie was very much living in the past. We were resting on our laurels and kind of fading into a kind of retro, nostalgia brand. When I got to Archie my first mandate was to talk to the staff and creators and say “Change things up. Try new things. Be bold. Be daring. Be creative.” If there was an idea I felt was out of line or too crazy, I’d nix it. But for the most part, people like Dan Parent came to me with excellent ideas and suggestions. Kevin Keller is a perfect example of that. I don’t think you would have seen the previous regime publish Kevin.

BY: Why do you feel it’s important that Archie gets in front of these social equality issues?

JG: Because it’s what’s happening outside our windows and in our homes. If Archie continued on, in a bubble of nostalgia, we’d run the risk of becoming an anachronism. Archie is at his best when he’s connecting with what’s going on in the world and in the lives of his readers and fans. Archie and his friends are of the moment, and Kevin is just a part of that.

BY: What’s the next big issue we can expect Archie Comics to handle as just another day in Riverdale?

JG: Well, we have Occupy Riverdale in July, which we discussed. We also have a major, major announcement slated to hit in the next few months. If you thought Archie Meets KISS was a big deal, this kicks it to another level.

BY: What is Archie doing to get their books in front of more kids? I know because of these issues, I added Archie to my comics hold for my kids because I feel it’s good to see these positive messages… If anything, I’d love to see more of these things in the book.

JG: Great question. Our mantra, day in and day out, is “Archie is everywhere.” That means digitally, in print and beyond. Our Archie Comics app has been downloaded close to 4 million times and we’re on every tablet and device you can imagien, we’ve seen our bookstore sales spike considerably since we partnered with Random House and we continue to make inroads via the newsstand and comic shop markets. Archie’s here to stay, and we’ll continue to explore ways to get books in front of anyone who’s interested in reading about Archie and his friends.

So there you have it. If you want progressive messages and inclusive storylines in comics for your kids, Archie Comics is the place to find them.

Bryan Young is the editor of the geek news site Big Shiny Robot! and the author of God Bless You, Mr. Vonnegut.

Archie comics have been consistently delivering as of late with almost surreal outside-the-box plotlines. First Obama and Palin show up in Riverdale. . . and end up sharing a malt (aw, how cute– if only politics could actually work that way). Then we’ve had the awesome sweet meets sour, ice cream meets metal combo of Archie meets KISS. And just when we thought it couldn’t get any weirder. . .

The Occupy movement hits the pages of Archie comics in July’s issue #635, or at least so we’re led to believe by this leaked variant cover drawn by Eisner Award winner Jill Thompson. It’ll be scripted by former DC scribe Alex Segurra, who most recently has done the Archie meets KISS comics.

So, as though Archie doesn’t have his hands full enough of trying to decide between Betty and Veronica, now he’s got them on opposite sides of the most divisive social movement of the decade. #OccupyBetty or stick with the 1% Veronica? At least Jughead isn’t wearing a Guy Fawkes mask. . . .

This shift in tone is also seen in a shift in the seriousness of the art. Jill Thompson’s tumblr has also given us newer takes on Betty, Jughead, Archie and Veronica.

I think this is refreshing. Ever since Bankie and Hooper had their argument about Archie comics in Chasing Amy in 1997, the frontiers of possibility on a more nuanced and less “leave it to beaver” take on the Riverdale Gang. And we’ve by and large gotten that. It’s also nice to see comics incorporating the important events of today, where I felt one of the big problems with the DC New 52 relaunch was their incredibly weak Green Arrow title– DC missed a golden opportunity to capture the zeitgeist of 2011/2012 by incorporating some sort of Occupy/the 1% vs the 99% theme or storyline into a book whose social conscience always seemed to shine as brightly as its superheroism.

But luckly Archie has done that– and in a way that, I hope, will be fairly evenhanded. If you think Occupy is full of a bunch of lazy, stupid hippies. . .well, you’ve got Jughead. If you think the little guy has a fair beef talking about income inequality and money in politics, then you also get to see this played out in comics.

What about the rest of you robots? Should Archie stay out of politics? Or is this mature, nuanced, timely take on Riverdale something that makes you want to run and grab your nearest Betty and Veronica Double Digest?

This originally appeared on The Huffington Post:

Archie Comics is unveiling today a major step in digital distribution. They’ve teamed up with Graphicly and will now be selling comics through their Facebook fanpage.

With close to 120,000 fans, they’re the largest publisher to add their Facebook fanbase to their digital sales strategy. Fans will be able to read comic book releases from Archie comics after buying them straight from their Facebook pages, but they’ll be synced to all of their devices with the Graphicly app.

This is a very bold move for a major comics distributor, but also seems like a pretty obvious move, especially for Archie. They’ve been ahead of the curve on digital, offering comics digitally on the same day and date of their release in print, and they’ve got the most palatable pricing structure for their digital books. In fact, some of their apps offer unlimited access to their back catalogue.

To talk about this move, I was able to chat with the co-CEO of Archie Comics, Jon Goldwater.

Bryan Young: Archie has pursued an aggressive, successful digital distribution strategy in the last few years. Can you give me the highlights of that and tell me why you think it’s been important?

Jon Goldwater: I saw firsthand what happened to the music industry when they didn’t embrace digital, and I wanted to make sure that didn’t happen to Archie. Unlike most direct market-centric comic companies, Archie has always been about being available. On the newsstand. In comic shops. In bookstores. So it made sense to translate that philosophy to digital, both in availability in timing. Despite what some other companies may claim, we were the first to go day-and-date digital, which means our titles are available to digital consumers the same day they hit stores. We also believe in a different pricing model for digital than print.

We were one of the first companies to aggressively put out collections and expanded product out there digitally. Our Archie Comics app, which is powered by the team at iVerse, has been downloaded close to 4 million times, and our comics are routinely among the most downloaded titles. Just last year in San Diego, we announced plans to launch the first-ever digital superhero universe with our Red Circle Comics app. The app will be a newsstand app via Apple. The shorthand we use is “Netflix for comics.” Each week, a subscriber will get six pages of our flagship title, NEW CRUSADERS, plus access to our continually-growing archive of Crusaders comics dating back to the Golden Age of comics.

In addition to that, we were the first company to make Spanish-language editions of our titles available to our Spanish-speaking readers, and we’ve just launched a Facebook app – in partnership with our friends at Graphicly – to sell Archie comics to our Facebook fans. Currently, we have over 116,000 fans on our main Archie page, growing significantly each day.

Digital is important for a number of reasons. Mainly, we’re always looking for ways to expand and grow the business. Archie is a global icon and one of the most recognizable brands anywhere. It’d be foolish to just limit ourselves to our existing distribution channels. We want Archie to be available to everyone everywhere. We want to create a one-stop shop – an Archie “superstore” that’ll serve everyone’s needs. That’s the goal. Digital is part of that over-arching plan.

BY: Can you explain the significance of this digital launch and why it could be seen as revolutionary?

JG: Facebook has been a huge source of fan interaction, feedback and energy. The ability to merge that with our significant digital output is really a no-brainer. No company with our level of reach on Facebook has done this. It’s in the numbers. Having the chance to make our Facebook page a place for fans to not only learn about the company’s news and initiatives but also to sample our titles and build a collection right on Facebook. It’s really a major move toward connecting the potential reader to the product. We make it easy and hopefully create a new, lasting part of our fanbase.

BY: So how exactly will this work? You post a link to your Facebook followers and they can buy the comic and read it right then and there? Or will it open a new window into Graphicly?

JG: It’s totally embedded with Facebook. You head to the Archie Comics Facebook page, “Like” the page if you haven’t already, and click on “Comics.” From there, the app launches within the confines of the page and you’re off! We wanted to make sure the process was simple and fast, and the Graphicly team has put together a very user-friendly experience. You can sample the first few pages of a title, and if you’re interested, you’re given the option to buy.

BY: Comics bought through facebook, will they be available for users in your app in perpetuity?

JG: The purchase will sync with Graphicly, so on the site and through the Graphicly apps on iOS and Android, your collection stays together.

BY: Tell me about the partnership with Graphicly, how did that come about?

JG: While we’re not the first company to launch this app, we’re the first comic company with a significant Facebook presence to step into this realm, and really, that’s a testament to the great team at Graphicly. Our team got in touch with Graphicly about expanding our relationship and Facebook was one of their top pitches to us, in addition to a few other things we’re still ironing out. It kind of hit us like a bolt of lightning.

Being able to connect directly with our immense Facebook community seemed like a great, untapped opportunity.

BY: What comics are going to be available through Facebook like this at launch?

JG: We’re going all out on this. The Facebook widget will be as up-to-date as we can make it, with many if not all the titles you’d find via the Archie app and our other digital outlets. We want this to be a regular stop for fans and a way for potential new readers to sample the latest and greatest Archie has to offer.

BY: Some people might say Archie comics are old fashioned or outdated, but they’ve been going strong almost as long as the major DC characters and longer than the brunt of the Marvel Universe. In your words, why do you think the Archie gang has continuing appeal?

JG: Well, the fact is Archie is the most progressive comic book publisher out there. Our record speaks for itself.

Archie is for everyone. Riverdale presents an idealized but honest version of our world, and it’s a warm, welcoming place that embraces everyone. When you read Archie, you want to spend more time with him, Betty and Veronica, Jughead, Kevin, etc. You can tell any kind of story – from the introduction of Kevin, to Betty and Veronica fairy tale adventures to KISS showing up in Riverdale. It’s a landscape of unlimited potential and it’s really the only place where anyone can come in and be welcome. Archie Comics are truly all-ages, for all fans, from kids to grandparents.

BY: Archie has also been very bold, rightly so, I think, in addressing social issues. I’m thinking directly about bi-partisanship with your Obama/Palin crossover, or LGBT issues with your Kevin Keller books… Why is that important to you and what else can we expect out of the Archie gang in the future on this front?

JG: I’ve said this before, but Riverdale needs to reflect today and now. The days of Riverdale being retro and stuck in the past are gone. Archie and his friends will remain the same, but they have to interact with the modern world, otherwise we risk becoming a nostalgia publisher. We still retain our family, all-ages and clean image while dealing with today’s world in an honest, funny and genuine way.

Who better to discuss what’s going on in the world than Archie?

I think this sort of sales mechanism is going to have to catch on with other publishers, not just of comics, but of novels as well. Giving people the ability to buy right off the fan page is going to be a valuable step in sales.

I would love to be able to access this sort of model as an indie publisher myself.

Bryan Young is the editor of the geek news and review site Big Shiny Robot! and the author of God Bless You, Mr. Vonnegut.

I am an unabashed fan of Mega Man. If a game or piece of merchandise features the Blue Bomber, it’s a safe bet I plan on adding it to my personal stash. That being said… 2011 was a terrible year for Mega Man fans. Not one but two upcoming Mega-games were cancelled. To add insult to injury, the co-creator of Mega Man, Keiji Inafune left Capcom (the company that publishes/owns Mega Man) due to being disenfranchised with the company and their way of doing business. Because of this, I actually instituted a one-person Capcom boycott. The one Mega-related product I’ve allowed myself is my subscription to Archie’s Mega Man comic book. That being said, if the company that owns the Blue Bomber treated him as well as the chroniclers of his adventures do, I’d gladly open my wallet for them.

Previously in Mega Man:

The second arc has just wrapped up and essentially finished retelling the story of the original Mega Man NES game. As you might expect, this issue starts the retelling of Mega Man 2. While that may sound incredibly uncreative and lazy, the team behind the comic make it their own while still leaving a few winks and nudges to people (like me) who are intimately familiar with the games.

Case in point, as you may or may not know, Mega Man can absorb the abilities of the enemies he defeats. In the videogame Mega Man 2, the Metal Blade weapon is so overpowered that it can be used almost exclusively. It is so powerful in fact that Wood Man and Bubble Man can be defeat in seconds. The writers of the comic seem to know this, as Metal Man and his blades are nowhere to be found, leaving our hero to take on the other two robot masters without the aid of a crutch.

Furthermore, since this is a comic book format, the robot masters themselves can have actually personalities, an aspect early Nintendo games couldn’t really elaborate on. Wood Man knows that he is an anachronism, being a robot made out of wood. He has made his peace with it and is as calm and serene as the forest, until it’s time for battle, that is! On the other hand, Bubble Man has a chip on his shoulder the size of Gibraltar. Being the butt of many jokes due to his having bubbles for a weapon and his aforementioned weakness to metal blades. Bubble Man strives to overcome his shortcomings. This more than anything makes these robots seem very… human.

The real star of the show however, is Mega Man. His characterization is the most poignant of all. Originally a robot built to help his creator Dr. Light with lab experiments, Mega Man volunteered to be converted into a fighting robot when the evil Dr. Wily unleashed his madness on the world. When Wily appears again, Mega Man is of course off to fight again, but he has an inner conflict. He regrets his need to “kill” his robotic brethren. As he defeats his “brothers” there also seems to be consequences lurking around the corner that the games never touched on. It’s fairly heavy stuff for an all ages comic, but at the same time it remains enjoyable for all.

I’ve espoused enough about Ian Flynn’s writing, but so far I’ve neglected to mention the superb art of the Ben Bates/Gary Martin. The art pops off the page at every turn. The storytelling is fluid and dynamic, and gives you the sense of urgency required when running a gauntlet the likes of the one Mega Man is facing. In addition, there is extra eye candy for videogame fans as the art team recreates the opening of Bubble Man’s stage from a new perspective that would not be out of place in a modern-day remake of the game.

All things considered, Mega Man #9 hits on a lot of levels. It’s instantly accessible, leaves you wanting more, and restores my faith in a franchise I was getting ready to leave behind. I can’t think of better praise than that!

Mega Man #9 is now available from finer comic shops everywhere for $2.99. It is also available digitally for $1.99. Enjoy the five page preview in the meantime!

Welcome to the first of a weekly glance at some the digital comics and magazines I’ll be picking up around the web.

First up is Archie comics. Consistently delivering fun comics at great prices, they get at least one purchase from me a month.

Archie #628 Archie meets KISS part 2 is must read comic book fun.
https://comics.comixology.com/#/archie

DARK HORSE COMICS
The new android version of the DH reader doesn’t offer in app purchases yet but it’s very smooth and works perfectly on my new tablet. If you weren’t turned off by all the negative back and forth from DH and shop owners give it a shot.
Only one book you might want to pick up this week, I like to wait for the bundles which usually group 2 to 5 books together with a few dollars off.
STAR WARS CRIMSON EMPIRE III EMPIRE LOST #3 (OF 6)
https://digital.darkhorse.com/

DC COMICS
If these darlings of the digital comic world weren’t ‘Drawing the line at $2.99’ I don’t think they’d be in the position they are now. It seems I’ve dropped a few books from the New 52 but I’ll give them all a try again around issue 6 when new creative teams kick in and give my reasons for staying or going.
AQUAMAN #4
FLASH #4
I VAMPIRE #4
VOODOO #4
https://read.dccomics.com/comixology/

IDW
I’m loving all the G.I. Joe craziness and I know nothing of this title so I’m going to jump in and see what happens.
DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS #14 (is ridiculously priced at 3.99 so issue 13 will get the glance.)
https://comics.comixology.com/

IMAGE
HACK SLASH #11 Always awesome horror comic, jump in anywhere!
WITCH DOCTOR RESUSCITATION ONE SHOT If you missed the first 4 issues of my new favorite book check this out I’m sure it won’t disappoint. You can also get the issues 0-4 with bonus pages for only $5.99.
https://comics.comixology.com/#/image

Marvel
I see no reason in paying an extra dollar for a 23-25 page digital comic book. Marvel has priced their paper books reasonably but carrying the price over is absurd. Until this is fixed they won’t get much business from me.
FF #13 $2.99 and worth every penny.
http://www.comixology.com/Marvel/comics-publisher/2-0

That’s it this week. I have a hard time figuring out what’s going to be available digitally and where to find it. If you’ve got any tips feel free to drop me a line: ken at bigshinyrobot dot com

The characters of Archie comics have a history of having some truly off-beat crossovers and guest appearances. From classics like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Punisher, along with recent fare such as Obama and Palin, the gang from Riverdale has certainly met their fair share of characters. Add to that list, the foursome of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, collectively known as KISS. Is this story destined to go down in history as one of the more memorable, or does it seem like a stunt? Read on for my opinion!

Archie meets KISS is a 4-part story, and as such, that usually means that the first issue is purely setup. That’s the case here as well, but the setup is compelling enough that I forgave a lot. KISS themselves don’t actually appear until page 11, in fact.  Those first pages are spent establishing that Archie and friends (including Sabrina, which is important) have started the Riverdale Monster Society. It starts off innocuously enough with the gang wanting to help out their community with a simple protection spell. Luckily, they have a friend in Sabrina, the teenage witch who is uniquely equipped to do such a thing. All is well and good then, right? Wrong. Veronica and Reggie’s egos come into play and wreak their usual havoc. Soon, Riverdale is infested with monsters, and the only people who can turn the tide are the members of KISS!

Once the band actually makes their presence known, the awesomeness dials is turned up to 11! Taking a page from the classic Marvel KISS tales, writer Alex Segura casts the band not as their real-life counterparts, but as their stage personas, complete with supernatural powers. Their greatest power is of course the power to ROCK, leading to the best panel in the issue. As part 1 concludes, we’re left with a shocking cliffhanger of the town full of mindless zombie-like denizens! Never has anything made me laugh and simultaneously creeped me out as a zombie-fied Li’l Jinx. I’m eageraly awaiting to see how the story plays out. Surely an Archie/Kiss team up will have the two bands rocking together, which is truly something to anticipate.

Dan Parent’s art style lends itself especially well to the crossover. I find the way he draws faces especially appealing. The teens have rounded, fresh faces, whereas KISS has a much more angular, square-jawed style that just plain works. Everyone is instantly recognizable,  which is doubly important, given the iconic nature of the guest stars. As for the writing, I praised Alex Segura on his first Archie outing a few months ago, and I just want to reiterate it here. I would love to see Mt. Segura on a monthly book.

In closing, if you’re even the least bit curious, it behooves you to pick up Archie Meets Kiss. Check out the preview below if you’re unsure, but trust me, this is the best KISS team up since KISS Saves Santa!

One thing that Archie comics has never shied away from is tying into current pop culture. Recent happenings like the Obama/Plain meet-up and the ‘Twilite’ parody exemplify this, but never was Archie Comics finger on the pulse of pop culture like it was in the 60’s. You got “The Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.” & The gang forming “The Archies” as a Beatles stand-in among many others. The 60’s pop-parody that has always and will ever be my favorite though is what is now collectively known as Archie’s SuperTeens.

While Archie as Pureheart the Powerful always seems to get the most attention, I’m a Jughead guy myself. So where the be-beanied one makes the super-heroic scene as Captain Hero, I’m always going to be first in the comic shop to pick up a copy. I got my wish in this week’s Jughead Double Digest #175. Does it hold up to my scrutiny or does Captain Hero’s magic fizzle out? Read on my friends!

If you’re going to do a classic superhero parody, you may as well get a creative team who can play it to the hilt, and with Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz, that’s exactly what you get. These guys have worked together on Marvel comics for years and it shows (in a good way). The artwork is dynamic, the dialog is classic, and the bottom line is that the story is just plain fun to read. Above all else, when I read an Archie comic, I want to finish it feeling like I had a good time. “Captain Hero vs. The Rampaging Rebound” delivers on this promise admirably.

The story itself is one of those time honored tales where there are a bunch of disparate yet related threads that tie up nicely into a bow at the end. I don’t want to give away too much, but we’re introduced to the titular Rebound as well as a new heroine to help Captain Hero on his latest adventure. The Big “e” is a familiar face, but a welcome one, and her adventure is just as satisfying as Captain Hero’s own.

The story’s humor is a bit knowing, playing on familiar superhero tropes, but never in such a way that you feel like you need to be a guru of comic knowledge to “get”. The only thing I had a (very) slight issue with is the depiction of Captain Hero’s powers. He seems to be able to transform every part of his body as the situation requires. It’s a little inconsistent from previous “Hero” stories I’ve read, though I’ll admit I haven’t read them all. I just chalked it up to artistic license, and the fact that the SuperTeens have never been wildly consistent to begin with. I would have liked to see a re-use of the beanie dart gun, though.

So the main story is all well and good, but what about the rest of the book? A nice side-dish of Jughead reprints from all over the character’s publishing history like always. In fact, I would love it if the folks at Archie would include a little footnote indicating where the reprints first appeared so I could place them in time a bit better. At any rate, I must reiterate my belief that the Archie series digests are absolutely the most bang for your buck you can get in comics these days. To someone like me who has a limited budget, and I have a choice between 160 pages of Jughead antics and 20-odd pages of the latest Spider-Man? Well, I love ya Spidey, but Jug wins this round!

Jughead Double Digest #175 is available at any retailer worth it’s salt right now, what are you waiting for, go buy it!

Every Thursday we’re going to try to highlight a graphic novel or TP that comes out. I’m already promising you’ll get a V for Vendetta one before the end of the month, since you can’t go anywhere and not see someone wearing a Guy Fawkes mask. . . and since Anonymous has threatened to blow up the world on Nov 5th… or release a bunch of documents about Bank of America. . . or something (I’m not quite clear).  But we wanted to highlight one this week that we had also covered when it came out in its monthly series (including this interview our own Swankmotron did with the Archie head honchos).

From the publisher: (and I’ve bolded portions of note)

A positive tale with a message of cooperation, civility, and friendship? I guess that’s the difference between Washington DC and Riverdale.

It’s being oversimplistic and idealistic, but why can’t it be that way? I can’t imagine any of the GOP Presidential frontrunners sitting down and having a civil meal or watching a football game with each other, much less with President Obama. Remember the old Looney Tunes cartoon with the sheepdog and the wolf? They greeted each other as they punched in their timecards, would mercilessly attack and pummel each other, and then the work whistle would blow and they’d just stop, even mid-pummel. And then they’d punch out. I wish our politics were more like that. But the extreme vitriol we’ve seen these days. . . well, it just does make us wish for a place more like Riverdale.

Pick this one up if you missed it the first time around. Read it with your kids, and shut off the cable news blaring that the President is a secret Kenyan Socialist or that Mitt Romney belongs to a cult, and let them know that our politics deserve better.

Oh yeah, this is definitely news-worthy. KISS, the incredibly iconic rock group is returning to comics. While both IDW and Archie have the license to make KISS books, I wanted to focus on Archie’s effort. Archie is no stranger to off the wall crossovers, famously teaming with the Punisher and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the 90’s. And KISS is no stranger to the comics page, having some truly high concept stuff from Marvel in the 70’s and later on with Image in the 90’s. I’ll be honest though. When I first heard about this, my WTF meter kind of spiked. Then I read the book’s actual summary and now I am really jonesing to read this book.

Starting in November’s Archie #627, the four-part “Archie Meets KISS” story will be written by Alex Segura, who recently proved his writing chops over in Archie & Friends and it’ll be drawn by Dan Parent, who is in my opinion the best artist in Archie’s stable. The premise is this: One of Sabrina’s spells goes off wrong and a bunch of monsters invade Riverdale. This predicament brings the forces of the Archies and KISS together to rid the world of these foul creatures with the power of rock!

Don’t take my word for it though, here are some select quotes first, Gene Simmons himself.

“KISS has a comic book history that spans almost four decades…but it was time to do things better than ever before. What’s bigger than two different companies sharing the KISS license? Archie and IDW will tell two unique and in-your-face tales of KISS, and we’re thrilled to be working with them on these projects.”

Then from Archie Co-CEO Jon Goldwater:

“We’re ecstatic to team up with Gene, Paul and the entire KISS Army for this project. KISS is such a huge part of Americana and that goes hand-in-hand with Archie and friends. We’re honored and excited to help bring KISS back to comics in a huge way.

And while IDW hasn’t really announced their part yet Chief Creative Office at IDW, Chris Ryall had this to say:

“IDW’s KISS series will kick off in a very special way in 2012. “Having done comics with Gene Simmons for a number of years already, I’m ecstatic to now be involved fully with the ‘hottest band in the world. We’ve found a very unique way to launch our KISS comics, and have big plans for the series that we’ll be revealing soon. I look forward to bringing KISS back to comics in a huge way!”

“I think this is the first time two comic publishers have shared a license at the same time, and I’m happy that setting this precedent are Archie and IDW. We both have very different audiences and distribution methods to reach our unique audiences, as well as both of us reaching traditional comics fans, too. We’ll be able to reach all ages of the KISS Army in ways never before equaled. We’re both ready to rock and roll (all night).”

Well said, now, I wonder what we have to do to convince Archie to print the comics with authentic KISS blood?

Anyone who follows BSR knows that I’m the resident Archie guy, so when TMZ reported that the venerable company had filed suit against its own Co-CEO, I had to weigh in with my own thoughts. First, in case you haven’t heard yet, the actual news.

Archie Comics Publications has filed papers citing bullying and sexual harassment against Nancy Silberkleit, Co-CEO of the company since 2008 after the death of her husband, Michael. Allegedly, Ms. Silberkleit has a history of abusive behavior, including an incident in 2009 where she barged into a meeting and “pointed to each [attendee] and said, ‘PENIS, PENIS, PENIS, PENIS’ and then walked out.”

Archie has apparently hired an outside firm to investigate the claims and the company recommended Archie cut ties with Nancy as soon as possible. Archie Comics is hoping for a judge to grant an injunction which will keep Nancy away from the Archie offices as well as San Diego Comic-Con.

It’s that last bit that pains me a bit. Don’t get me wrong, sexual harassment in any form is wrong, and should be dealt with accordingly. If the allegations against Nancy Silberkleit are true, it is within Archie’s best interest to sever ties with the woman. I can’t help but be a bit sad about it though, because it’ll essentially end decades of what has essentially been a multi-family owned business. When Archie Comics first started, it was called MLJ Comics, in honor of Maurice Coyne, Louis Silberkleit and John L. Goldwater, the founders.

While companies like Marvel and DC have changed ownership many times over the years, Coyne was CFO of Archie until he retired in the 70’s while Silberkliet and Goldwater’s heirs own the company today. If Archie has to oust Silberkliet, Archie will still be owned by Jon Goldwater, current Co-CEO, but it’ll truly be the end of an era.

TMZ was unable to contact Silberkleit, but if we get new details, we’ll be sure to share them with you.