Hey, do you like inter-company crossovers? Even if you don’t, one happened recently that was the perfect meshing of worlds. The Tiny Titans met Little Archie and his friends! If you missed it, now you have the opportunity to buy the whole story for a song, in convenient digest format! The people at Archie are the ones who get to reprint it, and they provided us with a very generous 15 page preview. Confidentially, I consider this book to be the perfect gateway to get your little one into comics. If you like what you see, give it a read when it hits shops next Wednesday!

WORLD OF ARCHIE #5
“Little Archie/ Tiny Titans” Parts 1-3.
The world ofThe world of Archie Comics and DC Comics collide in the complete collection of the three-part Little Archie/Tiny Titans crossover! Pandemonium and brand new friendships abound as a simple laundry switch leads to adventures with Robin, Beast Boy, Josie and the Pussycats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Archie & friends! Plus, is Miss Grundy related to Solomon Grundy?
SCRIPT: Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani
ARTIST: Art Baltazar
COVER: Art-chie Baltazar
Shipping Date: 3/2/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 3/9/2011
Newsstands: 3/22/2011
Digest, 160 pgs, 30 lb newsprint, Full-Color
$3.99 US

So, that Charlie Sheen guy has been in the news recently. And it’s been a fascinating trip inside a celebrity’s mind, and now it seems that the happy insanity has crossed over into comicdom! The following piece of art has been seen in various other places around the internet, notably the MTV Geek blog, but this aketch by Archie artist Fernando Ruiz  has to truly be seen to be believed.

I can’t decide if Betty and Veronica are truly happy to be invited to Charlie’s sexy party, or if they have-deer-in the headlights expressions on their faces because they’re scared out of their wits. To be honest, this picture is just a fun sketch by Ruiz, and it by no means is indicative of Sheen appearing in Archie Comics. If it did happen though, the story possibilities would be endless.

• The above pictured “anointing” of B&V as “goddesses”
• The Archie gang has a series of face-melting thanks to the new drug ‘Charlie Sheen’
• A Martian  three-way (heh) concert is held with The Archies, Josie & the Pussycats, and Sheen aka “The rock star from Mars”
• Charlie leading the Riverdale Historical Society in it’s Civil War re-enactment, since he is “battle-tested bayonets”
• A new mini-series ‘Charlie’s Vatican Assassins”
• Sheen donates the “rocket fuel in the tip of his saber” to Dilton, creating a new renewable energy source until it goes horribly wrong.
• Charlie wins the annual Riverdale surfing contest, thanks to his mercury surfboard
• Jughead reports sightings of “droopy-eyed armless children” after one of Charlie’s legendary parties
• As mentioned by Chris Sims, an all out warlock battle with Salem, Sabrina’s cat.

Man, now I kind of want to read those…

One of the things I love about the Archie franchise is how malleable it is while still keeping itself grounded in “reality”. That is to say, you can have vampires and political figures floating around Riverdale, but the gang is still the gang. Next week, in Archie & Friends #153, we get to see a bit more of that. It’s a really cool concept where the running story is that Reggie is in full-on prank mode (it is April Fool’s Day, after all). The thing that sets this book apart though, is that each part of the story is done by a different creative team! The folks that do the Sonic comics as well as the Sabrina, The Teenage Witch book lend their hand. What I think is most interesting though is comic legends Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz, both of whom I am a big fan of, also dip their toes into the Archie pool.  Enough of me jabbering on, check out the preview pages and see the coolness for yuorself!

ARCHIE & FRIENDS #153
“The April Fool,” “Noon Too Soon,” “King of Fools” and more!
This April Fools Day it’s Reggie’s Revenge! The King of Pranks will be pranked when four brand new teams of writers and artists take on Reggie and the gang! Comic book legends join forces with Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Sonic the Hedgehog superstar comic writers for foolishly good fun!
SCRIPT: Tom DeFalco, J. Torres, Tania del Rio, and Ian Flynn
ARTIST: Ron Frenz, Tim Levins, Tania del Rio, and Gisèle
COVER: Fernando Ruiz, Mike DeCarlo and Tito Peña
Shipping Date: 3/2/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 3/9/2011
Newsstands: 3/22/11
Digest, 160 pgs, 30 lb newsprint, Full-Color
$3.99 US

The fine folks at Archie have sent us a sneak peek at Veronica #205, on sale today! Popular new character Kevin Keller is back, and he’s Veronica’s new best friend! But with Ronnie spending all of her time talking to Kevin, is her relationship with Betty falling by the wayside? Will she ever get her cell phone back? Head on over to your local comic book selling establishment and find out!

VERONICA #205
“The Buddy System”
Kevin Keller, star of the SOLD-OUT Veronica #202, is back! Veronica and Kevin have become inseparable, but their constant contact is pushing away the most important person in Veronica’s life. Can Kevin and the gang help Veronica remember one very important date before it ends the world’s greatest friendship?
SCRIPT: Dan Parent
ARTIST: Dan Parent, Rich Koslowski, Jack Morelli and Digikore
COVER: Dan Parent
Shipping Date: 2/23/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 3/2/2011
Newsstands: Week of 3/15/2011
Comic, 32 pgs, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US

So, last week we had a contest going to win a beautiful Archie Giclee print from AllPosters.com. All the entrants had to do was tell us their favorite character from the world of Archie Comics and a brief description why. There were a lot of great entires, and many passionate responses. The entries were pored over for a bit, and let me tell you, it was a tough decision.

Some of the highlights were Robyn Hill’s vote for Sabrina, The Teenage Witch where she pointed out there was always a lesson to be learned in those stories.  Another favorite was Christine Dinh’s gushing over Katy Keene. The one that probably made the BSR staffers smile the most was A.D. Gonzales and his truly inspired speech about Moose Mansfield. There were a ton of great entries and a big thank you to all who entered! Sadly, there can only be one winner, though.

The entry that ended up being a winner spoke of a character most people have never heard of, but it shows how dedicated someone can be to a character that they’ve been pining for a return for decades. BSR is proud to present the winner of the Archie Glicee (presented by AllPosters.com): Dora!

Here’s what got her the prize.

The choice is obvious: Miss Hipswing from the story “The Lover” in Jughead #179 (1970) for the simple reasons that she wears glasses but Samm Schwartz still draws her cute…and her name is “Hipswing.” I assume she was fed up with the gang mocking her (they mistakenly thought Jughead had a crush on her, the new teacher) and left town because she was never seen again. But I keep hoping! Of course, it’s 41 years later for everyone living outside of Riverdale’s time bubble, so she’s probably Miss Grundy age now, but still.

That is the definition of devotion to a character. Congratulations on winning, Dora! If you’ll email your shipping details to me at shaz (at) bigshinyrobot.com, I’ll let the AllPosters people know and you’ll have this beauty coming to your door very soon.

Again, thanks to all the entrants. If you decide that you want to go ahead and buy a print for yourself, check out the AllPosters Archie storefront where you can find the above print and many more, including the aforementioned Katy Keene and Sabrina!

So, you just got a taste of what Archie has to offer after their huge Valentine’s Day iOS sale and you want to know what’s coming up? Well we’ve got you covered. A few highlights include the return of the classic cover headers for the main Archie titles, a slew of video game titles (Mega Man!), and the conclusion of the Little Archie/Sabrina team-up that involves… Justin Beaver. There’s plenty more though, so read on, make a note of what you like, and either tell your local comic retailer, or get them on your iDevice the same day they release in stores!

ARCHIE COMICS FOR MAY 2011

ARCHIE #621
“The Lost Land” Part 1
What is the secret of San Mantana? In the “Lost Land,” the gang heads south of the equator for an archeological expedition. On a routine hike, the gang discovers dinosaur bones that are only a few months old! And then discover dinosaur bones… on a hungry live dinosaur!
SCRIPT: Tom DeFalco
ARTIST: Fernando Ruiz
COVER: Fernando Ruiz
Shipping Date: 5/11/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 5/25/2011
Newsstands: Week of 5/31/2011
Comic, 32 pgs, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US

ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #219
“Tow Wow” and “Wet Behind the Ears”
In “Tow Wow,” Archie’s frustration with his car forces him to join the Motor Club. But Archie doesn’t get his car fixed! He just gets towed everywhere: school, home and even dates! Next, in “Wet Behind the Ears,” Archie can’t seem to keep himself dry! Sprinklers, rain and even water balloons don’t slow him down on his way to a party at Veronica’s.
SCRIPT: Bill Golliher, Mike Pellowski
ARTIST: Pat Kennedy, Jim Amash, Bob Bolling
COVER: Pat Kennedy
Shipping Date: 5/25/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 6/8/2011
Newsstands: Week of 6/14/2011
Digest, 160 pgs, 30 lb newsprint, Full-Color
$3.99 US

ARCHIE & FRIENDS #155
“Little Archie Pets” Part 2 – “EEEE-Ger Beaver”
The pet adventure concludes! Sabrina’s cat Salem has given all the gang’s pets the power to communicate with one another. As the Power Pets enjoy a day at the zoo they are treated to a concert featuring Justin Beaver who is an instant sensation for both pets and owners alike!
SCRIPT: Angelo DeCesare
ARTIST: Fernando Ruiz
COVER: Fernando Ruiz
Shipping Date: 5/4/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 5/18/2011
Newsstands: Week of 5/24/2011
Comic, 32 pages, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US

WORLD OF ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #7
“Cafeteria Cook Showdown” and “The Gig”
Riverdale High is in for a culinary treat! In “Cafeteria Cook Showdown,” Ms. Beazley has been selected to compete in the Regional Cafeteria Cook-off…and wait to you see what she makes! Next, “The Gig” finds the Archies competing to be in a movie about a struggling band. But the film is being shot in Alaska!
SCRIPT: Bill Golliher, George Gladir
ARTIST: Stan Goldberg, Al Milgrom, Jeff Shultz, Jim Amash
COVER: Fernando Ruiz
Shipping Date: 5/11/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 5/25/2011
Newsstands: Week of 5/31/2011
Digest, 160 pgs, 30 lb newsprint, Full-Color
$3.99 US

BETTY #192
“Spy Girls – Back in Action,” Part 2
The conclusion of a two-part spy crossover! Pranks and bad behavior are running wild in Riverdale! Agents Betty and Veronica soon discover the problems could be caused by coded messages hidden on the popular kids show Funtime USA! And the main culprit appears to be a lovable clown named Klutzy. Things look to get worse when Funtime USA makes a live stop in Riverdale! Continues from last month’s VERONICA #206.
SCRIPT: Dan Parent
ARTIST: Dan Parent
COVER: Dan Parent
Shipping Date: 5/18/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 6/1/2011
Newsstands: Week of 6/7/2011
Comic, 32 pages, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US

BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #191
“Going Green”
When Mr. Lodge introduces his environmentally friendly homes, he agrees to let the gang live in one to try it out! But how will they react to being watched 24/7? In the end, they not only show how the house saves the environment, but they get a song out of it.
SCRIPT: Bill Golliher
ARTIST: Stan Goldberg, Jim Amash
COVER: Fernando Ruiz
Shipping Date: 5/18/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 6/1/2011
Newsstands: Week of 6/7/2011
Digest, 160 pgs, 30 lb newsprint, Full-Color
$3.99 US

B&V FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #214
“Librarians on the Loose” and “Jumping to Conclusions”
Did you ever think librarians were boring people? In “Librarians on the Loose,” Betty discovers it’s not just about checking in and out books! Join Betty and Dilton as they take on a globe trotting mission to collect old and valuable books! Finally in “Jumping to Conclusions,” Betty, Veronica and their friend Nancy find out all the cool stuff they did as kids isn’t as easy when you’re a teenager. In fact, it could be dangerous!
SCRIPT: Bill Golliher, Mike Pellowski
ARTIST: Stan Goldberg, Jeff Shultz, Rich Koslowski
COVER: Pat Kennedy
Shipping Date: 5/4/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 5/18/2011
Newsstands: Week of 5/24/2011
Comic, 32 pages, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US

JUGHEAD #207
“In the Family” – Part 1
When Jughead moves in with Archie, he not only brings Hot Dog but he brings all the problems that made him leave his own home! How will Mr. Andrews react to losing his favorite chair to a dog and having a freezer full of dog treats that he accidentally eats?
SCRIPT: Craig Boldman
ARTIST: Rex Lindsey
COVER: Fernando Ruiz
Shipping Date: 5/4/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 5/18/2011
Newsstands: Week of 5/24/2011
Comic, 32 pgs, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US

JUGHEAD DOUBLE DIGEST #170
“Food for Thought” and “A Matter of Taste”
In “Food for Thought,” Jughead tries to decide what he wants to do for a career. How does his decision bring together two business rivals? Finally in a “Matter of Taste” Jughead accompanies Betty and Archie to the county fair. While he was there he decides the food booths are much more fun than the games, until he finds a way to combine the two.
SCRIPT: George Gladir, Mike Pellowski
ARTIST: Pat Kennedy, Mike DeCarlo, Bob Bolling, Jim Amash,
COVER: Pat Kennedy
Shipping Date: 5/4/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 5/18/2011
Newsstands: Week of: 5/24/2011
Comic, 32 pgs, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US

LIFE WITH ARCHIE #11
Special Harry Potter issue! Featuring quizzes, features and much more.
“Archie Loves Betty: Freshman Year–The First Semester” Part 5,
“Archie Loves Veronica: The Trial of Reggie Mantle” Part 5, &
“Li’l Jinx Grows Up” Part 5
NOW WITH 80 PAGES AND MORE NEW STORIES!
In “Archie Loves Veronica,” Ronnie makes a surprise discovery that could affect her finances with Archie. Plus, where’s Jughead? In “Archie Loves Betty,” Archie takes a more hardline approach to his students – but will it work? How will Veronica and Jason Blossom’s relationship…well, blossom? Also, writer J. Torres and artist Rick Burchett continue their acclaimed “JINX” series, telling the high school adventures of the classic Archie character.
SCRIPT: Paul Kupperberg, J. Torres
ARTIST: Norm Breyfogle, Rick Burchett
COVER: Norm Breyfogle
Shipping Date: 5/18/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 6/1/2011
Newsstands: Week of 6/7/2011
Magazine, 80 pgs, glossy stock, Full-Color
$3.99 US

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #225
“One Step Forward . . .”: Sonic’s 25th Anniversary begins HERE with a double-sized Gatefold cover! Dr. Eggman’s newest creation threatens all of Mobius, forcing Sonic to team up with the evil Ixis Naugus. It’s a race against time with a world-changing ending you won’t believe! The prelude to “Genesis” starts here with this anniversary issue!
SCRIPT: Ian Flynn
ARTIST:Tracy Yardley!, Terry Austin, John Workman & Matt Herms
Gatefold Cover by Patrick Spaziante
Shipping Date: 5/18/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 6/1/2011
Newsstands: Week of 6/7/2011
Comic, 32 pgs, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US

SONIC UNIVERSE #28
“Fractured Mirror” Part Four: The Freedom Fighters have fallen! Now the only one left to save this dark world is Silver the Hedgehog! It’s psychic power versus chaos power as our hero from the future goes all-out against the terrifying Enerjak! Don’t miss the cataclysmic conclusion to the Silver Saga!
SCRIPT: Ian Flynn
ARTIST: Tracy Yardley!, Jim Amash, Phil Felix, Ray Dillon
COVER: Tracy Yardley!, Jim Amash & Ben Hunzeker
Shipping Date: 5/4/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 5/18/2011
Newsstands: Week of 5/24/2011
Comic, 32 pgs, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US

MEGA MAN #2
“Let the Games Begin!” Part Two: Rock was just a simple helper-robot. Now he’s the world-saving Mega Man! Armed with only his Mega Buster, can Mega Man face down the Robot Masters? More importantly, can he face his own reservations about fighting his own kind?
SCRIPT: Ian Flynn
ARTIST: Patrick Spaziante, John Workman & Matt Herms
COVER: Patrick “SPAZ!” Spaziante
Villain Variant Cover by Patrick Spaziante
Shipping Date: 5/25/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 6/8/2011
Newsstands: Week of 6/14/2011
Comic, 32 pgs, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US

SONIC ARCHIVES Vol.15
Let the WORLD TOUR begin! Dr. Robotnik may still be missing, but that doesn’t mean life is easy for Sonic the Hedgehog! It’s adventures and mysteries galore as Sonic has his first encounter with the cyborg simian – Monkey Khan! Also featuring the beginning of the epic “World Tour” saga as Sonic and Tails take off to find the vile wizard Ixis Naugus! You can’t pass up on this volume full of first appearances and major turning points for hero and villain alike!
SCRIPT & ARTIST: Various
Cover by Patrick Spaziante
Soft Cover, 112 pages, 5″x 7 3/8″, glossy stock, Full-Color
$7.95 US / $8.95 CAN

Today is one of those days where you can certainly say “Everything’s Archie”! Hot on the heels of the BSR/Archie/AllPosters contest, we’ve gotten word that Archie Comics is having quite the sale over on their iTunes digital comics app!

In honor of Verizon users finally getting access to Apple’s iPhone, Archie decided it would be a great time to welcome the influx of new users Archie has reduced the price of every comic on the app to an astonishing $.99! While many back issues are already 99 cents on the app, this applies to new releases as well, including the incredible Life With Archie magazine, Sonic the Hedgehog, and possibly best of all, digital trades like The Matchmakers are also 99 cents! And if you’re new to Archie, they do offer 12 free issues to get your toes wet. It’s another part of Archie’s digital initiative that continues to show that they get it. If you’re interested, you’d best get on it soon. The sale ends of Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14th!

If you aren’t a Verizon customer, but still have an iDevice, no worries. This sale applies to anyone who has access to the app. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some digicomics to buy.

Recently, AllPosters.com in conjunction with Archie Comics have released a line of high-quality Giclee prints. We here at BSR have been graciously given the opportunity to give one away to you, the faithful BigShinyRoboteer! All you have to do is leave a comment here, on the forum, or on our Facebook page telling us who your favorite character from Archie Comics is, and why? Keep in mind, you don’t have to limit yourself to Archie & the Gang. If you’re a really big fan of Josie, Li’l Jinx, The Shield, or The Web, pour your heart out! We’ll feature our favorites, and the top pick will get a 30 x 40 Giclee of The Archies pictured below!

Looks pretty good, right? Keep in mind, there are many, many more designs at the site (nearly 200 in all), ranging from classic covers, to modern covers, to pin ups like the one above, and they can all be seen via the portal site which is located here. You can check out a few more samples below, but be sure to get your entries in quickly! The contest ends on Feburary 17th, 2011! The winner will be announced the next day here on BSR. One entry per person, please.

In case you hadn’t noticed, Archie Comics is back in a big way. Their aggressive marketing and new approaches to the digital age have made people who would have normally blown off the venerable publisher take notice. One of the things that has been the most pervasive is the storyline featuring President Barack Obama and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.  This issue finishes that storyline, with a bit of mixed results.

Previously (and recapped very nicely in the book in case you missed last issue), Archie and Reggie were running for class president, and their prospective campaign managers got the bright idea to have them pose for pictures with the previously presented politicos. This kind of blows up in their faces in true Archie fashion, and the two VIPs find time in their busy schedules to come to Riverdale and sort the mess out.

Therein lies the only issue I had with the story, but it’s kind of a big one. With the media blitz that happens when all of this hits the fan, the book quickly becomes “Obama & Palin visit Riverdale with some redhead to the side” There are a few pages of tv-style interviews and they really annoyed me. They were full of beating around the bush an the sort of rhetoric I am not fond of in real life. I can say that at least it is accurate.

Thankfully, Archie and the gang take the stage soon after all this, realizing they’re responsible for this mess, so they need to fix it. In the meantime, an informer calling himself “Sore Throat” informs President Obama as to the true character of Reg and Arch. Eventually, confrontations are had between the candidates and the politicians. The book really shined for me here. Obama’s speech to Archie struck a chord with me, it was all about personal responsibility and being accountable. Reggie too has a powwow with Palin, with slightly different results (this is Reggie Mantle, after all). Everything works out in the end, and lessons have been learned.

All in all, I was prepared to not like this issue at all. I dislike stories that seem driven by shock or event value, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised with the way everything played out. The art too, is also a treat. Dan Parent is probably my favorite artist in the Archie stable, his renditions of Palin and Obama are immediately recognizable, yet they never devolve into caricatures of themselves. I would say if you’re curious, pick it up. It’s definitely worth it.

Archie #617 goes on sale tomorrow, January 26th for $2.99 at finer comic shops everywhere.

When Archie Andrews took a walk down the forked road in 2009 he lived in two separate realities and married both Betty and Veronica. Now, in Life With Archie both futures are explored and the hi jinx continue in Riverdale long after the romance is gone. Personally I can only see Archie with Betty an Reggie belongs in jail!

LIFE WITH ARCHIE #7 is on sale next week 1/26/2011
SCRIPT: Paul Kupperberg
ART: Norm Breyfogle, Joe Rubinstein, Jack Morelli and Glenn Whitmore
COVER: Norm Breyfogle and Tito Pena