Archie gave us a first look for another upcoming trade paperback, which in my opinion is pretty cool. Good ol’ Chuck Clayton is working at Riverdale’s Pep Comics (a cool bit of self-reference there), when all of a sudden, a meteor shower hits the town, and the shop itself! Instead of getting Tom Welling moping around for 10 seasons, we get comic characters come to life! I didn’t read these when they were originally serialized, but I know that among the characters to show up are the Red Circle/MLJ/Archie/Whatever they’re called now super heroes! The Web, the Shield, the Comet… too cool! I’ll be picking this one up, and so should you. Even though the story only just starts in these preview pages, the self-referential humor was enough to get me hooked!

NIGHT AT THE COMIC SHOP
“Comic Cosmosis,” “Comic Cosmosis” Part 2, “Meteor Madness” and “Interdimensional Insanity”
Something strange is going on in the basement of PEP Comics! When portals from other dimensions begin to appear and open, what comes out is a who’s who of classic characters! Join Sam Hill, Bentley of Scotland Yard, Gloomy Gus and Super Duck and other classic characters from Archie Comics past as they arrive in Riverdale to see new things and have new adventures. But the problem is these characters don’t want to leave Riverdale and if they stay it will be nothing but trouble!
SCRIPT: FERNANDO RUIZ
ARTIST: FERNANDO RUIZ, BILL GALVAN, AL MILGROM, JIM AMASH
COVER: FERNANDO RUIZ
Shipping Date: 4/18/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 5/4/2011
Soft Cover, 6”x9”, 128 pgs, glossy stock, Full-Color
$9.95 US

I think it goes without saying that the majority of gamers prefer Sonic on a 2D plane.  Sega recognized that and tried to address it with Sonic 4: Episode 1, but for a lot of gamers that title fell short. It was close, but not quite all the way there yet. With Sonic 4: Episode 2 not even having an estimated release date, Sega has announced their new full-fledged Sonic title, Sonic Generations.

Somehow Sonic has been split in two: Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic. With each level you can approach it one of two ways, you guessed it: Modern or Classic. In the classic version you will be dashing from left to right. Modern you control Sonic from behind. Try to think of Dreamcast’s Sonic Adventure.

Sega has also announced there will be no power ups or other characters. Just these two versions of Sonic. And supposedly they’ve fixed that momentum problem every one was griping about with Sonic 4: Episode 1. Here’s hoping they get this one right.

Thanks to Kotaku for reporting on this.

This is pretty cool.  A few months ago, Archie was running a story where Archie finds himself inadvertently becoming a super spy! Now that admittedly great story is collected in trade form! You can thrill to the adventures of the Man from R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E. as he takes on Mad Doctor Doom (not the one you’re thinking of). Get a little skeeved out when mistress of disguise, Sharry, the Spy Girl disguises herself as Miss Beazley! Trust me on this, the preview pages below doesn’t even scratch the surface of the fun the story contains.  Take a look!

THE MAN FROM R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.
“The Blackest (and Bluest) Day,”“R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E Dissembled,” “The Crisis At Riverdale High” and “The Walking Dazed”
When Archie’s cousin Andrew comes to Riverdale there’s never a dull moment! And on this visit, he’s not alone! The villainous Mad Doctor Doom and his organization C.R.U.S.H have targeted the students of Riverdale High with a devious plan to turn them into the Walking Dazed! But when Andrew gets captured it’s up to Archie and his agents of R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E. to stop the spread of Formula Z, rescue Andrew and help capture the mysterious Sharry, the Spy Girl.
SCRIPT: TOM DEFALCO
ARTIST: FERNANDO RUIZ, RICH KOSLOWSKI
COVER: FERNANDO RUIZ, RICH KOSLOWSKI
Shipping Date: 4/4/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 4/20/2011
Soft Cover, 6”x9”, 128 pgs, glossy stock, Full-Color
$9.95 US

The upcoming Archie Double Digest is an interesting one, in that it features Big Moose, who usually isn’t what you’d call a proactive character. It seems he’s taking a stand for something, which kind of echoes his potential future as Mayor of Riverdale, as seen in Life with Archie. You also get a story featuring Archie bending Pop Tate’s ear like he was a bartender. All this and more (160 pages worth) are coming your way wrapped in a great cover by Dan Parent. Reserve your copy today!

ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #218
“The Strong Silent Type” and “Problems Galore”
Developers have targeted Moose’s favorite fishing hole for a large building project! In “The Strong Silent Type,” the usually quiet Moose begins a silent protest and everyone takes notice! Then in “Problem’s Galore,” Archie begins to sink under the weight of all his concerns. But when they all get fixed after winning a contest, why is he still moping around? Also includes a number of classic Archie stories!
SCRIPT: PAUL KUPPERBERG, GEORGE GLADIR
ARTIST: STAN GOLDBERG, AL MILGROM, BOB BOLLING, JIM AMASH
COVER: DAN PARENT
Shipping Date: 4/20/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 4/27/2011
Newsstands: Week of 5/10/2011
Digest, 160 pgs, 30 lb newsprint, Full-Color
$3.99 US

July sees the Archie books come with a lot of welcome additions/throwbacks. I am most looking forward to the return of Pureheart and the rest of the Archie Super Teens, but there is something for everyone this month! Video gamers can enjoy Sonic and Mega Man as always Sci-fi & horror fans can enjoy the Archie’s Weird Mysteries trade, based on the cartoon of some years past. The popular Kevin Keller character continues his mini-series (strangely enough doubling in the indices as Veronica issues), and there’s even a new Sabrina trade! Take a look, and then tell your retailer you want the latest Archie books!

ARCHIE COMICS FOR JULY 2011

ARCHIE AND FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #7

“Cold Cash”
It may be summer, but it’s getting cold! When the Ice Cube and The Witch Doctor to rob Lodge Industries it’s up to Riverdale’s greatest superhero, Pureheart to stop them in their tracks! Can Pureheart save Mr. Lodge’s millions and bring the heat to Ice Cube’s plans?
SCRIPT: FRANK DOYLE
ARTIST: BOB WHITE, MARIO ACQUAVIVA
COVER: FERNANDO RUIZ, BOB SMITH
Shipping Date: 7/6/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 7/20/2011
Newsstands: 7/26/2011
Digest, 160 pgs, 30 lb newsprint, Full-Color
$3.99 US

ARCHIE’S WEIRD MYSTERIES

Collecting some of the best tales from the series based on the hit cartoon, Archie and the gang continue their classic adventures – with a weird, offbeat twist! Archie is working for Riverdale High School’s newspaper, investigating weird phenomena and bizarre happenings. It seems the school’s science department blew a fuse in its hyper sub-molecular quarkinator and all sorts of things are now crawling and slithering through the town. It’s up to Archie to look into the cases and usually he happens to be there when they are resolved as well. All of the gang from the pop television series shows up, including occasional appearances from their own Sabrina the Teenage Witch, popular comic book character of the 1970s and popular television character of the late 1990s.
SCRIPT: PAUL CASTIGLIA
ARTIST: FERNANDO RUIZ
COVER: FERNANDO RUIZ, RICH KOSLOWSKI
Shipping Date: 7/5/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 7/20/2011
6×9, 128 page, softcover trade paperback
$9.95 US / $10.95 CAN

SONIC UNIVERSE #30

“Inside Job” Part Two
Scourge the “Evil Sonic” is imprisoned in Zone Jail! He’s going to need support to escape, but the mercenary gang of the Destructix aren’t interested. Can Scourge delve into their dark pasts and find a reason to gain their trust? Or will he wind up a green smear on the wall?
SCRIPT: IAN FLYNN
ARTIST: TRACY YARDLEY!, JIM AMASH, PHIL FELIX, STEVE DOWNER
COVER: TRACY YARDLEY! JIM AMASH & BEN HUNZEKER
Shipping Date: 7/6/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 7/20/2011
Newsstands: 7/26/2011
Comic, 32 pages, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US

ARCHIE #623

“Banded Together”
It’s a battle of epic proportions! In “˜Banded Together’ the Archies and Josie and the Pussycats play on the season finales of competing reality shows, All American Idol and The X – Factory! But will the ratings winner be an up and coming reality show showcasing Archie and Veronica’s relationship?
SCRIPT: DAN PARENT
ARTIST: FERNANDO RUIZ, RICH KOSLOWSKI
COVER: DAN PARENT, RICH KOSLOWSKI
Shipping Date: 7/13/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 7/27/2011
Newsstands: 8/2/2011
Comic, 32 pages, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US

B & V DOUBLE DIGEST #193

“Losers Can Be Choosers” and “Dog Gone It”
In “Losers Can Be Choosers”, Riverdale is home to a new comic book convention. And with comic conventions, comes costume contests. Join in the pageantry as Betty, Veronica and Cheryl Blossom all compete for first place! Then in “Dog Gone It”, Betty spends time as a pet sitter, but is forced to be a dog catcher when he runs away.
SCRIPT: GEORGE GLADIR, JOHN ROSE
ARTIST: STAN GOLDBERG, AL BOLLING, JIM AMASH
COVER: FERNANDO RUIZ, BOB SMITH
Shipping Date: 7/13/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 7/27/2011
Newsstands: 8/2/2011
Digest, 160 pgs, 30 lb newsprint, Full-Color
$3.99 US

B & V FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #216

“Teen Spirit”
In “Teen Spirit”, Betty and Veronica are trapped on a yacht with a bunch of sleeping boys. Looking for adventure, they come across an old pirate ship rumored to be haunted by a ghost. When they get on board, they discover there is a ghost, but they don’t realize he’s a teenage ghost who is lovesick!
SCRIPT: ANGELO DECESARE
ARTIST: DAN PARENT, JOHN D’AGOSTINO
COVER: DAN DeCARLO
Shipping Date: 7/13/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 7/27/2011
Newsstands: 8/2/2011
Digest, 160 pgs, 30 lb newsprint, Full-Color
$3.99 US

JUGHEAD DOUBLE DIGEST #172

“Treasure Hunt” and “Tricks and Costume Day”
In “Treasure Hunt”, the gang finds a treasure map in Jughead’s attic and begins to search for riches in the back yard! But will the hunt end with Jughead being buried? Next in “Tricks and Costume Day”, Jughead and Hot Dog help raise money for emergency pet care with cute pet costumes and amazing pet tricks.
SCRIPT: PAUL KUPPERBERG, GEORGE GLADIR
ARTIST: TOD SMITH, STAN GOLDBERG, JIM AMASH
COVER: TOD SMITH, AL MILGROM
Shipping Date: 7/13/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 7/27/2011
Newsstands: 8/2/2011
Digest, 160 pgs, 30 lb newsprint, Full-Color
$3.99 US

BETTY #193

“Fantasy Flair”, “Just Relax”, “Shell Belle” and “Love the One You’re With”
In “Fantasy Flair”, Betty dreams of Archie being a superhero and sweeping her off her feet literally! Next, In “Just Relax”, Betty and Midge take a vacation with Betty’s parents and find out there is more than one way to relax! Then, in “Shell Belle” Betty takes her brownie troop to the beach to collect shells to make some fun crafts. Finally in “Love the One You’re With” Betty and Dilton find themselves with the same situation.
SCRIPT: GEORGE GLADIR, MIKE PELLOWSKI, JOHN ROSE
ARTIST: KENNEDY BROS., JACK MORELLI
COVER: FERNANDO RUIZ, BOB SMITH
Shipping Date: 7/20/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 8/3/2011
Newsstands: 8/9/2011
Comic, 32 pages, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US

SABRINA, THE TEENAGE WITCH: ANIMATED

Collecting some of the best stories from the comic series based on the hit animated show, join Sabrina as she faces a flurry of new foes, meets new friends and tries to deal with the trials and tribulations of high school – with the added burden of being a teenage witch! What happens when Sabrina meets Repulsa? Can she handle being transformed from a high-schooler to a 12-year old? That and much more. Featuring the writing of Mike Gallagher and artist Dave Manak, this collects the hit comic for the first time, deftly bringing the world of the popular animated cartoon to comic form.
SCRIPT: MIKE GALLAGHER
ARTIST: DAVE MANAK
COVER: FERNANDO RUIZ, JOHN D’AGOSTINO
Shipping Date: 7/19/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 8/3/2011
6×9, 128 page, softcover trade paperback
$9.95 US / $10.95 CAN

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #227

“Genesis” Part Two: Sonic’s 20th Anniversary Celebration kicks into high gear as the most talked about Sonic story EVER continues! Sonic joins his new friends Sally, Boomer and Antoine as they brave the treacherous Labyrinth Zone! What perils await them in these dark waters? Even if they do track down this “Dr. Robotnik,” are they up to the challenge of defeating him?!
SCRIPT: IAN FLYNN
ARTIST: PATRICK “SPAZ” SPAZIANTE, TRACY YARDLEY!, TERRY AUSTIN, JOHN WORKMAN, MATT HERMS
COVER: PATRICK “SPAZ” SPAZIANTE
Shipping Date: 7/20/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 8/3/2011
Newsstands: 8/9/2011
Comic, 32 pages, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US

WORLD OF ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #9

“Love Me Baby, Mumbai” Part 1
In “Love Me Baby, Mumbai”, Raj Patel dreams of being a film director! His current ITube movie “˜Love Hate Triangle’ has over 10,000 views and has caught the eye of Kunal Desai, one of the biggest Bollywood producers in India! Can Raj turn Love Hate triangle into an epic film?
SCRIPT: TANIA DEL RIO
ARTIST: BILL GALVAN
COVER: BILL GALVAN, AL MILGROM
Shipping Date: 7/20/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 8/3/2011
Newsstands: 8/9/2011
Digest, 160 pgs, 30 lb newsprint, Full-Color
$3.99 US

KEVIN KELLER #2

“The Write Stuff”
In “The Write Stuff”, Veronica helps Kevin Keller’s family plan a birthday party for his dad. When Kevin and Veronica begin going through pictures and stories from Kevin’s past, she sees and experiences all the incredible things he did. But with all the places Kevin lived, he realizes how much Riverdale has become home for him.
SCRIPT: DAN PARENT
ARTIST: DAN PARENT
COVER: DAN PARENT
VERONICA #208 VARIENT COVER: DAN PARENT
Shipping Date: 7/27/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 8/10/2011
Newsstands: 8/16/2011
Comic, 32 pages, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US

LIFE WITH ARCHIE #12

The best selling magazine continues with all new adventures! In “Archie Loves Veronica” things are not going well! Reggie’s trial is coming to a close and not looking good, Jughead’s Choklit Shop is struggling and Archie and Veronica’s marriage isn’t doing well either. Then in “Archie Loves Betty”, being teachers is beginning to take its toll on the couple and Veronica finds out something unpleasant about the man she’s interested in.
Also, Riverdale Guide to Back-to-School Fashions, the Top 5 shockers in MTV MMA’s, and news on Spy Kids 4! Plus Jughead’s video game reviews and a look at the secret agents and spy books published by Archie Comics.
SCRIPT: PAUL KUPPERBERG
ARTIST: NORM BREYFOGLE
COVER: NORM BREYFOGLE
Shipping Date: 7/27/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 8/10/2011
Newsstands: 8/16/2011
Magazine, 80 pgs, Full-Color
$3.99 US

MEGA MAN #4

“Let the Games Begin!” Part Four: This is it! Mega Man has reached Dr. Wily’s stronghold, and now nothing stands between him and the madman! Except the Yellow Devil. And the Copy Robot. And the rebuilt Robot Masters. Good luck, Mega Man! Don’t miss the finale to the first arc to this brand new series!
SCRIPT: IAN FLYNN
ARTIST: PATRICK “SPAZ” SPAZIANTE, RICK BRYANT, JOHN WORKMAN & MATT HERMS
COVER: PATRICK “SPAZ” SPAZIANTE
VILLAIN VARIANT COVER: BEN BATES
Shipping Date: 7/27/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 8/10/2011
Newsstands: 8/16/2011
Comic, 32 pages, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color

I’m trilled to present this first look. Life with Archie is an odd periodical. You get some absolutely amazing comics mixed with some crazy Teen Beat-style articles. While it’s oddly compelling to compare today’s celebrities with Archie & pals, The thing that keep me picking this book up is The Married Life. You get two full length stories each month set in alternate futures. One where Archie married Veronica, and the other where he married Betty.  While in the hands of lesser writers this could be a saccharine storyline with no real redeeming value, Married Life transcends that. The stories are compelling, thought-provoking, and not at all what you’d expect from an Archie tale. The characters grow up, and so does the story telling. Don’t take my word for it, check out these pages from Life with Archie #9 and see for yourself. Then pick it up at you local comic shop, or astoundingly enough, at the magazine aisle at your grocery store!

In one of the coolest crossovers we’ve seen in a while, the game Portal 2 which is being released today, has an interactive teaser trailer for the upcoming J.J. Abrams movie Super 8 set to be release on June 10th. The teaser isn’t very much, but it’s still pretty cool that you get to play around inside the teaser instead of the game just having a preview for the movie inside the extras section. To access it in the game type “map e1912” in your console at the main menu and press enter. Or if you haven’t gotten the game yet you can watch a clip of someone else doing it that just hit the internet.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_9feTVWk_Y

This is incredibly cool and possibly something that could happen in future games as well. Have you played Portal 2 yet? How do you like it? Are you excited for Super 8?

Betty & Veronica fascinate me. It’s a testament to their friendship that they stay friends even though they are also rivals for Archie. Most times you’d see that devolve into something you’d have to pay to see on late night TV. Anyway, Riverdale’s best BFFs are back in next week’s Betty & Veronica Double Digest #160. Veronica is subsidizing the local economy, but when the credit card bills come in, Mr. Lodge is none to happy. Will Ronnie have to obtain gainful employment? Will she spend her paycheck in one swoop when she gets to the first boutique she sees? We’ll have to wait and see. As for Betty, she and her mother go to a spin class. Betty thinks it’s just as boring as I do, but her mom has some helpful hints which make it an experience to remember!

As always, the Archie line of Double Digests give you 160 pages of content for a mere $3.99. Pick one up, and you’re guaranteed a read that won’t be done in 5 minutes, and your wallet will thank you, too! Enjoy the preview!

BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #190
“Pop Ups Here” and “New Spin”
In “Pop Ups Here,” Veronica begins to feel the financial pinch and may have to (gasp) get a job! But while shopping she comes up with a solution on how to keep stores at the mall from closing and help Mr. Lodge and his business. Next, “New Spin” finds Betty’s plans to go bike riding ruined by the rain. When she decides to ride a stationary bike at the gym instead, she finds the experience a wild ride of imagination and excitement
SCRIPT: GEORGE GLADIR, MIKE PELLOWSKI
ARTIST: STAN GOLDBERG, MARK McKENNA, KEN SELIG
COVER: DAN PARENT
Shipping Date: 4/13/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 4/20/2011
Newsstands: Week of 5/3/2011
Digest, 128 pgs, 30 lb newsprint, Full-Color
$3.99 US

I’ll admit, I’ve deliberately kept myself out of the loop on the upcoming Jon Favreau directied Cowboys & Aliens. I didn’t want to know much going in, but then I broke down and saw the new trailer released today. It tells and interesting story. I won’t go into details, but after you watch it, I’ll give my thoughts.

Ok a couple thoughts:

• While amnesia is a played out storytelling device, mixing it with the arrival of aliens actually makes it compelling
• Hell, the mixture of the Old West with Sci-Fi elements is enough to get me to see it.
• Harrison Ford’s “They took my son!” Is Rifftrax fodder if I ever heard it, so it’s got that going for it.
• Shirtless Daniel Craig… for the ladies.

So yeah, I have faith in Favreau from Iron Man, so I’ll be going to see this. What do you all think?

Betty & Veronica are getting ready for their 71st or so prom! To shake things up, a new influx of Riverdale students is there to change the balance. Who’s taking who to the prom? The answers may surprise you! You can find out next week when the book hits stands or stay tuned later today, as we’ll have an advanced review. In the meantime, check out the preview!

BETTY & VERONICA #253
“Your Prom or Mine” .
In “Your Prom or Mine”, Betty and Veronica have the difficult task of finding the perfect prom dress. But getting dresses is an easier task than Archie has! Who will he take to the prom? The wrong choice could mean he’ll end up going to this year’s prom alone!
SCRIPT: Dan Parent
ARTIST: Jeff Schultz and Rich Koslowski
COVER: Dan Parent
Shipping Date: 4/13/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 4/20/2011
Newsstands: Week of 5/3/2011
Comic, 32 pages, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US