As a rule of thumb I don't normally read the preview books the comic companies send me to review. "Why?" you say? Well, despite the fact that I am part of the comic book media, I'm first and foremost a comic book fan! There is still no bigger 'thrill' than going to the shelves on Wednesday, walking up and down the rows and picking out the weeks four color dreams!
But today was different. In my email I saw I was sent a preview copy of ARCHIE #1, the new look book that will be released this Wednesday. I thought I would just take a little 'peek' at the comic and well... some twenty pages later, my eyes were teary, my heart was sad and I thought... Mark Waid you did it again.
Joined by artist Fiona Staples, ARCHIE #1 is an origin issue of sorts, following the premise of PEP #22, the first Archie story that was released way back in 1941. Here we meet Archie Andrews, a shy kid who has ended something that has been a part of his entire life and has begun something new. And just around the corner he will meet someone that will change everything.
This book made me feel like it was my first day of my Junior year of High School; full of hopes, sadness and waiting for the moment to feel comfortable in my own skin. Once again Mark Waid proves he can not only write anything... but writes it great! And Fiona's art fits perfectly into the rock 'n' roll confusion that we called high school.
Archie and the gang may look a little different, but the love, friendship and adventures are still the same.
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