Today, we venture into the goofy corner of Archie’s New Riverdale line.
That’s right: we’re gettin’ Juggy with it.
Jughead Jones is your average, burger-loving teenager. He’s just another kid trying to cut his own weird path through life. That is, until a new principal starts shaking up Riverdale High. First, he came for the burgers. So Jughead fought back. Then, he came for Jughead. So Jughead formed a posse and decided to get to the bottom of things.
What makes Jughead different from the other New Riverdale titles is Zdarsky’s use of dream sequences. In each issue, Jughead inevitably passes out and imagines some preposterous version of his current predicament. That could be a Game of Thrones parody, a time travel story, a pirate adventure, or anything else. They’re wacky, but that’s Juggy’s brand—so that works.
Erica Henderson handles art duties for this arc, with an assist from Andre Szymanowicz on its last couple of issues’ colors. I’ve enjoyed her work on Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, and she fits Jughead just as well. Her Saturday morning style makes sense here—not only in the fantasy sequences, but also whenever a waking Jughead goes over-the-top. Which is pretty often.
If you’ve been enjoying the New Riverdale titles, odds are that Jughead will be right up your alley. It’s zanier than Archie—and maybe not as witty as Josie and the Pussycats, but it’s a lot of fun. It also offers some story beats and ridiculous twists that presage certain moments in Riverdale. Also, everyone in the Archie gang meets their gender-swapped dopplegangers. How could that not be a good time?
Collected in
- Jughead, Vol. 1 (#1-6, Archie #7)
Credits
Writer: Chip Zdarsky | Artist: Erica Henderson | Colorist: Andre Szymanowicz (5-6) | Letterer: Jack Morelli | Editor: Mike Pellerito