Written by Robert Aguirre-Sacasa
Illustrated by Francesco Francavilla
Published by Archie Comics
Illustrated by Francesco Francavilla
Published by Archie Comics
I am not a fan of zombies. At all. The sub-genre has been
done for me for years now. Not to say I don’t enjoy the occasional viewing of 28 Days Later or Shawn of the Dead, just that the entire concept of the walking dead
got old pretty quick as far as I’m concerned. Another thing I’ve never been a
fan of was Archie Comics. I read Archie books in dentist’s offices and lines at
the supermarket, but that was it. The characters seemed bland and they never
appealed to me. So naturally I would have no interest in a book that combines
two things that I am ambivalent at best about, right?
Wrong.
Although I am not into zombies, I am most definitely a horror
nerd. Afterlife With Archie surprised
me by being not only superbly drawn and written, with atmospheric art by
Francesco Francavilla and an engaging script from Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, but
by also being a good horror story. These are characters that for decades have
been almost synonymous with fun that is so clean it’s boring being
suddenly thrown into a situation where they are quite literally being showered
with the blood of their friends as they watch them be devoured by their other,
now undead friends. It sounds like a gimmick I know, but I can honestly say
that it is one of the best horror stories to come out in the last several
years at least.
Francavilla’s art is quite easily the best part of the book.
He uses a muted color palette as well as obvious mastery of his craft to give a
satisfyingly creepy tone to every page. The layouts are consistently dynamic,
and often uses old ideas in new and interesting ways. He does an excellent job
of taking the brightly colored citizens of Riverdale (as well as the city
itself) and turning them into characters appropriate of the story they’re now
in. He works very well with Aguirre-Sacasa, who transforms a somewhat gimmicky idea and
gives it depth and feeling, as well as a plot that is not only completely
logical but remains interesting throughout. Aguirre-Sacasa also manages to
remain on the tasteful end of the gore spectrum, eschewing classic zombie
killing action in favor of some rather more believable reactions to the
apocalypse, as well as characters with real, often heartbreaking emotions.
Afterlife With Archie
was not the book I expected it to be. Rather, it was a thousand times better,
convincing me not only to buy every subsequent volume, but that Archie is a
company to keep an eye on. If you’re looking to see Jughead get his head blown
off while the streets of Riverdale run red with the blood of the damned, then
maybe this book isn’t for you. However,
if you are a fan of horror, zombies, reimaginings of your favorite childhood
characters that don’t involve Michael Bay, or good comics in general, then by
all means pick up Afterlife With Archie.
