Zombies in Riverdale. Archie’s death. These are interesting times indeed for fans of Archie Comics.
Long known for kid-friendly comics about a teen and the two women fighting for his affection, the company has been branching out to new genres and shocking stories centered around it’s iconic character Archie Andrews and the teens from Riverdale.
amNY spoke with Archie Comics co-CEO/publisher Jon Goldwater.
How would you define Archie Comics these days?
Archie is a very vibrant company right now. I don’t think people know what to expect from us, which is a great feeling. We have the “Death of Archie,” which is told in the final issue of the “Life With Archie” title, and reveals Archie’s final moments in that future story line. We’re also experiencing a ton of success with “Afterlife With Archie,” our excellent horror series from writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and artist Francesco Francavilla. In fact, it’s done so well for us, we’ve decided to expand our horror line with a new, ongoing “Sabrina” title from Roberto and artist Robert Hack, slated to launch in October. So, all in all, these initiatives, coupled with the success of the classic Archie line have made for a great year and an even greater future.
How is Archie making a new name for itself in other genres like horror?
It’s all about quality. We need to package great comics for comic readers, whether it’s a horror book or — as fans will see later this year — a superhero title. We’ll be relaunching our superhero line in a big way, and I think everyone is going to be extremely surprised and pleased.
What’s happening with the licensed video game properties Sonic and Mega Man?
We’ve got some major Sonic news that should be hitting around San Diego, and Mega Man just kicked off the amazing “Dawn of X” story line, which is basically “Days of Future Past” for Mega Man and brings him into the Mega Man X world — should be a lot of fun for hard-core and new fans alike
What do you have planned for Special Edition? Anything special, unique or exclusive?
We’ll be having a few panels and some signings — we’re excited to spend some time with our fans and interact with the very vibrant New York comic book community. It’s going to be a blast.
Who will be at the show that fans can meet?
The one and only Francesco Francavilla will be there — and that’s a treat. We’ll also have some of our great Archie creators and the Sonic/Mega Man lineup as well. We’re going to make a strong showing.
