We have lately begun to call ourselves media critics, because we, Two Grey Geeks, refuse to be pigeon-holed to critiquing one mediated reality over all others. People could opine that we may be heavy on movies or TV, but they could not say we ignore everything else. We are more like 7-11. We may not have an extensive pharmaceutical section, but we do carry First Aid kits.
That said, despite knowing of the Afterlife with Archie comic book issues initiating in 2013, I had not found the actual books until recently, and decided to read them for Halloween 2024, during my All Hallow’s Month celebration of 20 horrors in October. I have written about Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa before for the TheMustacheandtheBeard.com.
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is the son of Nicaraguan immigrants who grew up in Washington DC, graduating from Georgetown University, then Yale School of Drama. He started writing freelance for Marvel Comic Books in 2004, and wrote Afterlife with Archie in 2013 when he was promoted to Chief Creative Director at Archie Comics. What an unheard of accomplishment to go from freelance writer to Director of the Creative department at a major comics publisher.
What makes his feat even more impressive is that he challenged the essential concept that Archie does not change. Prior to the change in paradigm, Archie was and had been perpetually in High School with a specific set of friends. They have experiences, but those experiences are only transformative for that specific moment. When he proposed having the Archie titles have a dark alternate reality, the company balked but then decided to give it a shot.
These first five issues of Afterlife with Archie are VERY dark. Some of the gang die and become zombies. And you know how you can tell the horror is going to be hardcore? That’s right when you have children and/or animals involved in the horror. Trigger Warnings issued.
Afterlife with Archie: Betty R.I.P is the second half of the Archie Comics experiment that began in 2013 and ended at issue #10 with a cliffhanger. Issue #11 was supposed to be a wedding between two of the members of the Archie gang (not all of them made it to the end), but inexplicably never made it to completion.
That should have happened because the series was successful (Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa was named creative director of all Archie Comics projects including the Riverdale and Sabrina TV shows) and demonstrated that Archie could have its cake and eat it, too. For some reason, completing the project was no longer profitable or feasible or they thought leaving it uncompleted was a more profitable means by itself. Whatever the case, Sacasa has become a pretty rich dude as a consequence.
I am obsessive compulsive so the fact that the story was never completed irks me. It especially feels deceptive to have advertised the graphic novels as Volume I contains the first five issues and Volume II contains the last five issues and that issue ten does not contain The End. Ugh! I have half a mind to lower my rating. I had already done that, but lower still now.
In the first graphic novel, Jughead’s dog, Hotdog, is run over by hit-and-run. Jughead finds him and runs to Sabrina, because he knows that Hotdog is perilously close to death. The pet dies in his arms, but Jughead insists that Sabrina is capable of doing something. In the attempt to restore Hotdog’s life, Sabrina unwittingly unleashes the Zombie Apocalypse.
Volume II pretty much follows the standard zompoc tropes of the survivor group wandering the highways and byways with sometimes the unlikeliest people stepping into leadership roles, while simultaneously trying to avoid other survivors because not everyone is your friend. Some people excel in the apocalypse and others do not. The story is fun except for the one small (huge) problem of no ending.
Nonetheless, I love zombie apocalypse narratives. I love Archie Comics. I love horror, and I especially love what Archie Comics attempted to do with the Afterlife with Archie books. The artist Francesco Francavilla made fantastically moody art reminiscent of Gene Colan’s Tomb of Dracula stuff, so the work is not just mentally stunning, but visually awe-inspiring as well.
As for rating these visual delights, I gave it 4 Grey Geeks. I finished it last night, and had some Halloween fun. You should, too. I think that’s it for me. As always, I thank you for checking out the post. The Mustache and the Beard are grateful. Stay safe. Take it easy. See you later. And Peace!
The Mustache and The Beard 