Wednesday, April 25, 2012

I Reads You Review: ARCHIE #631

"Jungle Fever"
ARCHIE #631
ARCHIE COMICS

SCRIPT/PENCILS: Dan Parent
INKS: Rich Koslowski
LETTERS: Jack Morelli
COLORS: Digikore Studios
COVER: Dan Parent
32pp, Color, $2.99

The CBS Saturday morning animated series, Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space (originally broadcast during the 1972-73 television season), was very important to me. It was the singular work that introduced me to and got me interested in comic books, science fiction, and all-things-fantasy. By the time I discovered that there was such a thing as a Josie and the Pussycats comic book, the title had been discontinued.

During a recent infrequent visit to a comic book shop in the region, I was scanning the shelves for a copy of Rocketeer Adventures Vol. 2 #1, when I spotted the cover of Archie #631. I saw its depiction of Archie Andrews cradling Pussycat Valerie Smith as the two kissed, and I quickly snatched the comic off the shelf.

Apparently, Archie and Valerie have been eyeing each other for some time, much to the chagrin of Archie’s longtime, dual love interests, Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge. Now, Valerie, her parents, and her little, brother Trevor AKA “Trev,” are moving to Archie and gang’s hometown of Riverdale. Now, that Archie and Valerie are closer, their fledgling romance takes flight. Not everyone is happy, but maybe Archie’s friends and Valerie’s band mates will just have to deal.

The Archie Comics creator of which I’m most acquainted is Dan DeCarlo, and I think of him when I think of Archie Comics. I can, however, learn to really like Dan Parent, who scripts and pencils Archie #631. He modernizes the characters and settings, but retains the eternally retro charm that is inherently Archie. The story moves at a lively pace and the dialogue and characterizations are funny and even a bit peppery, while staying in the zone that is Archie Comics’ version of “all ages.”

I bought Archie #631 because Josie and the Pussycats are in it, but I didn’t plan on really liking it. Dan Parent makes me want more.

http://www.archiecomics.com/

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 25 2012

DC COMICS

FEB120229 ALL STAR WESTERN #8 $3.99

FEB120288 AMERICAN VAMPIRE #26 (MR) $2.99

FEB120165 AQUAMAN #8 $2.99

FEB128197 BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED #2 2ND PTG $3.99

JAN120303 BATMAN KNIGHTFALL TP NEW ED VOL 01 $29.99

FEB128194 BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #4 2ND PTG $2.99

FEB120193 BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #8 $2.99

DEC110318 BLACK ORCHID DELUXE EDITION HC (MR) $24.99

FEB120227 BLACKHAWKS #8 $2.99

FEB120169 FLASH #8 $2.99

FEB120173 FURY OF FIRESTORM THE NUCLEAR MEN #8 $2.99

FEB120279 GEARS OF WAR #23 $2.99

JAN120322 GEARS OF WAR TP BOOK 02 $14.99

JAN120307 GOTHAM CENTRAL TP BOOK 04 CORRIGAN $19.99

FEB120209 GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #8 $2.99

FEB120215 I VAMPIRE #8 $2.99

FEB120214 JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #8 $2.99

FEB120278 MAD MAGAZINE #515 $5.99

FEB120286 NEW DEADWARDIANS #2 (OF 8) (MR) $2.99

FEB120177 SAVAGE HAWKMAN #8 $2.99

OCT110255 SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE SPECTRE TP VOL 01 $19.99

FEB120295 SPACEMAN #6 (OF 9) (MR) $2.99

OCT110250 STORMWATCH HC VOL 01 $29.99

FEB120182 SUPERMAN #8 $2.99

JAN120313 SUPERMAN SECRETS OF THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE TP $19.99

FEB120230 TEEN TITANS #8 $2.99

FEB120280 UNCHARTED #6 (OF 6) $2.99

FEB120226 VOODOO #8 $2.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 25 2012

MARVEL COMICS

FEB128183 AGE OF APOCALYPSE #1 2ND PTG BACHALO VAR (PP #1016) $2.99

FEB120619 ASTONISHING X-MEN #49 $3.99

FEB120662 ASTONISHING X-MEN EXALTED PREM HC $19.99

FEB128178 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 2ND PTG BAGLEY VAR WITH DIG CDE $3.99

FEB120549 AVENGERS ROLL CALL $4.99

FEB120531 AVX VS #1 (OF 6) $3.99

FEB120606 BATTLE SCARS #6 (OF 6) $2.99

FEB120584 CAPTAIN AMERICA #10 $3.99

FEB120583 CAPTAIN AMERICA AND HAWKEYE #629 $2.99

FEB120679 DAKEN DARK WOLVERINE BIG BREAK TP $16.99

FEB120580 DAREDEVIL #11 OMEGA $2.99

FEB120560 DARK TOWER GUNSLINGER WAY STATION #5 (OF 5) $3.99

FEB120681 DARK TOWER TP BATTLE OF JERICHO HILL $19.99

FEB120690 DARKHAWK CLASSIC TP VOL 01 $24.99

FEB120694 ESSENTIAL DAREDEVIL TP VOL 01 NEW ED $19.99

FEB120695 ESSENTIAL HULK TP VOL 04 NEW ED $19.99

FEB120663 FEAR ITSELF WOLVERINE NEW MUTANTS PREM HC $24.99

FEB120594 FF #17 $2.99

FEB120689 INCREDIBLE HULK PARDONED TP $39.99

FEB120604 MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1 $2.99

FEB120589 MIGHTY THOR #13 $3.99

FEB120656 MMW DAREDEVIL TP VOL 03 $24.99

FEB120657 MMW DAREDEVIL TP VOL 03 DM VAR ED 41 $24.99

FEB120614 MOON KNIGHT #12 $3.99

FEB120540 NEW AVENGERS #25 AVX $3.99

FEB128182 SCARLET SPIDER #3 2ND PTG STEGMAN VAR (PP #1016) $2.99

FEB128184 SECRET AVENGERS #21.1 2ND PTG ADAMS VAR (PP #1016) $2.99

FEB128185 SECRET AVENGERS #22 2ND PTG ADAMS VAR (PP #1016) $3.99

FEB128175 SECRET AVENGERS #23 2ND PTG ADAMS VAR (PP #1016) $3.99

FEB120543 SECRET AVENGERS #26 AVX $3.99

FEB120671 SPIDER-MAN FLYING BLIND PREM HC $19.99

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FEB120615 TWELVE #12 (OF 12) $2.99

FEB120558 ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #9 WITH DIG CDE $3.99

FEB120684 ULTIMATE COMICS X ORIGINS TP $19.99

FEB120545 UNCANNY X-MEN #11 AVX $3.99

FEB128179 WINTER SOLDIER #1 2ND PTG BERMEJO VAR (PP #1016) $2.99

FEB128180 WINTER SOLDIER #2 2ND PTG BERMEJO VAR (PP #1016) $2.99

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FEB120629 WOLVERINE #305 $3.99

FEB120685 WOLVERINE WOLVERINE'S REVENGE TP $16.99

NOV110608 X-FORCE TOY SOLDIERS PREM HC $29.99

NOV110609 X-FORCE TOY SOLDIERS PREMIERE HC DM VAR ED 88 $29.99

FEB120621 X-MEN LEGACY #265 $2.99

FEB120668 X-MEN WAR MACHINES PREM HC $19.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for April 25 2012

IDW PUBLISHING

MAR110472 ART OF AMANDA CONNER HC $29.99
FEB120375 DANGER GIRL REVOLVER #4 (OF 4) $3.99
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FEB120367 GI JOE 2 RETALIATION MOVIE PREQUEL #4 $3.99
FEB120338 POPEYE #1 (OF 4) $3.99
FEB120361 SNAKE EYES ONGOING (IDW) #12 $3.99
FEB120377 STEPHEN KING JOE HILL ROAD RAGE #3 (OF 4) $3.99
FEB120347 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ARCHIE 100 PG SPECTACULAR $7.99
FEB120342 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ONGOING #9 $3.99
FEB120356 TRANSFORMERS ROBOTS IN DISGUISE ONGOING #4 $3.99
JAN120443 TRUE BLOOD HC VOL 03 THE FRENCH QUARTER $24.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 25 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

JAN120075 ABE SAPIEN TP VOL 02 DEVIL DOES NOT JEST $17.99
FEB120031 ANGEL & FAITH #9 REBEKAH ISAACS VAR CVR $2.99
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FEB120039 BPRD HELL ON EARTH PICKENS COUNTY HORROR #2 (OF 2) $3.50
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FEB120040 GOON #39 $3.50
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DEC110063 MASS EFFECT TP VOL 03 INVASION $16.99
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JAN120099 STAR WARS INVASION TP VOL 03 REVELATIONS $18.99
JAN120110 TUROK SON OF STONE ARCHIVES HC VOL 10 $59.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 25 2012

IMAGE COMICS

FEB120493 ACTIVITY #5 $3.50
FEB120496 BLOODSTRIKE #27 $2.99
FEB120425 CHEW TP VOL 05 MAJOR LEAGUE CHEW (MR) $12.99
FEB120499 DARKNESS #102 (MR) $2.99
NOV110460 LIL DEPRESSED BOY #10 $2.99
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FEB128198 REBEL BLOOD #1 (OF 4) VAR CVR 2ND PTG (MR) $3.50
FEB120517 REBEL BLOOD #2 (OF 4) (MR) $3.50