BETTY & VERONICA (JUMBO COMICS) DOUBLE DIGEST #306
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.
STORY: Tania Del Rio; Tom DeFalco; Frank Doyle; Angelo DeCesare; George Gladir and others
PENCILS: Jeff Shultz; Bill Galvan; Dan Parent; Dan DeCarlo and others
INKS: Jim Amash; Bob Smith; Rudy Lapick; Rich Koslowski and others
COLORS: Glenn Whitmore
LETTERS: Jack Morelli; Vince DeCarlo; Bill Yoshida and others
COVER: Bill Golliher with Rosario “Tito” Peña
EIC: Mike Pellerito
ISSN: 10440321; (October 2022)
192pp, Color, $8.99 U.S. (August 10, 2022 – direct market)
Rating: All-Ages
New stories: “Sunny with a Chance of Rescue!;” “Mall Madness!”
Betty & Veronica (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest is part of “The Archie Digest Library” series. Debuting in the spring of 1987, Betty & Veronica Double Digest is a mini-trade paperback-like series that features stories reprinted from across the publishing history of Archie Comics. The stories focus on two of Archie Comics' main characters, Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge, best friends and also rivals in their love for Archie Andrews. Sometimes, however, these digests open with an original story.
Betty & Veronica (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest #306, the latest edition, contains two brand new five -page stories. The first is a “Betty and Veronica” tale entitled “Sunny with a Chance of Rescue!” It is written by Tania Del Rio and is drawn by Jeff Shultz (pencils) and Jim Amash (inks). The second is a “Pepper Smith” story entitled, “Mall Madness!” It is written by Tom DeFalco and drawn by Bill Galvan (pencils) and Bob Smith (inks). Both stories are colored by Glenn Whitmore and lettered by the great Jack Morelli.
Betty and Veronica in “Sunny with a Chance of Rescue!”:
It's summer, and Betty and Veronica are racing to Riverdale Beach. It's time for their favorite summer activity – boy watching! The summer lifeguard trials provide the perfect opportunity for the duo to check out the cute guys training to be lifeguards for the season, and their friends, Toni and Shelia, are joining in on the fun. However, Betty and Veronica's decision to get up close and personal could lead to a need for rescuing.
Pepper Smith in “Mall Madness!”:
Pepper and Josie McCoy (of Josie and the Pussycats) are at the local mall shopping for bathing suits. However, when word gets out that Josie's band mate, Melody Valentine, is also shopping for a bathing suit, things get hectic. Now, Pepper and Josie have to escape … the mall madness!
THE LOWDOWN: Betty & Veronica Double Digest #306 is a Betty & Veronica title, of course. Thus, most of the stories feature Betty and Veronica as a duo or stories that focus on either Betty or Veronica. This title also offers stories featuring other characters, as is the case in one of the two new stories included in this edition.
“Sunny with a Chance of Rescue!” is a Betty and Veronica story that offers the girls equal space as writer Tania Del Rio has them in a perfect partnership. The story only works with them playing off each other's similarities. It is one of the best new Archie Comics stories of the year, with artist Jeff Shultz perfectly capturing the classic Archie Comics vibe.
The second new story focuses on “other characters,” specifically Pepper Smith, a character from She's Josie, the precursor title to Josie and the Pussycats. Tom DeFalco pens a surprisingly spry tale that plays of the offbeat luck of Pussycat, Melody, while using Pepper and Josie to drive the action. Artist Bob Galvan expertly recalls the graphical style of Josie's creator, Dan DeCarlo, in this winning story.
The rest of this comic book offers one tale of Betty and/or Veronica after another, for your enjoyment. As a Josie fan, however, I must inform you that there are three other Josie stories in Betty & Veronica Double Digest #306. There is the two-part, “Lend Lease Part I & II,” and “Home is Where the Heart Is,” in addition to a reprint of some Josie pin-up art.
As usual, I must warn you, dear readers. I will always recommend classic-style Archie Comics titles. However, this 306th edition of Betty & Veronica Double Digest is a standout simply because it offers two quality new stories, so I am recommending it.
I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of classic-style Archie Comics will want Betty & Veronica (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest #306.
A-
★★★½ out of 4 stars
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
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