“Archie Vs. Predator” #1 is something special, honestly who could’ve seen this comic coming. It’s like a relic from a bygone era. Taking us back to that whimsical time of the 90’s where everyone was crossing over; Archie met The Punisher and Predator went 3 rounds with Batman. For better or worse AvP channels these ‘classics’, succeeding and faltering as they did.
WRITTEN BY: Alex De Campi
ART BY: Fernando Ruiz
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: 15 April 2015
The Riverdale kids have just started their spring break and are brainstorming how to spend it when Cheryl and Jason Blossom pull up. They flaunt their riches and mock Archie and crew for their meager means. Before they can get in the last laugh, Jughead wins a luxury beach vacation from the bag of chip. Looks like this spring break won’t be a total drag for them after all.
Everyone arrives at the beach. The Blossom twins are there too. They go to their rooms, settle in and begin to mingle in a classic Archie manner. Jughead is pigging out, Dilton is nervous about the editing the school yearbook, Reggie shows off while trying to act like a cool guy. As everyone settles in for their first night they spot, what they believe to be, a shooting star. They all wish upon it for their hearts desires, utterly oblivious to the doom that it truly spells. As it is no shooting star at all, but actually the Predators ship touching down.
Archie’s name may be in the title but he’s definitely not the protagonist here. Betty’s the true lead of this book, she’s the main focus and the only character who’s not two dimensional. Archie on the other hand is a bumbling idiot the whole book. Turning into a gooey mess whenever he sees an attractive girl, flip flopping between women constantly. I don’t remember Archie being this shallow and petty but it’s also been a long time since I’ve read a true Archie comic.
Archie Vs. Predator is an Archie book first and Predator book second. The majority of this first issue deals with generic Archie escapades with only the slightest touch of Predator. Hopefully this is just to set the tone and future issues will dive head first into carnage.