Archie Horror

From Hey Kids Comics

Archie Horror
220px
Parent company Archie Comics Publications, Inc.
Founded 2015
Country of origin United States
Headquarters location Pelham, New York
Key people Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Archie Chief Creative Officer)
Publication types Comics
Fiction genres Horror fiction
Official website [1]

Archie Horror is an imprint of Archie Comics Publications, Inc. focusing on the company's horror-related titles. Prior to the creation of the imprint the titles were published under the normal Archie Comics banner.[1]

The titles in the imprint are rated "TEEN+" due to their content and subject matter which include realistic violence, gore, death, disturbing scenes, and some moderate language. All titles under this imprint are set in alternative realities from the core Archie Comics series, and each title is independent from the others.

Publication history[edit | edit source]

Beginnings[edit | edit source]

In 2013, Archie Comics announced Afterlife with Archie to be written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and illustrated by Francesco Francavilla. It is the first horror title as well as the first series to be rated "TEEN+" under Archie Comics.[2] The series was partially inspired by the zombie-themed variant cover Francavilla did for Life with Archie: The Married Life.[3] The series launched in October 2013 to critical and commercial success. The first eight issues sold out while some reviewers called it one of the best horror comics to come out in a long time.[4] It won three awards at the 2013 Ghastly Awards for Best New Series, Best Ongoing Title and Best Colorist for Francesco Francavilla.[5]

In 2014, Archie Comics released Afterlife with Archie #6, which details the whereabouts of Sabrina Spellman who had not been seen since the first issue. The issue was positively received, leading Archie Comics to announce a solo series starring Sabrina in June 2014.[6] The first issue of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, an occult horror story detailing Sabrina's teenage witch origins in the 1960s, was released in October 2014.[1] As with Afterlife with Archie, the series received critical and commercial success with the first two issues selling out.[7][8]

Creation of imprint[edit | edit source]

In March 2015, Archie Comics announced the Archie Horror imprint due to the successes of Afterlife with Archie and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who is also Archie Comics' Chief Creative Officer, said that "in-house we started referring to these books as the Archie Horror books" so "when it started to look like Afterlife #8 and Sabrina #2 were going to be released around the same time, why don’t we formalize something that is already happening, which is the imprint.”[9]

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #2 was the first to be released under the imprint in April 2015, followed by Afterlife with Archie #8 in May 2015.

Further titles[edit | edit source]

A one-shot titled Jughead: The Hunger was released in March 2017 as part of Archie Comics' "pilot season" for the New Riverdale lineup. It focuses on Jughead Jones and his family's dark legacy (lycanthropy) to explain Jughead's excessive hunger.[10] It was written by Frank Tieri with artwork provided by Michael Walsh.[11]

In December 2017, Archie Comics announced that a new title was in the works for the imprint featuring a significant female character from Archie's past.[9] Written by Megan Smallwood, with art by co-writer Greg Smallwood, Vampironica debuted in March 2018.[12][13] Jack Morelli does the lettering for all four titles.

Titles[edit | edit source]

Titles in publication as of 2018

Collected Editions[edit | edit source]

Afterlife with Archie[edit | edit source]

Title ISBN Release Date Story Art Collected Material
Afterlife with Archie Vol. 1: Escape From Riverdale 978-1619889088 12th June 2014 Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Francesco Francavilla Afterlife with Archie #1–5
Afterlife with Archie Vol. 2: Betty R.I.P. 978-1619889484 20th March 2018 Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Francesco Francavilla Afterlife with Archie #6-11

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina[edit | edit source]

Title ISBN Release Date Story Art Collected Material
Chillling Adventures of Sabrina Vol. 1: The Crucible 978-1627389877 18th August 2016 Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Robert Hack Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #1-5

Jughead: The Hunger[edit | edit source]

Title ISBN Release Date Story Art Collected Material
Jughead: The Hunger vol. 1 978-1682559017 7th August 2018 Frank Tieri Michael Walsh Jughead: The Hunger one shot, Jughead: The Hunger #1-
Archie Comics Present: The Archies and Other Stories 978-1682559444 3rd October 2017 Alex Segura, Matthew Rosenerg (The Archies), Sean Ryan, Ryan Cady, Gorf (Big Moose), Frank Tieri (Jughead: The Hunger) Joe Eisma, Matt Herms (The Archies), Cory Smith, Wilfredo Torres (Big Moose), Michael Walsh (Jughead: The Hunger) The Archies, Big Moose (One Shots from the New Riverdale line), Jughead: The Hunger

Chilling Adventures in Sorcery[edit | edit source]

Title ISBN Release Date Story Art Collected Material
Chilling Adventures in Sorcery 978-1627389907 23rd January 2018 Various Various Chilling Adventures in Sorcery #1-7

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Rivera, Joshua. "Archie Comics announces Archie Horror imprint, teases a third series following return of Sabrina and Afterlife". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 26 July 2015. 
  2. Arlington, Jody (October 18, 2013). "World War R: New Comic Pits Archie And Friends Against The Undead". NPR. Retrieved July 26, 2015. 
  3. McIntyre, Gina (June 10, 2013). "'Afterlife With Archie': Francesco Francavilla cover, movie details". Hero Complex. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 26, 2015. 
  4. Alexander, Chris (January 13, 2014). ""AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE" #3 (Comic Review)". Fangoria. Retrieved March 19, 2018. 
  5. Rotante, Jamie (January 31, 2014). "Ghastly Award Winners Announced". Archie Horror. Retrieved July 26, 2015. 
  6. Nadler, Lonnie (June 3, 2014). "Archie Comics Reveals "Sabrina" Horror Series!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved July 26, 2015. 
  7. McElhatton, Greg (April 16, 2015). "CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA #2". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved July 26, 2015. 
  8. Burlingame, Russ (April 23, 2015). "EXCLUSIVE: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #2 Sells Out, Reprint Coming With New Cover in May". ComicBook.com. Retrieved July 26, 2015. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 Arrant, Chris (March 19, 2015). "ARCHIE COMICS Announces New Horror Imprint". Newsarama. Retrieved July 26, 2015. 
  10. Template:Citeweb
  11. Template:Citeweb
  12. Template:Citeweb
  13. Template:Citeweb

External links[edit | edit source]

Refresh