Jughead: The Hunger #1

Story by Frank Tieri
Art by Pat and Time Kennedy
Colors by Matt Herms
Inks by Bob Smith and Jim AmashPublished by Archie Comics 

Earlier this year, in it’s pretty successful attempt to re-brand itself as more contemporary, Archie Comics issued a series of one-shots with a horror theme. Under it’s Archie’s Madhouse imprint, Jughead: The Hunger was one of those titles. Editors promised that if any of those stand alones were a hit, they would return in a new monthly series. Well, The Hunger was a smash and the editorial staff have kept their promise.

The book begins a month after the events of the Jughead: the Hunger one-shot. Jughead Jones is on the lam from werewolf hunter Betty Cooper. He’s run away and taken a job at a circus, cleaning animal cages by day. By night, Jughead chains himself to his trailer until his animalistic urges pass. Meanwhile, Jughead’s last victim before fleeing Riverdale, Reggie Mantle is about to see life in a unexpectedly new way…

Books like Jughead: The Hunger and Afterlife with Archie are what I wish the CW’s take of the Archie Universe, Riverdale, was more like. In fact, when rumors swirled that the Afterlife with Archie storyline was going to be the focus of season 2, I bought the entire run. I would much rather watcha scary live-action version of Archie and the gang, than a 90210 murder mystery.

Thankfully, there’s books like Jughead: the Hunger to whet my appetite. Written by the amazing Frank Tieri (Gotham Underground), there’s so much creepiness in these 22 pages than in most horror movies in theatres now days. Plus, I really like this kick-ass Buffy the Vampire Slayer version of Betty. And I love how she man-handles a very wimpy Archie Andrews!

Jughead: the Hunger features art by The Death of Archie’s Pat and Tim Kennedy. The duo put a unique spin on the characters. It captures a classic image of these iconic characters while updating them for a modern day thriller. Add amazing inks by Bob Smith and Jim Amash with the eerie color palette of Matt Herms (Afterlife with Archie) and you’ve got a potential visual horror classic in the making here.

Some readers may hate this new take on a nearly 80-year old group of teenagers. But this series is an alternate take on the Archie gang. So put away your established biases and take a chance on Jughead: The Hunger. I promise you, after one issue, you’ll be rushing back to your LCS in November for seconds!

Issue #1 of Jughead: The Hunger debuts in stores on October 25th.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.