Archie & Friends #106

This issue isn't a traditional Halloween comic, though monsters and mystery abound in the title story. 

A new monster museum has just opened in Riverdale. However, somebody keeps stealing the exhibits. Tasked by the owner, Archie and Chuck grab some friends and Jughead's pooch Hot Dog and play Scooby-Doo in order to get to the bottom of this mystery! 

Then Chuck is honored by the staff at Riverdale High for his most recent art award. To commemorate his achievement, Chuck is allowed to paint a mural on one of the walls of the school. But with everyone clamoring for Chuck to add them in the mural, how can the aspiring artist make everyone happy while keeping true to his creative vision?

Rounding things out is a story starring teen supermodel, Katy Keene. It's almost prom time for Katy's sister. Being a fashion guru, Katy helps her sibling get inspiration for the big dance. However, things take a turn when the guy Katy's sister hopes will ask her to the prom keeps popping up and wanting to talk all about Katy! Could Kid Sister Keene's crush have a crush on Katy?

This was a very Chuck centric-issue. Not a bad thing. He just always seems to figure into the more modern Archie stories that involve monsters. It's Chuck with things that go bump in the night. Dilton with the sci-fi stuff. Never shall the two crossover into the other realms it seems. 

The Katy Keene story was okay. The art by Andrew Pepoy (The Simpsons) was very good. The story by Andrew Pepoy (Dick Tracy) was kinda hokey. I liked the retooled Katy Keene. The modern version looks less like a top-heavy Barbie doll and more like a real-life supermodel. Plus, I appreciated that readers are tasked with designing the fashion Katy and friends wear just like in the good ole' days. However, the story maintains that really corny perspective that seems out of touch with how teens really talk and act. Plus, the ending was predictable and seems more suited for an episode of Full House than here. 

A good issue. It edges towards Halloween but it's not a holiday book. Lots of Chuck! Lots of fashion. Not a lot of laughs.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo, Volume 6: Space Fright

A wonderful collection of Scooby-Doo comics from DC Comcs and Cartoon Network. I must have an affinity for digests because I truly think that if I had found this as a trade, I probably would have passed it up. But you shrink any comic book down to a 4x4 (or so) size and I am all about making it a part of my collection. I think it has something to do with those amazing DC and Archie digest that were an integral part of my childhood. Not to mention an affordable way to own a bunch of stories!

In this collection, the Mystery Inc. gang investigate alien abductions, the Men in Black, a swamp monster, a mer-creature and a messy tar creature! 

The artwork by Joe Staton and Andrew Pepoy was perfect! The gang never looked better. And those monsters! Hanna-Barbera always knocked it out of the park with the menacing look of those baddies on Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? Both artists do phenomenal jobs on the villains in this book- especially all that was done on that mer-creature! Beautiful- in a creepy sort of way!

While this Scooby series ran from 1997-2010, finding much from it is hard to find. As usual, kids comics didn't really survive their readers.T hese things got read all and that mean wear and tear and spillage and God knows what else. Oh, and if you think that finding individual issues is tough, guess again. This digest was the first of it's sort that I've ever run across. But if you can find a copy in good shape- I highly recommend.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.