Archie Christmas Spectacular 2024 #1

I waited as long as I could to read the Christmas annual I look forward to the most. This year's 2024 Archie Christmas Spectacular did not disappoint in the least. In fact, I feel like Archie Comics might have listened to some of my criticisms, because instead of trying to cram in a brand new magical, they went into a totally different direction.

In order to enjoy the opening story, you had to have read this year's Halloween special. In that issue, a foe of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, threatened revenge upon the blonde pixie. Since that episode, Sabrina gifted her foe, Amber Nightstone, with a holiday present. One that was personal and really well thought out. The story opens with Archie and friends being kidnapped by Amber. But they're not in danger from the events that occurred during All Hallows Eve. Instead, they're being forced to help their kidnapper find an even better present for Sabrina!

There's also 4 other stories in this special. Normally, they're reprints. But not one of them are stories that I've ever read before. So I don't know if they were previously published or if Archie took my advice and crafted more all-new festive fare for their Christmas special. 

The fun begins with Jughead and Big Ethel getting to the bottom of a rumor that Christmas is cancelled. Then Betty and Veronica, as their superhero alter egos Power Teen and Super Teen, help the two Mighty Crusaders who bear the moniker of the Jaguar to recover Santa's stolen sleigh. Betty and Veronica then give a potential new recruit to the Mighty Crusaders a makeover.

Lastly, Archie helps the Shield solve the mystery of a super-weapon that was stolen during a Christmas party at a museum dedicated to America's first patriotic superhero. 

Every story was great fun. But the last story was my favorite. The story is set up where readers are supposed to examine the party-goers for clues to the whereabouts of the missing artifact. But in reality it was a ploy to prevent the readers from missing the countless cameos of iconic and forgotten characters from 85 years of Archie Comics that were hidden in every panel. While I do wish that I could have solved the mystery, I greatly value the deception because I would have missed out on seeing some long lost friends from my childhood, such as L'il Jinx!

This is perhaps my favorite of all the Archie Christmas Spectaculars. It was magical. It was fun. It was nostalgic. It's everything that I've been asking Santa for in an Archie holiday special.

Keep up the good work!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The New Archies #11

In 1987, Archie Comics in collaboration with NBC, developed a new animated series based on the Archie gang. As several teenage versions of the Archies were done previously on rival station CBS, producers decided to retool the kids from Riverdale. Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica were de-aged from high schoolers to middler school students. Dilton was absent; replaced by an African-American clone named Eugene. And a completely new student named Amani (Eugene's girlfriend) was added to the roster.

When The New Archies project was announced, I being only 9 years old, didn't understand the need to reboot everything. It confused me even more as educators Mrs. Grundy and Principal Weatherbee looked completely the same. It's only been recently that I learned that concerns over CBS and/or production company Filmation, still having rights to the Archies property was the reason for the adjustments. Thus, my decades-long bias against these guys has abated over time. Having not one but two Thanksgiving themed issues definitely helped.

Only the first of the 3 stories in this book is Thanksgiving themed. But it was a good one. Archie laments that his folks have decided to go the dining out route for their Thanksgiving dinner. So Betty invites Archie and Jughead to dinner with the Coopers. Not to be outdone, Veronica also invites the guys to break bread with her family. Good thing Betty's event is at 1 and Ronnie's is at 5! Too bad Archie doesn't have 2 stomachs...

In the other two stories, a surprise history test prevents Archie from going on a date with Betty and Veronica. So, Reggie takes his place! Then the Girls of Riverdale Jr. High compete for the title of 'Dream Queen' in a delightfully sweet story that highlights Big Ethel!

There was a familiarity with The New Archies and another franchise that was developing at this exact same time. NBC's Saved by the Bell was in its early stages as a Disney property known as Good Morning, Miss Bliss. When the show fizzled after a brief 13-episode season, NBC reclaimed the franchise and it became the classic late 80s-early 90s Saturday morning live action series Saved by the Bell. By having both students and staff transfer from jr. high to high school in both realms, I feel like producers over at Bayside might have been inspired by the people in charge of Riverdale. It's definitely a possibility, this theory of mine!

All 3 tales had that classic Archie charm. A Turkey Day themed word search added to the festive mood. And there were a few other surprises peppered in. Finally (for this season), I had a Thanksgiving read that I enjoyed!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars