Jughead's Time Police (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

The concept of Jughead's Time Police debuted in the October, 1988 of Archie's Giant Series   (issue #590.) Created by Rich Margopoulos, Jughead is visited by Time Police Marshall January McAndrews, of which she calls Archie Andrews an ancestor. January tells Jughead that in the next few minutes, he's about to save the life of a Senator who will one day become President. However, a trio of literal time bandits are determined to change the future by stopping Jughead's rescue attempt. After a trip to the 29th Century, McAndrews and Jones stop the criminals and Jughead manages to save the politician in the nick of time.

The idea of Jughead travelling through time was a hot with readers. January would make a trio of reappearances, promoting Jughead into the Time Police and the 20th century team would eventually find a souped up version of his iconic beanie that would send him anywhere in the timeline as long as he thought about it really, really hard. 

In 1990, Jughead's Time Police would become its own self-titled bi-monthly series. Over the course of 6 issues, Jughead along with his fateful pup, Hot Dog would protect the timeline from villains out to change history, such as rogue Time Police officer, Morgan Le Fey, as well as clean up any messes accidentally left by Jughead. Often instead of saving the day by going back in time and causing a time paradox, Jughead would find a way to allow history to remain unchanged by cheating. For example, when Jughead saves Riverdale from a raging flood, he allows the Time Police of the future to think it still occurred by writing up a fake newspaper story about the aborted tragedy. 

Jughead's Time Police was the victim of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Cancelled after just a half dozen issues, Archie was grouped along with the stars of Harvey Comics and Disney as being 'baby comics.' The early 90s was a time of gritty, violent comic books and the youthful teens of Riverdale didn't fit the popular archetype. This was also the period of 1st issue frenzy among speculators who would drive the comic book industry to near collapse. A Jughead's Time Police #6 couldn't stand up to a Jim Lee illustrated X-Men #1 or the Death of Superman. 

In an editors column from issue #3, editor Scott Fulop bemoans the lack of love the time travelling antics of Jughead was receiving. Fulop mentions that he's yet to receive a single letter praising the new book while the original stories of 'World of Jughead' that appeared in Archie Giant Series had been getting fantastic responses from readers. 

While Jughead's Time Police failed to find an audience, the series did like many failed masterpieces do over time; it became a cult classic! Chip Zdarsky, who grew up reading the short-lived series, revived the concept in the 2nd issue of the 2015 reboot of Jughead; although it's up for interpretation whether Jughead really went forward in time or if he just dreamed of it during a session of detention. In 2019, Jughead's Time Police would officially become a part of Archie's 'New Riverdale' universe; boasting a more modern art style and serious themes for its characters.

Featuring reprinted material from:

• Archie Giant Series #590. #602
• Jughead #14, 18
• Jughead's Time Police #1-6
• Jughead, Volume 2 #2

Completing this review completes Task #15 (An Archie Comic) the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Archie & Friends: Summer Lovin' #1

This summer time fun special was something I meant to read when it debuted in 2022. Unfortunately it got buried in my ever growing to-read pile, only to see the light of day just recently.

The main story introduces a new love triangle to Riverdale. Veronica's cousin Harper has returned for the summer. This means for Reggie a chance to restart his relationship with the teen. However, there's a new player in the mix, Eliza Han, an African-Korean American with ADHD and is pansexual. At the summer carnival both Reg and Eliza vie for the affections of Harper. But it looks like love will have to wait when everyone gets sick from riding the Gravitron. 

The opening story was written by Tee Harper with artwork provided by my favorite modern Archie artist, Dan Parent. I was surprised that the main feature was only 6 pages in length. Especially since the cover promises an introduction to Eliza Han. Instead, the back-up feature took up the majority of this book, which was 32 pages in total length. It involves Archie trying to win the affections of Veronica by practicing for the Riverdale beach windsurfing championship. Did I mention he's rather bad at it? Written by Tom DeFalco, the story features an often forgotten member of the Archie-Betty-Veronica love affair; one Ms. Cheryl Blossom who decides to train poor Archie just to get revenge on Veronica.

The back up was illustrated by Pat and Tim Kennedy. The brothers artwork looks really new and I know that it's a newer story because Kevin Keller is a main character in the story and he's only been around since 2010. What I want to know is this: was the windsurfing story brand new or like with other specials of the past, a reprint? 

With a Halloween or Valentine's Day spectacular, the reprinted tales look older. Why didn't the editors pick such a more modern story to fill in the gaps? And if it's an all-new story as well, I'm crying FOUL! Why does this one-shot get special treatment of original material but the holiday annual books get stuffed with stuff that I've more than likely already read!?

I've said it before and I will say it now: I'm willing to pay $3.99, up from the standard cover of $2.99 for all my Archie specials to contain more original stories than 1 measly 6-pager. C'mon Archie Comics! You do so well responding to fan demand, let's make this happen!

Before I go... Great cover by Bill Golliher. Love the Easter egg to the birth year of Archie!

Worth Consuming!

Rating 8 out of 10 stars.

Riverdale Free Comic Book Day 2018 #1

I was waiting in my car for my bride's haircut to end yesterday. I had forgotten my phone and my favorite radio show wasn't on the air. So I dug around my vehicle in hopes of something to read when I found this! I had packed some FCBD reads I had doubles off to give to the kids in our Comic Book Club. I guess this 2018 offering had fallen out. I'm glad it did because it sure saved the day and I would have kept missing out on an amazing read.

Titled 'Pop's Little Chock'lit Shoppe of Horrors', this comic is set in the universe of the CW's Riverdale live action series. Now I've never watched an episode of the show. But as always, I do my research to learn a little bit about all aspects of pop culture. So I know that Riverdale is a show with a lot of creepy stuff floating around in the background of America's most popular small town. This book appears to be no different than the TV show.

Betty is writing a series of articles about Riverdale icons and selects Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe for her next feature. While talking with Pop, who happens to have taken the name after the death of his father, the original Pop, Betty learns about the bizarre history of the restaurant. From famous guests to paranormal investigators to old Scratch himself, a lot of diners have come through those doors and brought with them a host of evil and odd occurrences. 

Archie Comics does two things very well: classic style books and horror. This FCBD comic was definitely a well executed horror book. Ironically, while a Riverdale set version of the Little Chock'lit Shoppe of Horrors was never produced after this freebie, Archie editors knew not to let a great idea die and in 2022 and 23, issued Halloween time one-shots based on the theme. Only this time around, the books are set in the modern Archie universe created by Mark Waid and Fiona Staples.

Based on their gory covers, I hadn't given any interest in those restaurant set spooktaculars. But based on the quality of the one that started them all, I might just give them a second glance if I ever come across them.

A good one-shot. But it's got an ending that would make me change my mind and remove this issue from my collection. I don't like horrors that involve the devil and this book sure has an evil ending to it. You might be seeing this book on an area free shelf sometime soon...

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. 

Archie Valentine's Day Spectacular 2023 #1

For some reason or another, I didn't get my hands on last year's Archie Valentine's special until after February 14th. That's why I'm reading and reviewing it now.

This special introduces a new student to Riverdale High. Cassie Cloud is a tall, beautiful blonde who could be mistaken for Betty if note for the sky blue highlights in her hair. All the guys seem into Cassie. Archie thinks she's a dancing queen. Moose is enamored by her physical abilities as a girl's football player. Jughead is head-over-heels with Cassie's baking abilities. And all of the girls are jealous with a capital J!

Only the macho guys of Riverdale don't even appear on Cassie's romantic radar. She's into the more nerdier population of Riverdale. Cassie digs comic books, RPG games and sci-fi movies. 

I think Cassie Cloud is fascinating and I hope we see more of her. She kinda reminds me of my wife who is a lady of multiple talents and interests. Only I wouldn't classify Cassie Cloud as a nerd. That's what the green eyed gals of Riverdale High call Cassie's role playing guy pals. And Cassie claims the title of NERD for herself. Only because of her interest in sports and other popular activities, I would seem Cassie to be a geek. That's what I was in high school and if my wife has been a student athlete in high school, so would she.

 Other than the mislabeling, I enjoy this new tale.

There were 4 reprint stories. Two were by the amazing Dan Parent. All of them seemed to be from the past two decades. While I would have appreciated a classic tale from the 50s or 60s, these were all good holiday reads. Sure, that Veronica's new boyfriend story had a predictable ending (maybe I've read it before), but this annual Valentine's Day read was the total package!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Archie Halloween Spectacular 2023

I saved my favorite for as close to last as I could stand it. For about 5 years now, the comic book devoted to Halloween I look forward to most annually are the Archie specials. Same goes for the Christmas edition. I think it's because of how timeless they are. So full of nostalgia, humor and wonder. Plus they have moments of spookiness without being too scary. 

This year's offering is a love letter to the dark side of Archie Comics. I didn't realize this, but in the 1950s and 60s, Archie and his gang interacted with a bunch of classic monsters and aliens. While the stories might have been tongue in cheek, the artwork of the ghouls and goblins was pretty darn intimidating. In the all-new opening story, Tom DeFalco pens a tribute to those glorious looking frights.

Last year's Halloween annual introduced readers to Trick and Treat; a pair of Halloween imps who like to visit Riverdale every October 31st. While I wasn't as enthusiastic about their debut, these two have become fan favorites. So a return was almost inevitable. In DeFalco's tale, Veronica's father is allowing the students of Riverdale High to use one of his abandoned properties as the site for the annual Halloween party and haunted house. In the minds of Archie and Jughead, this place already is haunted. Trick is inspired by the old comics books that Treat has been reading and uses the creatures from them to scare Archie and Jughead.

At the end of the book is a gallery of all the old Archie Comics issues that inspired this debut story. There's also a great 2-page article about the history of Archie books and why horror has always been an element in them. Did you even know that the Archie sister imprint Red Circle had straight up horror anthology tales? I had always thought that more adult Archie books of terror was more of a modern invention. Gee, was I wrong.

There's 4 reprint stories included in this book. One looks like it's from the 80s. Starring Betty and Veronica, the girls spend the night presumably in this same abandoned mansion in hopes of proving ghosts exist. Then there's a more modern tale involving some newer characters including a goth girl and a young boy of Indian decent. That's got the gang cutting through a graveyard on Halloween night in order to get to a Halloween party quicker. Bad idea there. The last newer looking story has Sabrina having to think fast when a rival witch attacks her at Veronica's Halloween bash- in front of mortals!

The 4th story was from the 50s, I think. Or the very early 60s. It's a classic that I've read before in which Dracula tries to trap Archie and Jughead. Only the two teens are completely oblivious that they're in near mortal danger. Every time the Count tries to prove to the fellas that he's a monster, one of the boys dismisses it as being lame. It was drawn to be very spooky. But it was so funny.

I thought the all-new story was just too short. But I really appreciated the nods to the past. I also don't quite get all the love for imps Trick and Treat. For one thing, Treat has a noose around their neck and I'm very surprised nobody has cried fowl on it and the implications of lynching. Besides, I'm more of a Jingles the Elf fan. Though I would love to see a Trick and Treat meets Jingles crossover! Maybe we could see these two worlds collide in a Thanksgiving Day special. If you ask me, an Archie look at Turkey Day has been sorely missing from my annual holiday comic book reads. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Archie Meets Riverdale #1

I think I write some of my reviews in my sleep. I know for a fact that I read this 2022 one-shot crossover the week it debuted in stores. I enjoyed the Hell out of it. And I could have sworn that I drafted up my praises. Yet, this book was still in my to-review pile with no proof of a post about Archie Meets Riverdale anywhere on this blog. 

In the original Archie Comics universe, teenage egghead Dilton Doiley is working on another one of his experiments which naturally malfunctions. Only this time around, the device latches on to a parallel universe plucking the Riverdale Archie Andrews from his drama heavy universe into the overly cheery world of Riverdale, USA that us readers have been devotees of for over 80 years! As Dilton tinkers with his machine in hopes of fixing it, random teens from both universes pop in and out of their realities. Before you know it, all of your classic Archie characters will be on the PG-13 side of the spectrum and those brooding teens from Riverdale will be existing in a saccharine reality otherwise thought unimaginable.

You know, the only way to fix this might be a joint prom between both Riverdale High student bodies!

I've never seen an episode of Riverdale. But I Wiki-read about it a lot. I HAVE read quite a few Archie team-up books. Archie Meets Riverdale is among the creme de la creme of them! I know that at least in one of my dream reviews in the past, I wished for this crossover to happen. Well, the wish was granted, albeit in my head, and it was a marvelous wish fulfilled. 

I loved that Pat & Tim Kennedy decided to draw the classic Archie gang in a more nostalgic look from the 1940s and 50s. If Archie Comics had gone with Dan Parent's version which is based a lot more on Dan DeCarlo's look established as the playbook for presenting the world's oldest teenagers, the differences between the two universes wouldn't be as striking. I love the Dan Parent/Dan DeCarlo model. It's the definitive look for Archie and the gang. It just would not have been as effective if that version was used for this crossover. 

Good Call, Archie Editors!

A fun ride for Archie and Riverdale fans. Though I think the more established a classic Archie fan you are, the more you'll get out of this book. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Chilling Adventures Presents: Archie's Weirder Mysteries #1

Just as 1999 was turning into the year 2000, Pax TV was airing an animated series based on the Archie Gang. Called Archie's Weird Mysteries, the cartoon focused on B-grade movie monsters, ghosts, and Dilton's science projects gone wrong. While the series spawned a comic book, Archie's Weird Mysteries was more of a spiritual relative of an early 1990s Archie Comics cult fav of mine, Dilton's Strange Science.

Jump to 2022 and Archie's Weirder Mysteries has returned. Only instead of being an all-ages affair, this one-shot special is set firmly in the mature rated Archie Horror universe of titles. 

There are 3 stories in this special. First up is Betty, Monster Hunter. Though this time after finding a crashed flying saucer, Betty is now an Alien Hunter. That's because one of the occupants of the UFO is missing! Evidence points to the creature being a shape-shifter. So when Betty goes to Pop's Choc'lit Shoppe accusing everyone of being an alien in hiding, nobody bats an eye...

The second story stars Dilton and Ethel as they travel back in time to 1990s era Riverdale. More on that one a little later. The final adventure is set about 50 years in the future. Josie of Pussycats fame, seems to haven't aged a day. This really bugs the heck out of rival Alexandra Cabot and prompts the now middle-aged rich b*tch to seek ways to recapture her lost youth.

The Betty story was great. I've not read any of the series starring this version of her and in the past, hadn't had any desire to do so! Not anymore!

The Ethel and Dilton story was really good. Though I wasn't a fan of how Dilton looks like a muscular jock instead of a wimpish nerd. However, having the duo go back in time to visit the parents of Archie, Betty and Veronica was really intriguing. There was an element of the cult film Empire Records to this story and I'd be all for Archie Comics doing a limited series about the life and loves of the parents when they were the age of their current children. 

The Josie story appeared to be a sequel of sorts to the Ethel and Dilton tale. That's because both stories involve a physician by the name of Dr. Masters; a creep interested in eternal life-stretching medical techniques. I wasn't familiar with this guy. But a quick Google search revealed that he was the start of his own Archie Comics drama series in the 1960s. As short lived as it was, I loved how Archie Comics still tries to keep it's legacy characters, alibeit EVER so minor, around for a good yarn or two.

A fun read. With mature language- I didn't know Betty could say the word 'shit'!?- some blood and gore and possibly a little sex, this is a one-shot Halloween time fun ride that is NOT for kids!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.