THE "NEW LOOK" RETURNS TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN - WITH AN ALL-NEW REALISTICALLY RENDERED STORY IN BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST!
Back in the spring of 2007, the world of Archie Comics was rocked by the publication of BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #151, featuring the first installment of "Bad Boy Trouble," an epic tale that ran through issue #154 and found Riverdale's favorite teens rendered in a realistic style!
The "new look" inspired months and months of debate and media coverage... and was so intriguing to fans that it led to further "new look" sagas, including Jughead dealing with a bunch of "Matchmakers" in JUGHEAD'S DOUBLE DIGEST #139-142 and Moose and Midge's time-test romance put to the test in "Break-up Blues," chronicled in PALS-N-GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #125-128.
Now, the "new look" returns to its roots, with the latest story to portray the famous Riverdale teens in a "realistic" style once again appearing in the pages of BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST beginning in issue #170 and running through issue #173.
As faithful readers of the previous "new look" tales know, the "realistic" art style is only part of the appeal. Also of note are the fact that the stories are multi-issue epics filled with intrigue and monumental plot twists that could forever affect the relationships between Archie and his friends, as well as longstanding traditions in the fabled town of Riverdale and the very fabric that holds the Archie-verse together.
Perhaps more than any "new look" story so far, "My Father's Betrayal" presents the most poignant situation yet. When Veronica and her friends vow to save a nature preserve from being turned into an industrial park, they discover the issue isn't as black and white as they think: not only will the industrial park bring much-needed jobs to the out-of-work residents of Riverdale, it will also help lower property taxes. But the biggest conflict of all? The industrial park is being funded by Veronica's father! What will life in Riverdale be like when its richest businessman and his debutant daughter disagree on an issue that can affect the whole community?
Famous superhero art team and Eisner Award nominees Rick Burchett and Terry Austin lend their formidable penciling and inking talents to this intriguing tale, brought to you by "new look" scribe Melanie J. Morgan. It's the "new look" story you just can't afford to miss!
BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #170
"My Father's Betrayal Part 1": The latest "new look" saga is the most poignant yet, as Veronica and her friends vow to save a nature preserve from being turned into an industrial park. The issue isn't as black and white as the teens may think: not only will the industrial park bring much-needed jobs to the out-of-work residents of Riverdale, it will also help lower property taxes. But the biggest conflict of all: the industrial park is being funded by Veronica's father! What will life in Riverdale be like when its richest businessman and his debutant daughter disagree on an issue that can affect the whole community? It's the story you just can't afford to miss, served up in the "realistic" art style that made Betty and Veronica's "Bad Boy Trouble" Jughead's "Match Makers," and Moose and Midge's "Break-up Blues" some of the most-talked about Archie stories in recent years! Famous superhero art team and Eisner Award nominees Rick Burchett and Terry Austin lend their formidable penciling and inking talents to this intriguing tale, brought to you by "new look" scribe Melanie J. Morgan.
SCRIPT: Melanie J. Morgan.
ART: Rick Burchett and Terry Austin.
"Sitting Downer": It's "Friendship Day" at the local library, and Betty has volunteered to read the children a story all about the topic. But when Veronica and Archie show up, the kids get a lesson in jealously instead!
SCRIPT: Mike Pellowski.
ART: Tim Kennedy.
"Taking Stock": Betty wows Mr. Lodge with her stock market knowledge and wins all of his attention in the process, leaving Veronica's self-esteem in decline. Can Betty help her friend make gains once more?
SCRIPT: Bill Golliher.
ART: Tim Kennedy.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
Shipping Date: April 15th, 2009
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: April 22nd, 2009
On Sale on Newsstands: May 5th, 2009
176-page, full color digest
$3.99 US.
Why are they making another Betty & Veronica "New Look"? When will they make one about Archie?
Well, they kinda need to do something. Not sure I completely like the 'new' look. If it were more like Stan Goldberg's vintage Millie the Model, I'd go for it, in a heartbeat. Even his Archie-style Millie was great, even tho I hated it when they switched (yep, I'm that old), at the time. Mr. Goldberg is comic art royalty, but I'm not sure I like how Archie and the gang are looking these days. Too goofy, even for Archie, and I'm not a fan of the cheek lines. Makes the faces look all puffy and kinda manga (which I personally detest). I guess I prefer Dan Parent's Archie right now, tho I'm not totally thrilled with that, either, but his covers are usually awesome. Right now? I think I like the overall look of b&v Spectacular. Really different, colorful, clean art. And of course, being a 'girl', I always wish the paper dolls would make a comeback.
I like the new style they had for Betty and Veronica in Bad Boy Trouble, however they didn't look the same in the other issues, i.e. matchmaker, and break up blues, Betty and Veronica looked completely different in each one. Would like to see them be consistant with all the characters in the new look segments.
I don't much care for the "New Look." A new realism of plot and understatement of emotion still needs to catch up with the new realism of style. Under the New Look, at least as of right now, we have fairly realistic figures of people scowling and pulling faces in still-very "cartoony" ways (check out the cover of Betty and Veronica confronting Mr. Lodge).
IMHO such extreme emotions worked better with the pre-existing, more stereotyped character-drawing: Archie's "tic-tac-toe" on his hair, Jughead's sloop nose, and everyone's googly eyes.
Just IMHO but I wish Archie Pubs. would continue with a line or two that are in the old (pre-existing) style. Are there others who, like me, prefer the "old" style or would like at least for some of the lines to maintain that look?
- al from chicago