Archie & Friends

ARCHIE & FRIENDS #124
THE FIRST PART OF A TWO-PART TALE BY POPULAR "WJHC" WRITER JANE SMITH FISHER!
"Battle of the Bands, Part One": The greatest comic book band in the world is out to prove its supremacy in the most decisive fashion possible: by winning a "Battle of the Bands" competition. This isn't just any contest - at stake is a first prize Tropical Island vacation! But two sour notes threaten their presumed victory: Veronica's selfishness and Reggie's mysterious disappearances. Can the band recover and end on a high note? A longtime advocate for kid's comics, writer Jane Smith Fisher has devoted her career to telling age-appropriate stories in series such as "Cybernauts" and the highly popular "WJHC," about a group of teens who start their own high school radio station. Jane has been embraced by librarians and schools across the nation. Now she brings her special voice for both young and female characters to Archie Comics in this rock 'n' rollin' storyline.
SCRIPT: Jane Smith Fisher.
ART: Stan Goldberg.
Shipping Date: October 1st, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: October 8th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: October 21st, 2008
32-page, full color comic
$2.25 US.

ARCHIE & FRIENDS #126
FAN-FAVORITE WRITER ALEX SIMMONS RETURNS FOR A FUN-FILLED, FOUR-PART TALE!
"The Cartoon Life of Chuck Clayton, Part One: Gnomes & Stick Figure Funnies": Chuck Clayton takes center stage in this special storyline. Chuck is asked to teach an after-school program in cartooning to elementary school kids... and it isn't long before he learns the kids can be more hyperactive than his doodles! Can Chuck ultimately connect with the kids and help them create the next comic book classics? Will his temporary teaching gig lead to bigger and better things, or is his tenure soon to be terminated? The answer's just a splash panel away! This new multi-part epic comes courtesy of someone who knows his way around both creating and teaching comics, namely acclaimed writer, children's art advocate, and organizer of the world's only "Kids' Comics" convention, Alex Simmons.
SCRIPT: Alex Simmons.
ART: Fernando Ruiz.
Shipping Date: December 3rd, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: December 10th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: December 23rd, 2008
32-page, full color comic
$2.25 US.

Continue reading "ARCHIE & FRIENDS #125" »

ARCHIE & FRIENDS #122
"California Dreaming, Part Two": Last issue, the news of Archie and his friends' worldwide, mystery-solving adventures led to a major movie contract and a trip to Tinseltown! While at a swank Hollywood party, the gang is kidnapped along with dozens of celebrity guests, and trapped in a ballroom with wall-to-wall food! That may be fine for Jughead, but the others are determined to break both themselves and their famous fellow prisoners free. The crazy climax features a thrilling "cat and costumed mouse" chase as the teens pursue the lead culprit racing through the Catalina Comic Convention! It's one explosive finish (did we mention the fireworks?) you can't afford to miss! SCRIPT: Alex Simmons. ART: Fernando Ruiz.
Shipping Date: August 6th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: August 13th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: August 26th, 2008
32-page, full color comic
$2.25 US.

ARCHIE & FRIENDS #124
"Battle of the Bands, Part One": The greatest comic book band in the world is out to prove its supremacy in the most decisive fashion possible: by winning a "Battle of the Bands" competition. This isn't just any contest - at stake is a first prize Tropical Island vacation! But two sour notes threaten their presumed victory: Veronica's selfishness and Reggie's mysterious disappearances. Can the band recover and end on a high note? A longtime advocate for kid's comics, writer Jane Smith Fisher has devoted her career to telling age-appropriate stories in series such as "Cybernauts" and the highly popular "WJHC," about a group of teens who start their own high school radio station. Jane has been embraced by librarians and schools across the nation. Now she brings her special voice for both young and female characters to Archie Comics in this rock 'n' rollin' storyline.
SCRIPT: Jane Smith Fisher.
ART: Stan Goldberg.
Shipping Date: October 1st, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: October 8th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: October 21st, 2008
32-page, full color comic
$2.25 US.
THE FIRST PART OF A TWO-PART TALE BY POPULAR "WJHC" WRITER JANE SMITH FISHER!

THE YEAR OF ARCHIE EVENT STORIES CONTINUES THIS OCTOBER!

2008 will surely go down as the year Archie Comics pulled out all the stops with one intriguing storyline after another. From Alex Simmon’s thrilling mysteries in the pages of ARCHIE & FRIENDS, to Jughead’s and Moose & Midge’s forays into the “Dynamic New Look” in JUGHEAD’S DOUBLE DIGEST and PALS-N-GALS DOUBLE DIGEST respectively, to the readers voting for Cheryl’s new boyfriend in BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST, we’ve been keeping our readers busy with stories that play up the classic personalities and relationships of everyone’s favorite comic book teens!

This October, the excitement continues as fan-favorite writer Batton Lash delivers another installment of the popular “Freshman Year” saga in ARCHIE #590, and popular “WJHC” writer Jane Smith Fisher comes on board ARCHIE & FRIENDS for a two-part storyline that may well be the ultimate Archies band story! And speaking of the Archies, they’re about to trade the garage for the drama club over in the pages of ARCHIE’S DOUBLE DIGEST. Don’t miss these awesome issues!


ARCHIE #590
THE THRILLING "FRESHMAN YEAR SAGA" CONTINUES!
The first year of high school has been an eventful one for Archie and his friends, and it's all leading towards a whirlwind finale! But the teens still have some time to go yet. In this latest installment, they are evaluated by their teachers who report their progress to their folks on "parent-teacher" night. How will they fare once their parents learn how they're doing? Meanwhile, in social life, love triangles abound, and so do pranks – some playful, some nasty. But none nastier than the bikers who have been bedeviling the town. All this, plus a surprise or two! It's the greatest "first year" of high school ever, courtesy of fan-favorite writer Batton Lash of "Wolff & Byrd" and "Archie Meets the Punisher" fame, along with "Scrapyard Detectives" creator and popular Archie artist/writer Bill Galvan.
SCRIPT: Batton Lash.
ART: Bill Galvan.
Shipping Date: October 22nd, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: October 29th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: November 11th, 2008
32-recycled page, full color comic
$2.25 US.


ARCHIE & FRIENDS #124
THE FIRST PART OF A TWO-PART TALE BY POPULAR “WJHC” WRITER JANE SMITH FISHER!
“Battle of the Bands, Part One”: The greatest comic book band in the world is out to prove its supremacy in the most decisive fashion possible: by winning a “Battle of the Bands” competition. This isn’t just any contest – at stake is a first prize Tropical Island vacation! But two sour notes threaten their presumed victory: Veronica’s selfishness and Reggie’s mysterious disappearances. Can the band recover and end on a high note? A longtime advocate for kid’s comics, writer Jane Smith Fisher has devoted her career to telling age-appropriate stories in series such as “Cybernauts” and the highly popular “WJHC,” about a group of teens who start their own high school radio station. Jane has been embraced by librarians and schools across the nation. Now she brings her special voice for both young and female characters to Archie Comics in this rock ‘n’ rollin’ storyline.
SCRIPT: Jane Smith Fisher.
ART: Stan Goldberg.
Shipping Date: October 1st, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: October 8th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: October 21st, 2008
32-page, full color comic
$2.25 US.


ARCHIE’S DOUBLE DIGEST #193
“To Play or Not to Play”: Feeling the stress of studies, extracurricular activities and college applications, the gang decides to put the Archies on hiatus – until Jughead convinces his band mates to appear in a high school musical he’s written about a teen rock band stressed out by their studies, extracurricular activities and college applications!
SCRIPT AND ART: Bill Galvan.
“Toy Story”: A short time ago, in a town called Riverdale not too far away… Jughead has dragged Archie to a toy store at midnight so he can be among the first to purchase the new “Star Lores” action figures!
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Bill Galvan.
“Pre-Exam Insurance”: Archie’s convinced that petting Betty’s cat Carmel is good luck before an exam… but the only thing between Archie and a passing grade is the tree Carmel’s stuck in!
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Henry Scarpelli.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
Shipping Date: October 22nd, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: October 29th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: November 11th, 2008
176-page, full color digest
$3.69 US.

ARCHIE & FRIENDS #121
“California Dreaming Part One”: When news of Archie and his friends’ worldwide, mystery-solving adventures (see ARCHIE & FRIENDS #117 through #120 for details) spreads, it isn’t long before Hollywood comes knocking. MGG Studios exec Perri DeLane is sure the gang will be a hit, and takes them to the Catalina Comic Con to unveil her latest franchise.
Later, the “Minute Men of Menace,” a gang of thieves who pull off their crimes in lightning-fast fashion, crash a swank invitation-only party that the gang are attending… and promptly kidnap all the celebrity guests! Can Archie and his friends solve yet another mystery so hot on the heels of their European tour? Is the plot of their movie being written before their eyes? These questions and more will be answered (maybe) when you read this intriguing tale!
SCRIPT: Alex Simmons. ART: Fernando Ruiz.
Shipping Date: July 2nd, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: July 9th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: July 22nd, 2008
32-page, full color comic
$2.25 US.

ARCHIE & FRIENDS #123
"A Tune in Tinsel Town": Now that the smoke has cleared and all the bad guys have been dispatched, Archie and his friends can finally concentrate on the film deal that brought them to Hollywood in the first place. Citing the Archie’s popularity and the high profile of their adventures in Europe and Africa, a big-time Hollywood producer is certain the teens’ notoriety will translate to box office gold and plans to star them in a series of movies called
"Mayhem Musical High." Now that they’ve saved half of Hollywood’s biggest stars (see issue 122), the kids are even hotter properties! Along with that red-hotness comes offers of solo contracts for the players. Will visions of individual fame and fortune strike a sour chord with the band, or can the Archies’ love of music and friendship ultimately overcome ego and greed?
SCRIPT: Alex Simmons.
ART/COVER: Fernando Ruiz (pencils) and Jim Amash (inks).
Shipping Date: September 3rd, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: September 10th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: September 23rd, 2008
32-page, full color comic
$2.25 US.

ARCHIE & FRIENDS #120
THE THRILLING CONCLUSION TO THE FOUR-PART EPIC!  
“Archie World Tour Part 4 of 4: The Who Stole My Girl Affair”: When Archie and his friends set out on their quest to see five cities in ten days, they looked forward to getting as many sightseeing thrills as possible.  Little did they know they’d get a heaping helping of suspense and intrigue as well!  Now, Veronica’s been kidnapped and the race is on to find and rescue her before it’s too late.  This leads to a whirlwind trek from Rome to Zurich in pursuit of the mysterious “Green Man” and his minions.  Along the way Archie and friends will befuddle the Italian police, trash a movie set, stowaway on a jet, frustrate the Zurich police, storm a fortress, confound half the criminal underworld – and somehow still come off as good ambassadors of the United States!  Don’t miss this hysterical, fast-paced, action-packed salute to super-spy films everywhere, as Archie finally unravels the Green Man’s plans and discovers a plot that could bring Europe to its knees (and imagine how much that will hurt)! 
SCRIPT: Alex Simmons.  ART: Rex Lindsey.
Shipping Date: June 4th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: June 11th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: June 25th, 2008
32-page, full color comic
$2.25 US.