Archie #5
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Veronica Fish
Colorist: Andre Szymanowicz
Letterer: Jack Morelli
Review by Jared Gafford
What happens when you introduce a classic Archie nemesis and simultaneously turn the stuck up Veronica into the hero? You get something absolutely wonderful in issue five of Archie from Archie Comics. With the story by Mark Waid and the art by Veronica Fish, issue five keeps this good train rolling on what has been a fantastic start to this new run of Archie.
To catch you up from where we left off, the infamous Lipstick Incident was revealed to us. We found out that the real reason Archie and Betty broke up was because Archie was afraid that Betty was changing, and not for the better. Well in this issue we find out that Betty still cares about Archie, and his budding romance with Veronica. She cares so much that she is willing to go to the villainous Reggie Mantle to get help in breaking them up!
The only problem is that in the wise words of Jughead, “You deal with the devil, you always pay the price.” So in a somewhat one sided trade, Reggie agrees to break up Archie and Veronica, by any means necessary, if they get him a new fake ID. But the entire plan backfires as we get to witness Veronica at her most heroic. We get to see a side of her that we very rarely get to see. The side that shows that she might actually care about Archie as more than just a pet.
This issue pulled me in with
the fun of Jughead and Betty teaming up, and kept me with the heartfelt response we see from Veronica after certain events transpire. I went into this issue all fired up and on the Betty bandwagon, but after reading this issue, I have found somewhat of a warm spot for Veronica as well. Who’s side do you choose when both have traits you like? No wonder Archie has been fighting this battle for almost 75 years!
The Verdict
A must buy. If you are not reading this series, you should be! Mark Waid does a phenomenal job of taking every day high school drama and making it relatable and exciting. It’s like watching a more light-hearted version of a CW teen drama, but in the best way possible. It’s fun, it’s beautifully written and drawn and it is a must have on your pull list!
