Dynamite; $4.99  

Exciting things are happening in Riverdale! The rare Aquamarine Ibiso is hatching in front of the high school and it's getting national news coverage. Also, a new boy has started at Riverdale High, and he is the talk of the courtyard. His name is Max, he has stylishly messy hair, and he seems way more mature and responsible than the other boys. He has caught the rapt attention of Betty and Veronica – much to Archie's displeasure.  

There's just one little problem: Max is actually John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance against Skynet, the murderous AI that tries to destroy all of humanity.  

The first issue of Archie vs. The Terminator starts off with a plausible premise that could happen in any Archie book. A cool new guy shows up, the girls are interested in him, the other guys like him, but Archie gets jealous and makes a fool of himself. However, readers know all about John and Sarah Connor and the Terminators, so there's a lowkey sense of foreboding throughout the issue.  

Writer Rory McConville lays the groundwork for the story by giving us a typical Riverdale tale, with an enticing hook that sets up the crossover. This version of John is a couple years older than he was in Terminator 2, so he's more mature and aware of his responsibilities. Meanwhile a relentless Terminator has a clue to John's new location, and Riverdale is getting a very dangerous visitor.  

The art is provided by the father-daughter team of Steven Butler and Lily Butler. Steven has plenty of experience drawing Archie Comics, so the characters and the town look exactly like they should. The first issue has cheery bright colors, characters have big eyes and button noses, and the town is as charming as ever. Those attributes add more weight to the bizarre situation they find themselves in when a monster invades their picturesque lives. 

The four-issue miniseries is off to a good start. 

–Amanda Sheriff