Archie & Secret Stash Press; $7.99  

A crossover for the ages takes place in Archie Meets Jay & Silent Bob. It begins at the Quick Stop where Randal decides that he needs to start spending more time outside of the convenience store, so he hires a new employee: Archie Andrews.  

First, Archie tries to get acclimated to Randal, Elias, and their colorful language, followed by a messy visit from Betty and Veronica. After meeting Jay and Silent Bob, Archie invites them to a Josie & the Pussycats concert in Riverdale. There, the Clerks crew meets the teens from Riverdale for a concert of chaos.  

Archie Meets Jay & Silent Bob was written by Kevin Smith, the writer-director behind Clerks and all the Jay & Silent Bob projects. With Smith writing the book, it isn’t surprising that it features content and language that is more mature than the average Archie comic. It’s a bit jarring, but also funny when Archie gets uncomfortable with the swear words and risqué comments. The book is also packed with pop culture jokes, with plenty of nods to Archie Comics and Clerks.  

The art team of penciler Fernando Ruiz, inker Rich Koslowski, and colorist Matt Herms did a great job of bringing the book to life. They capture Jay, Silent Bob, and their friends in the beloved Archie style, which just makes it funnier when naughty jokes are made.  

Fans of wholesome Archie comics may not be fans of this book, but any comic reader who likes Smith’s humor and Jay and Silent Bob’s antics will definitely crack up while reading this mashup.  

–Amanda Sheriff