Dynamite; $4.99  

Reggie has invited the Riverdale gang to his new vacation house on the lake. It’s beautiful, spacious, far away from the neighbors, and was left to Reggie by a distant relative. The party is going well, and everyone is having fun – that is until an exploration of the house uncovers a mysterious book. A book with a face… a book that someone reads from and raises the Deadites. Fortunately, Ash Williams is working at the S-Mart that recently opened in Riverdale. 

Deadites in Riverdale has the makings of an entertaining horror-comedy, and the creative team of writer Erik Burnham, penciler Bill Galvan, inker Ben Galvan, and colorist Ellie Wright are off to a good start. It has the hallmarks of an Archie book – the love triangle, Jughead’s appetite, Reggie being a jerk, music, and teenage fun – then the bloodthirsty Deadites show up to wreck their PG-party.  

Seeing this type of violence in the usual Archie Comics art style appears discordant, but it sets up just how unprepared these clean-cut kids are for what’s to come. Which is the perfect time to bring Ash in with his dark humor and boomstick.  

–Amanda Sheriff