Archie Comics keeps shaking things up in 2008

From Archie Comics

The year 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.
On sale on newsstands: November 11, 2008
32-recycled page, full-color comic
$2.25 U.S.

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.
On sale on newsstands: October 21, 2008
32-page, full-color comic
$2.25 U.S.

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!
On sale on newsstands: November 11, 2008
176-page, full-color digest
$3.69 U.S.