Afterlife with Archie

Story arcs

Volume 1: Escape From Riverdale (Issues # 1-5)

After a car driven by Reggie Kill Hot Dog , Jughead Asks Sabrina to bring His beloved pet back to life. She does, but with terrible consequences: A hot dog becomes a zombie , and a Jughead bites, a person becomes a zombie and spreads the contagion .

Volume 2: Betty: RIP (Issues # 6-12)

Weeks after Archie and his friends left Riverdale, they are now following up on the descent of the growing hordes of zombies that were once their friends and family.

List of characters

• Archie Andrews is Fred and Mary’s son and the fiance of Betty Cooper. He is the main protagonist of the series.
• Mary Andrews is the mother of Archie and the wife of late Fred Andrews. She is currently in a state of shock to her husband.
• Jughead Jones is Archie’s best friend and patient Zero of the zombie outbreak. After being bitten by the zombified Hot Dog, he hid his infection until it was too late and became the leader of the hordes of Riverdale zombies. Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Archie’s group Since being rendered a spirit, Jughead has also stopped his tongue, openly stating various things.
• Hiram Lodge is the father of Veronica and the second protagonist of the series. He is at odds with Archie throughout the series as well as the same views concerning the zombie outbreak.
• Veronica Lodge is the daughter of Hiram and the late Hermione Lodge. She was once caught up in a love affair with Archie and Betty.
• Hubert Smithers is the butler of the Lodge Mansion who is still loyal to the Lodge.
• Betty Cooper is the daughter of the late Hal and Alice Cooper and the fiancée to Archie Andrews. She has a turbulent relationship with an older sister named Polly. Polly’s whereabouts are currently unknown.
• Reggie Mantle is the Ricky and Vicky Mantle and the catalyst for the zombie outbreak. After being beaten up by Moose Mason, Reggie runs over Jughead Jones’ dog, Hot Dog, who’s coming back to life starts the zombie apocalypse. He slowly begins to go to the heart of the world. When he tries to sacrifice himself to the zombies, Sabrina appears and tells him that he can bring Midge back to life if he kills Betty, which he agrees to do.
• Kevin Keller is the openly-gay classmate of Archie and the gang. He is a skilled archer and has received military training from his late father.
• Chuck Clayton is the late coach Clayton, the trainer teacher of Riverdale High. He is in a relationship with Nancy Woods though he is oblivious to the fact that he is in a secret relationship with Ginger Lopez.
• Dilton Doiley is the smartest of the survivors and has a vast knowledge of horror movies.
• Nancy Woods is the girlfriend of Chuck Clayton who is also a secret relationship with Ginger Lopez. She is scared to come out being gay, having doubts that everyone will accept her to be a lesbian in an interracial relationship.
• Ginger Lopez is a Latina feisty who is in a secret romance with Nancy Woods. She is shown to be a skilled archer just like Kevin Keller.
• Cheryl “Blaze” Blossom is the twin sister of the late Jason Blossom and the daughter of wealthy businessman Clifford Blossom and his wife Penelope. It is unknown if she did not kill her brother. She is almost out of the group due to these suspicions. It is alluded to throughout the series that she and her twin brother are engaged in an incestuous relationship.
• Sabrina Spellman is a witch and the niece of the Witches of Greendale. She helps Jughead bring Hot Dog back to life and because of these actions she is banished to the Nether-Realm. In issue 6, it is shown that it has been taken to an institute. After figuring out the true meanings behind the institute she is tied up as a sacrifice and offered to Cthulhu as his bride. Additionally, Sabrina’s aunts Hilda and Zelda, his cat Salem, and boyfriend Harvey Kinkle have all appeared in the series.

Some of the characters who are in the forefront of the zombie horde include Hot Dog , Jughead Jones (Senior Patient Zero), Principal Weatherbee , Ms. Grundy , Ethel Muggs , Terry “Pop” Tate , Kleates Coach, Fred Andrews , Archie’s Dog Vegas, Mayor Martinez, Forsythe and Gladys Jones, Moose Mason , Midge Klump and Jason Blossom . In issue # 8 it was revealed that the souls of the dead citizens of Riverdale still roam the earth as they are zombified, implying some greater force is controlling their bodies, namely Cthulhu.

Hermione Lodge, Jellybean Jones, Cheryl ‘s Dog Sugar, and General Keller.

Josie and the Pussycats made a cameo appearance in issue # 7 while # 10 dealt with their story in the beginning of the series. This incarnation of the band are immortal vampires who change their identities every decade.

Reception

The first eight issues sold out. ^[6] Fangoria compared Afterlife with Archie to “the kind of horror found in a comic vintage EC “, ^[1] stating that it was one of the “best horror comics (…) in a very long time,” ^{[1] ]} while the Plain Dealerdescribed it as “brilliant”, and “fascinating and wonderful”, ^[7] NPR called it “terrific”, “a masterpiece”, and “actually scary”, ^[5] and Salon said that on “a list of the best comics of (2013) “, Afterlife with Archie would probably be” at the top “. ^[8]

Archie Comics CEO Jon Goldwater has said that his father, the late John L. Goldwater , would have been “shocked by Afterlife (…) but shocked in a great way”. ^[9]

Collected editions

Trade paperbacks

Volume	title	ISBN	Release Date	Collected Material	Issues Published
1	Afterlife with Archie: Escape From Riverdale	9781619889088	June 10, 2014	Afterlife with Archie # 1-5	October 2013 – May 2014
2	Afterlife with Archie: Betty RIP	9781619889484	October 16, 2018	Afterlife with Archie # 6-12	July 2014 -?

References