Archie Comics gets a major makeover.
 

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=94511

But frankly, :wtf:

This is a DRASTIC change compared to the current "house style," and I'm not sure if readers are ready to embrace the more "realistic" look, though. http://webpages.charter.net/connecti...isagree/45.gif

...although are they using it for all things Archie, or just "Betty and Veronica"?

I dunno. They won't know unless they try, I guess, and if nothing else, it drums up some press.

No matter what the art style is, though, Veronica Lodge will forever reign over Betty Cooper. Get your head in the game, Archie!

I've heard it will essentially be used in all the main Archie Comics titles by the end of 2007.

Do they even make Archie "comics" anymore or just the digests?

I haven't read Archie in years, but I read the comics all the time as a kid. I'm sorry but this new makeover just looks weird and wrong. :down:

You're lucky your a moderator, so I'll keep my reply to myself. :mad:

Man, it looks like crap!

Cool, now Archie fans can have something more realistic to whack to. :up:

Is it me or does their new style make them look like they're from the 1980's and not 2006?

They should license the Archie stuff to Vertigo: Betty and Veronica would make a nice lesbian couple. Jughead's a stoner. Archie's bisexual. Mr. Weatherby is a Neo-Nazi.

All the Saturday morning cartoons about teenagers, like Sabrina, look like each other. Now Archie looks like that too.

It's almost as though a new management team came aboard and said, "Disney cartoons are popular. Make Archie look like them."

I agree that it's time for an update. It is certainly time that Archie lose his tic-tac-toe, and Jughead get rid of that 50s felt hat. But they need to keep something distinctive.

Horrible.

Sabrina the Teenage Witch was an Archie spin-off, and the original comics were drawn in that same style.

Blech.

I'll tell you what: we'll team up and take out Archie. I get dibs on Veronica. Betty's all yours. We both go to jail for statutory rape before the month's out.

It's good that they're not aping the 'manga style' again, as few american artists can do that without failing.

That said, this is still ugly as hell. I think the main problem is that they're keeping the character designs, but doing them realistically. It reminds me of that simpsons episode where homer pictures his kids drawn realistically.

If they wanted to update it they should work on layouts, backgrounds, and story.

without coming off as an ass...

Who still reads Archie Comics? Seriously?

I understand that some comics stay in production only to retain certain rights. But is anybody planning an Archie movie? I don't expect Archie to ever really make a comeback. It was a product of its time, and has never been reinvented into a product that works again like many super hero comics.

Again, I mean no disrespect to fans of Archie Comics, and full well understand there place in comic fandom and history. However I don't see the relevence.

I'm guessing 80% of Archie books are unsold, at least.

Yet DC and Marvel cancel shit all the time no matter how much people like them. -ohbfrank-

I doubt all that many people buy them religiously, but they're inoffensive, they're everywhere, there's pretty much zero continuity... You could have picked up a copy in 1993 and picked up another last Thursday while getting a loaf of bread without missing a beat. I guess someone's buying 'em 'cause they're everywhere. I have to admit that for a couple of years when I graduated from college, everytime I was in the grocery store I'd fight the urge to grab a digest. I have no idea why, but the idea of buying an Archie digest fascinated me.

I used to pick up the digests years ago, and this year I had the same urge that you had and picked up a few. Not much there. I'd probably get more enjoyment out of digging up my old ones and rereading them.

I don't really like it at all, but as I don't buy their comics, it seems tough to bitch about it.

According to "Rik" on Newsarama who apparently works at Archie:

I like the idea of a more realistic Archie. Perhaps he can get drunk and beat Veronica while fucking Betty on the side.

Ever since Archie met the Punisher things in Riverdale just haven't been the same.

I haven't read an Archie comic since the 70s (except for the above mentioned cross-over) but I really think the change is a crappy idea. What's next, an updated Charlie Brown?