The solicitations include the acclaimed Afterlife With Archie series by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina by Aguirre-Sacasa with artist Robert Hack.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Archie is arguably the most aggressive North American publisher at pursuing newsstand and non-direct market sales; they remain omnipresent in toy stores, drug stores and grocery stores even as larger comics publishers like DC and Marvel have scaled back their presence in those markets to near zero. This opens up a niche for books like Afterlife With Archie Magazine, which collects tales from both series as well as stories from the Archie Comics vault.
And Archie’s horror books, of course, are opening a whole new market for the publisher. Along with their revamped Black Circle line of superhero books, Afterlife and Sabrina have allowed Archie to make a play for more traditional comics audiences in a way that their monthly, all-ages-friendly books haven’t done in years.
You can check them out below.
The Horror began in Riverdale when Reggie Mantle struck and killed Jughead’s beloved pooch Hot Dog. Since then, Reggie has been living with this secret knowledge—and terrible guilt. With no one to talk to about it, Reggie has started to crack under the strain. He is seeing visions of his dead friends—or are they literal ghosts? When an act of kindness prompts a confession from him, Reggie must decide for himself, once and for all—is there any good within him? Or is Reggie, as we’ve always suspected, beyond redemption? For TEEN+ Readers.
Script: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Art: Francesco Francavilla
Cover: Francesco Francavilla
JugDEAD Variant Cover: Dave Devries
On Sale Date: 4/29
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.
In this issue, we take a break from the Archie gang’s plight against the raging zombie hordes and shift gears to another horror title fresh from Archie Comics. AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE MAGAZINE presents: THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA! Terror is born anew in this dark reimagining of Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s origin. On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, the young sorceress finds herself at a crossroads, having to choose between an unearthly destiny and her mortal boyfriend, Harvey. But a foe from her family’s past has arrived in Greendale, Madame Satan, and she has her own deadly agenda. Archie Comic’s latest horror sensation starts here! Featuring extra special bonus content and classic tales in this magazine-sized version of the horror sensation. For TEEN+ readers.
Script: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Art: Robert Hack
Cover: Francesco Francavilla
On Sale Date: 4/22
48-page, full color comic
$4.99 U.S.
Hell hath no fury… It’s Sabrina in the underworld as she and her companions risk everything—including their immortal souls—to rescue Harvey’s consciousness, trapped in the Dark Pit. Meanwhile, with Greendale’s most powerful witch missing in action, Madame Satan launches an attack on the Spellman household, but Hilda and Zelda are not helpless, and then of course there’s Cousin Ambrose to contend with… For TEEN+ readers.
Script: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Art: Robert Hack
Cover: Robert Hack
Carrie Variant Cover: Robert Hack
On Sale Date: 5/6
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.
You can check out a variant cover for Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #4 below. Click on any of the covers above to expand to a larger version.
