Archie, the longest-running non-superhero comic in the American comics industry, will reach its landmark 700th consecutive issue soon, and in recognition of that accomplishment, the series is reverting to its “legacy numbering.”
The move comes just as writer Mark Waid, who relaunched the series with a new #1 in 2015, leaves Archie and the creative team of Nick Spencer and Marguerite Sauvage.
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We have four covers to reveal — one by Sauvage, one by Francesco Fancavilla, one by Mike and Laura Allred, and one by Matthew Dow Smith.
The issue will also feature covers from Robert Hack, David Mack, Audrey Mok, Thomas Pitilli, Paul Renaud, and Michael Walsh.
Archie #700 is not a reboot. To get caught up on everything that has happened since the 2015 relaunch and prepare audiences for the next era to come, the publisher is releasing a discount-priced “the story so far…” issue, Archie #699 from writers Mark Waid and Ian Flynn, on October 3.
While the series won’t reboot, and Spencer seems an unlikely choice to drive straight back into the “classic Archie” feel, it is easy to wonder what the post-700 world has in store for the Riverdale gang. With the popularity of the dark, violent Riverdale TV series and a mature-audiences revival of Sabrina the Teenage Witch on the way from Netflix, the entry point for Archie’s characters is more R-rated than it has ever been. Meanwhile, the “Classic Archie” look has come back into favor in side series published outside of the main continuity and featuring artists who worked on the pre-reboot series.
[Start Gallery Call-to-Action Key=7546]Fans will have to wait to see what the series looks like when the new creative team joins with #700, and you can see the official solicitation text for that issue below.
ARCHIE #700
A brand-new era of ARCHIE begins in this landmark 700th issue of our flagship series! Join the
new creative team of writer Nick Spencer (The Amazing Spider-Man) and artist Marguerite
Sauvage (DC’s Bombshells) as they take a trip to Riverdale and bring Archie, Betty & Veronica,
Jughead, and the rest of the town along for a wild ride complete with new mysteries, new
relationships, and much more!
Script: Nick Spencer
Art: Marguerite Sauvage, Jack Morelli
Cover: Marguerite Sauvage
Variant Covers: Mike Allred & Laura Allred, Matthew Dow Smith, Francesco Francavilla,
Robert Hack, David Mack, Audrey Mok, Thomas Pitilli, Paul Renaud, Michael Walsh
On Sale Date: 11/21
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.
