Riverdale‘s first ever Halloween episode airs tonight on The CW and the aptly titled “Chapter Sixty-One: Halloween” will see the many of the popular show’s characters getting dressed up for the holiday. While this being Riverdale, there will probably more tricks than treats in store for Archie and his friends, fans of the series will get to enjoy not just Cheryl and Toni’s DC Comics-inspired costumes, but two heroic takes from the early days of Archie Comics — Pureheart the Powerful and The Shield.
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In previously-released photos from the episode, we got our first look at how Archie (K.J. Apa) and Mad Dog (Eli Goree) showing up at Pop’s dressed for Halloween in two decidedly patriotic color-themed costumes. Archie’s costume features a red suit with navy “modesty trunks” and a blue heart in the center of his chest with a white “P” while Mad Dog is clad in a stars and stripes themed look — Pureheart the Powerful and The Shield respectively. For fans of Riverdale, this isn’t the first time Pureheart has been mentioned in connection with Archie. During the show’s second season premiere, Jughead (Cole Sprouse) refers to Archie as Pureheart the Powerful”. It’s a reference to a time when, in comics, Archie took a super heroic turn. Debuting in Life With Archie #42 from October 1965, Archie’s superhero turn even led to his own series, Archie as Pureheart the Powerful.
As for The Shield, this is an even deeper reference to the early days of Archie Comics. Back before Archie Comics was, well Archie Comics, the company was known as MLJ and was well-known for superheroes. Among them was The Shield who first debuted in Pep Comics #1 from January 1940. The character predates Marvel’s Captain America by months, giving it the distinction of being among the first superheroes with a patriotic/American iconography.
In comics, there have actually been four incarnations of The Shield. The first was chemist Joe Higgins who gains his powers from a chemical formula for super strength (as bolstered by the use of x-rays). A second version, Lancelot Strong, appeared in 1959. That character gained his superpowers from a method of “expanding the mind” his father had used on him as an infant. The third version, Bill Higgins, was the son of the original Shield and the latest version, Lt. Michael Barnes debuted in 2015.
Tonight’s Halloween episode is the first time Riverdale has directly celebrated the holiday and it’s been something the show has wanted since its very inception.
“It’s episode four.” showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa said of the episode during San Diego Comic-Con earlier this year. “We’ve never been able to do a Halloween episode because of scheduling and it’s just never worked out. We’ve got a really fun, spooky episode for everyone.”
Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
