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Road to Riverdale #1
Road to Riverdale
ROAD TO RIVERDALE is an entry-level collection featuring the first issues of all modern-day Archie relaunches.
Featuring the top talents in comics, this graphic novel is perfect for those new fans of the CW's Riverdale TV series, debuting in January 2017. Timed alongside the first episode, it captures the New Riverdale that inspired the show and is a guide for new readers to
explore the variety of Archie comics and graphic novels available.
READ THE STORIES THAT INSPIRED THE NEW CW TV SERIES!
In the past two years, the little town of Riverdale has changed in a number of amazing ways. The entire Archie universe has been given a fresh coat of paint and it's only getting bigger and better from here. Road to Riverdale presents to readers all of the first issues of each of our new series so far, including Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica, Josie and the Pussycats, and Reggie & Me, timed to the release of the brand new CW series Riverdale. This graphic novel features riveting stories and dazzling artwork from superstar writers and artists like Mark Waid, Adam Hughes, Marguerite Bennett, Fiona Staples, Chip Zdarsky and much more. You won't want to miss out on this one-of-a-kind collection that shines the spotlight on the New Riverdale, and serves as the ultimate guide for both new readers and
long-time fans.
Featuring the top talents in comics, this graphic novel is perfect for those new fans of the CW's Riverdale TV series, debuting in January 2017. Timed alongside the first episode, it captures the New Riverdale that inspired the show and is a guide for new readers to
explore the variety of Archie comics and graphic novels available.
READ THE STORIES THAT INSPIRED THE NEW CW TV SERIES!
In the past two years, the little town of Riverdale has changed in a number of amazing ways. The entire Archie universe has been given a fresh coat of paint and it's only getting bigger and better from here. Road to Riverdale presents to readers all of the first issues of each of our new series so far, including Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica, Josie and the Pussycats, and Reggie & Me, timed to the release of the brand new CW series Riverdale. This graphic novel features riveting stories and dazzling artwork from superstar writers and artists like Mark Waid, Adam Hughes, Marguerite Bennett, Fiona Staples, Chip Zdarsky and much more. You won't want to miss out on this one-of-a-kind collection that shines the spotlight on the New Riverdale, and serves as the ultimate guide for both new readers and
long-time fans.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 31, 2017
About the author
Mark Waid
3,277 books1,355 followersMark Waid is an American comic book writer widely known for shaping modern superhero storytelling through influential runs on major characters at both DC Comics and Marvel Comics. Raised in Alabama, he developed an early fascination with comic books, particularly classic stories featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes, whose imaginative scope and sense of legacy would later inform his own writing. He first entered the comics industry during the mid 1980s as an editor and writer for the fan magazine Amazing Heroes, before publishing his first professional comic story in Action Comics. Soon afterward he joined DC Comics as an editor, contributing to numerous titles and helping shape projects across the company. After leaving editorial work to focus on writing, Waid gained widespread recognition with his long run on The Flash, where he expanded the mythology of the character and co-created the youthful speedster Impulse. His reputation grew further with the celebrated graphic novel Kingdom Come, created with artist Alex Ross, which imagined a future DC Universe shaped by generational conflict among superheroes. Over the years he has written many prominent series, including Captain America, Fantastic Four, Daredevil, and Superman: Birthright, bringing a balance of optimism, character depth, and respect for comic book history to each project. Waid has also collaborated with notable artists and writers on major ensemble titles such as Justice League and Avengers, while contributing ideas that helped clarify complex continuity within shared superhero universes. Beyond mainstream superhero work, he has supported creator owned projects and experimental publishing models, including the acclaimed series Irredeemable and Incorruptible, which explored moral ambiguity within the superhero genre. He later took on editorial leadership roles at Boom Studios, guiding creative direction while continuing to write extensively. In subsequent years he expanded his involvement in publishing and digital storytelling, helping launch online comics initiatives and advocating for new distribution methods for creators. His work has earned numerous industry awards, including Eisner and Harvey honors, reflecting both critical acclaim and enduring popularity among readers. Throughout his career Waid has remained a passionate student of comic book history, drawing on decades of storytelling tradition while continually encouraging innovation within the medium. His influence extends across generations of readers and creators, and his stories continue to shape the evolving language of superhero comics around the world today through enduring characters imaginative narratives and thoughtful reinventions of familiar myths within popular culture and modern graphic storytelling traditions.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
June 16, 2017
Lo sé, lo sé, me adelanté y vi la serie antes de terminar este compendio. Ya lo sé.
Mis pensamientos de la adaptación a la pequeña pantalla son rápidos: comenzó oscura, misteriosa y ¡wow!, estaba extasiado. Sin embargo, luego del capítulo cuatro, todo desapareció, la historia se volvió otro drama adolescente más y no se recuperó hasta los últimos capítulos. Pero va, está bien, estoy acostumbrado a ver mis esperanzas destruirse. Sí, así de dramático —aunque sí le reconozco algo, y eso es la banda sonora—.
Sobre el compendio:
Aquí se encuentran reunidos los cinco primeros issues de los spin offs de Archie, y he aquí mi opinión:
Archie: 4/5
Jughead: 4.5/5 Jughead-bebé.
Betty and Veronica: 2/5 So. F*cking. Boring.
Josie and the Pussycats: 2.5/5 Way too girly for me, and I'm me.
Regie and me: 4.5/5 Lo amé.
Total: 3.5
Mis pensamientos de la adaptación a la pequeña pantalla son rápidos: comenzó oscura, misteriosa y ¡wow!, estaba extasiado. Sin embargo, luego del capítulo cuatro, todo desapareció, la historia se volvió otro drama adolescente más y no se recuperó hasta los últimos capítulos. Pero va, está bien, estoy acostumbrado a ver mis esperanzas destruirse. Sí, así de dramático —aunque sí le reconozco algo, y eso es la banda sonora—.
Sobre el compendio:
Aquí se encuentran reunidos los cinco primeros issues de los spin offs de Archie, y he aquí mi opinión:
Archie: 4/5
Jughead: 4.5/5 Jughead-bebé.
Betty and Veronica: 2/5 So. F*cking. Boring.
Josie and the Pussycats: 2.5/5 Way too girly for me, and I'm me.
Regie and me: 4.5/5 Lo amé.
Total: 3.5
March 6, 2017
First off I’ve never read the comics, I haven’t even heard of Riverdale until the show premiered on Netflix. It sounded great though and after a friend of mine kept raving about it and telling me how good this show was I watched the first episode and fell in love with this show and its characters immediately. I’ve become quite obsessed with Riverdale since; I think I’ve rewatched every episode at least twice so of course I had to check out the comics as well. I didn’t know that Road to Riverdale actually wasn’t the original comic which is why I already ordered the original first Archie comic yesterday and I cannot wait to read it. But even though Road to Riverdale was different than I expected I quite enjoyed it.
Road to Riverdale is a collection of #1 issues from the New Riverdale series, which I didn’t know though. I expected this to be a Riverdale story but actually there were five excerpt from the Riverdale comics which I am going to review individually as they’re all pretty different from each other. Also I want to point out that I had absolutely now idea that there are so many different Riverdale comics, there are like so many spin-offs from the original comic series it’s insane. Not saying it’s bad though but it will probably take me a lifetime to catch up on all of them haha
Archie:
Reading this excerpt from the original Archie comics made me realize how different the show actually is to the comics. Even some of the characters are so different. Miss Grundy for example is in her sixties and in the show Archie actually hooked up with her. And in the comics Archie’s dad actually plays the guitar himself and he’s the one who taught Archie everything about it while in the show his father doesn’t even know that Archie is into music. I don’t know if I like the original story better or the story told in the TV show, I love both I guess. It was so much fun to read about Archie and his friends. I really enjoyed this one and now I’m even more excited to read the original comics.
Jughead:
Jughead seems so different than he is portrayed in the show. In the show he’s kind of mysterious, telling the story of Jason and how his death affected Riverdale and its residents, in the comics he’s actually pretty weird but in a good way though, he’s so much fun, always hungry and fiercely lazy. He’s also pretty sharp and witty, always wearing his little crown, he also doesn’t care much about girls or dating or work or school. I love Jughead, I love both TV Jughead and comic Jughead and I really enjoyed this short excerpt from the actual Jughead comics. The story of him learning how to cook and sell burgers makes so much sense to me now and it was really fun. It was so much fun to watch him be upset about the bad food in the school cafeteria. I also loved the little dream he had when he fainted, that was fun though.
Betty and Veronica:
I love Betty and Veronica in the show and although I’m usually Team Blonde I love Veronica so freaking much, she’s like my spirit animal and that’s why I was really excited to read a excerpt from the Betty and Veronica comics. They have such great chemistry in the show and I adore both of them so much – I was just a little surprised at how bitchy Victoria actually is. Yes they are friends but more like frenemies. The characters are a little different than they are portrayed on the show which isn’t a bad thing, I love that Betty is so much more confident in the comics though. Also all the jokes landed and I loved the comedy. What I didn’t like was “Hot Dog” telling the story. It felt kind of unnecessary and was a little distracting but apart from this I really absolutely adored this one and it really made me want to read more.
Josie and the Pussycats:
I absolutely loved this one. I love the Pussycats in the show. I was a little confused at first since I had no idea that two of the Pussycats in the comics are actually white, I reall love how they changed that in the TV show. But anyhow, I loved the art and I really loved the story and it was soo interesting, cool and really fun to learn more about the Pussycats, how they actually became the Pussycats which I find really really interesting. It was funny and memorable and I would definitely buy and read more of the series focusing on Josie and the Pussycats.
Reggie and Me:
This was my least favorite. It was really silly and a little stupid and it bored me a little since it only told the story of Reggie becoming best friends with his dog. I don’t like Reggie much anyway, to me he’s not an really interesting character so I don’t care much about him but I really liked that this gave me the opportunity to get to know him a little bit better; that maybe he’s not such a jerk he always pretends to be; that he’s actually deep down inside a nice guy with a big heart who’s just too scared to lose his popularity if he admits that actually he’s tired of being the school’s biggest jerk. I liked the dog though, he was really cute haha but apart from that there was nothing really special about this one.
I’ve talked to quite a few people about the comics and the show the last couple of days and basically all told me the same: that the original comics are much better than the show and this new comic. I really enjoyed this one but have nothing to compare it to, except for the show, which is why I’m giving this one four stars, I might change the rating though, as soon as I’ve read some of the original comics but until then I really liked this one, I liked the stories, I loved the art and it was really fun to read.
June 11, 2017
This basically is just a group of the first issues of the following:
01. Archie
02. Jughead
03. Betty & Veronica
04. Josie and the Pussycats
05. Reggie and Me
They don't flow together. They aren't done by the same artist. They don't have a parallel story line. They are interesting, but not what I expected or wanted.
Oh, and Cheryl's name is mentioned in Jughead's dream and that's it. WHERE IS SHE?!
01. Archie
02. Jughead
03. Betty & Veronica
04. Josie and the Pussycats
05. Reggie and Me
They don't flow together. They aren't done by the same artist. They don't have a parallel story line. They are interesting, but not what I expected or wanted.
Oh, and Cheryl's name is mentioned in Jughead's dream and that's it. WHERE IS SHE?!
March 25, 2018
2 Silly Teen Drama STARS
Ni soy fan de la serie Riverdale, ni soy fan de los comics clásicos de Archie. Lo único que me llevo a leer esta novela fue que las ilustraciones estuvieron a cargo de las mágicas manos de Fiona Staples.
Y si, lo mejor de esta novela son los gráficos, tan coloridos y detallados, sin duda me hicieron sentir en ese pueblecillo aburrido, en el que no pasa nada.
La historia, o mas bien historias son muy simplonas, todo lo contrario de la serie de televisión que se ha distinguido por lo exagerado de sus dramas, que llegan en lo ridículo. Y por el contrario las historias que vemos aquí, no nos dicen nada de los personajes mas que cosas superficiales y que no aportan nada a la serie.
Mi historia favorita fue sin duda la de Regie.
P.D. Fiona Staples, tu eres una Reyna, please no malgaste tu talento en historias tan mediocres.
Ni soy fan de la serie Riverdale, ni soy fan de los comics clásicos de Archie. Lo único que me llevo a leer esta novela fue que las ilustraciones estuvieron a cargo de las mágicas manos de Fiona Staples.
Y si, lo mejor de esta novela son los gráficos, tan coloridos y detallados, sin duda me hicieron sentir en ese pueblecillo aburrido, en el que no pasa nada.
La historia, o mas bien historias son muy simplonas, todo lo contrario de la serie de televisión que se ha distinguido por lo exagerado de sus dramas, que llegan en lo ridículo. Y por el contrario las historias que vemos aquí, no nos dicen nada de los personajes mas que cosas superficiales y que no aportan nada a la serie.
Mi historia favorita fue sin duda la de Regie.
P.D. Fiona Staples, tu eres una Reyna, please no malgaste tu talento en historias tan mediocres.
May 23, 2017
✫✬⭐️2 /5 STARS ⭐️✭✫
i only liked 2/5 storys.. Soo thats sad.
Chapter one: Archie. I really did liked it.
Chapter two. Jughead. This was nothing for me.
Chapter three. Betty & Veronica. So. Freaking. Boring.
Chapter four. Josie and the pussycats. More for girls i guess, who like singing. This was not for me.
Chapter five. Reggie and me. AMAZING. MY FAVE SO FAR. LOVED IT.
I will not read the rest of the series. I'll just watch the tv-show
i only liked 2/5 storys.. Soo thats sad.
Chapter one: Archie. I really did liked it.
Chapter two. Jughead. This was nothing for me.
Chapter three. Betty & Veronica. So. Freaking. Boring.
Chapter four. Josie and the pussycats. More for girls i guess, who like singing. This was not for me.
Chapter five. Reggie and me. AMAZING. MY FAVE SO FAR. LOVED IT.
I will not read the rest of the series. I'll just watch the tv-show
January 12, 2018
I wasted money and it's completely my fault.
I should've read the blurb on this one before buying this and Volumes 2 and 3. I thought this one has a new story arc like maybe a prequel to Riverdale but instead, it's a compilation of the all-new first issues of Archie, Betty and Veronica, Jughead, and Josie and the Pussycats which I've all read before except for Reggie and Me. I can't really see how these first issues had inspired the hit tv show and for me, they just released this Road to Riverdale to lure in Riverdale fans like me to buy this volume because hey, it's Riverdale people!
The individual stories aren't that bad. In fact, each of them had their own appeal. I had read all of them except for one before and I found them good. If you're like me who had read those all-new issues before, I advise you not to buy this one too. It's the same thing but with a Riverdale cover. But if you haven't read any of the all-new Archie comics, then I guess this volume is a steal.
I should've read the blurb on this one before buying this and Volumes 2 and 3. I thought this one has a new story arc like maybe a prequel to Riverdale but instead, it's a compilation of the all-new first issues of Archie, Betty and Veronica, Jughead, and Josie and the Pussycats which I've all read before except for Reggie and Me. I can't really see how these first issues had inspired the hit tv show and for me, they just released this Road to Riverdale to lure in Riverdale fans like me to buy this volume because hey, it's Riverdale people!
The individual stories aren't that bad. In fact, each of them had their own appeal. I had read all of them except for one before and I found them good. If you're like me who had read those all-new issues before, I advise you not to buy this one too. It's the same thing but with a Riverdale cover. But if you haven't read any of the all-new Archie comics, then I guess this volume is a steal.
November 8, 2018
This is not what I expected nor what I wanted. True, I didn't research or even look into it prior to reading but man, what a disappointment.
I am a huge fan of the new Archie comic series and due to this, I decided this would be a happy companion. I was wrong.
Do not get me wrong, the comics are actually quite good within this book. However, if you have read the volumes of the Archie comics, you have read this book. Each comic that was included are featured in the back of each of the Archie volumes. Due to this repeated material, I was disappointed.
Standing back and looking from a different perspective, I'm not sure if I would have liked this even if I had not read the material. This volume is composed of individual issues from a variety of comics (Archie, Betty and Veronica, Jughead, Reggie and Me) and pieced together into a book. To me, it almost comes off as a catalogue or advertisement or a way to promote each of these different comics.
Overall, even though it may be a nice way to sample different comics and read about a variety of characters, I think it would be more enjoyable to buy the volumes of those specific comics instead.
I am a huge fan of the new Archie comic series and due to this, I decided this would be a happy companion. I was wrong.
Do not get me wrong, the comics are actually quite good within this book. However, if you have read the volumes of the Archie comics, you have read this book. Each comic that was included are featured in the back of each of the Archie volumes. Due to this repeated material, I was disappointed.
Standing back and looking from a different perspective, I'm not sure if I would have liked this even if I had not read the material. This volume is composed of individual issues from a variety of comics (Archie, Betty and Veronica, Jughead, Reggie and Me) and pieced together into a book. To me, it almost comes off as a catalogue or advertisement or a way to promote each of these different comics.
Overall, even though it may be a nice way to sample different comics and read about a variety of characters, I think it would be more enjoyable to buy the volumes of those specific comics instead.
June 18, 2017
I was actually pleasantly surprised that was actually really good. I have never really liked comics every once in a while I would read a bit of manga. Some of the comics in here were not as good like the Betty and Veronica, Jughead, and Josie and the Pussy cats but Reggie and me, and Archie were amazing laugh out loud #lol comics. I would of liked a bit more Cheryl and Kevin. I loved the reference to charchie in jughead I think I would read the jughead comics just for that reason. One of the many reasons I did not like the Betty and Veronica comic is because they portrayed Veronica as evil and spoiled and Betty as the good golden girl who could do no wrongs. I enjoyed how dogs played a big part in all of these comics. So cute !!!!
April 7, 2019
First rule of a book, let's not put Fred Andrews on the cover when he's not on it for more than a page... Once again if anyone knows of a Archie comic that is Parentdale friendly, let me know!!
This was a bit better than the other Archie comic I read, but still not great... I'm so glad the show changed these characters so much - Veronica is impossible to like in this, and Reggie as a bad guy is just no...
On the bright side, I was pleasantly surprised by Archie's story - my favorite!! And it was fun to read about Jughead who's just a guy who wants to have fun and makes jokes, but the story was still too weird...
Again, I recommend people to stick with the show :)
(Also first read for #OWLsReadathon2019, Arithmancy exam is done!!!)
This was a bit better than the other Archie comic I read, but still not great... I'm so glad the show changed these characters so much - Veronica is impossible to like in this, and Reggie as a bad guy is just no...
On the bright side, I was pleasantly surprised by Archie's story - my favorite!! And it was fun to read about Jughead who's just a guy who wants to have fun and makes jokes, but the story was still too weird...
Again, I recommend people to stick with the show :)
(Also first read for #OWLsReadathon2019, Arithmancy exam is done!!!)
March 6, 2018
5 🌟
Nice to see some of the new stories that are included in the Archie comics reboot. Really liked the Archie, Jughead, and Betty and Veronica comics. Reggie and Me was okay. Didn't really like Josie and the Pussycats.
Can't wait to read Road to Riverdale volume 2!!!!
Nice to see some of the new stories that are included in the Archie comics reboot. Really liked the Archie, Jughead, and Betty and Veronica comics. Reggie and Me was okay. Didn't really like Josie and the Pussycats.
Can't wait to read Road to Riverdale volume 2!!!!
April 17, 2020
I didn’t really care about Reggie’s story, I liked Jughead’s even though it was Chaos, Archies was the best one and Betty and Veronica... so weird 😂
March 14, 2020
This has a deeper story than the other Archie volumes I've been reading lately. A bit more serious and a stronger story. It was easier to get into and more interesting than the regular Archie's.
March 31, 2024
2.5, because IT IS WHAT IT IS.
Basically, a compilation of the first chapters of the different new Archie/Riverdale graphic novel series ('Archie', 'Jughead', 'Betty & Veronica', 'Jossie & The Pussycats', and 'Reggie and Me'), that are really a mixed bag.
Good art for the most part, mildly interesting most of the time, pretty fun here and there, but also pretty pointless as you don't get to see where the story goes after that first chapter.
I agree this should be clearly advertised on the back, so people don't go into this volume with wrong expectations, but I guess it was ok as a way to get to know a bit about each of the new series, and decide which graphic novel is best for you, if you want to go that route...
Basically, a compilation of the first chapters of the different new Archie/Riverdale graphic novel series ('Archie', 'Jughead', 'Betty & Veronica', 'Jossie & The Pussycats', and 'Reggie and Me'), that are really a mixed bag.
Good art for the most part, mildly interesting most of the time, pretty fun here and there, but also pretty pointless as you don't get to see where the story goes after that first chapter.
I agree this should be clearly advertised on the back, so people don't go into this volume with wrong expectations, but I guess it was ok as a way to get to know a bit about each of the new series, and decide which graphic novel is best for you, if you want to go that route...
February 17, 2017
I wanted this to be good, and to give me some insight to the new show on the CW. But instead I felt like I was reading a sampler that was trying to convince me to buy more. It was not the Archie adaptation I was expecting.
October 22, 2017
The art was GORGEOUS. The story is what lacked for me. A ton of jumping around and a lot of cringe - worthy lines. I felt like the whole dog thing with the narration was kind of juvenile and like trying to be cute and fun.
September 26, 2018
This wasn't what I expected! I thought it was going to be its own standalone but it was actually a compilation of the first comics in the new runs of Archie and Co. The fact that it was a compilation didn't make me dislike it; what I did dislike was some of the stories within it. I found the Betty and Veronica one in particular really odd and over dramatic (which SUCKS because I love them as characters). Most of the other stories were simply okay, not anything to write home about. One great thing about this book though was the art!! The art was consistently amazing throughout! Overall this is 2.5 for me. Might read some of the runs started in here but I'm in no rush to do so.
May 15, 2023
Highkey been wanting to read the Riverdale comics I’ve had on my shelf since 2017. I miss how amazing the show use to be S1-3. And was desiring to relive that hype I once had for rvd. I enjoyed seeing the comics that were made just as the show was announced!
It’s like a sense of nostalgia to me.
It’s like a sense of nostalgia to me.
August 2, 2023
This was fine but I didn’t really get it. Maybe if I had read it before Riverdale originally aired it would have made a lot more sense.
June 10, 2018
Sort of an introductory volume to the new Archie reboot/relaunch, containing the first issues of Archie, Jughead, Betty & Veronica, Josie and the Pussycats, and Reggie & Me. The setting has been updated and modernised, and it's a fun world to dip into for a bit. 3.5 stars. A few brief thoughts below:
Archie: Fiona Staples’ artwork is unreservedly the best in this entire volume. Archie’s fourth-wall-breaking narration is sweet, too. It’s cute!
Jughead: Possibly the best writing. When Jughead has a meltdown over the cafeteria no longer serving burgers, he falls into a Game of Thrones-inspired fever dream (where Moose is Hodor and can only say “Moose”), and I promptly LOST IT.
Betty & Veronica: Caaaan we talk about how how much they need to kiss on the cover? There's a really gorgeous painterly aesthetic in this whole issue (those soft free floating leaves everywhere!), and it also has the best ensemble dynamic for the gang imo -- when Betty, Veronica, Archie, and Jughead were hanging out, they really felt like a group of friends. But comics!Veronica is... kind of terrible. Why are they friends with her again???
Josie & the Pussycats: Kind of bland & forgettable & reads like a super-simplistic morality tale tbh. Hot off the heels of the Riverdale, I mainly just miss Josie being black. But Melody was super adorable.
Reggie: HELP, REGGIE MANTLE AND HIS DOG VADER ARE MY NEW FAVOURITE THING. My new problematic fave, I love him?? I kind of want to continue with this series, because I find this increased development & humanisation of an originally-thinly-sketched villain really interesting.
Archie: Fiona Staples’ artwork is unreservedly the best in this entire volume. Archie’s fourth-wall-breaking narration is sweet, too. It’s cute!
Jughead: Possibly the best writing. When Jughead has a meltdown over the cafeteria no longer serving burgers, he falls into a Game of Thrones-inspired fever dream (where Moose is Hodor and can only say “Moose”), and I promptly LOST IT.
Betty & Veronica: Caaaan we talk about how how much they need to kiss on the cover? There's a really gorgeous painterly aesthetic in this whole issue (those soft free floating leaves everywhere!), and it also has the best ensemble dynamic for the gang imo -- when Betty, Veronica, Archie, and Jughead were hanging out, they really felt like a group of friends. But comics!Veronica is... kind of terrible. Why are they friends with her again???
Josie & the Pussycats: Kind of bland & forgettable & reads like a super-simplistic morality tale tbh. Hot off the heels of the Riverdale, I mainly just miss Josie being black. But Melody was super adorable.
Reggie: HELP, REGGIE MANTLE AND HIS DOG VADER ARE MY NEW FAVOURITE THING. My new problematic fave, I love him?? I kind of want to continue with this series, because I find this increased development & humanisation of an originally-thinly-sketched villain really interesting.
July 8, 2017
Distinctly updated, definitely not the Sugar, Sugar Archie of my smallhood. Deserves a half star upgrade to 3.5. Will peruse further.
March 23, 2018
As a kid, whenever I earned any money I insisted on going to the grocery store with my mom to pick up two things: a copy of Tiger Beat (got to get those JTT and Andrew Keegan posters) and the latest Betty & Veronica digest. That the show Riverdale exists takes me right back. I sort of love the idea of those cheeky, bubbly comics I remember being taken in a modern noir direction.
If the show plays its characters a little too straight, this collection previewing the first volume each of five modern Riverdale reboots (Archie, Jughead, Betty & Veronica, Josie & the Pussycats, Reggie) plays things a little too cheeky at times. Jughead's story by Chip Zdarsky had me actually smiling as I read because it was the right balance of play and story that the character deserves. But the Betty & Veronica volume, narrated by Jughead's dog, was way too verbose, focused as much on Archie and Jughead as on the girls, and the real conflict starts at the end. I know it's only a teaser for the rebooted series, but obviously they are the reason I picked this up and I don't want to continue and that is disappointing. Sigh.
The good news is that Archie's volume felt, indeed, like a modern version of the comics I used to read. Realistically, I knew reading this book would be to figure out which volumes of the new Riverdale-verse I'd want to check out. And now I know I can get my Betty and Veronica fix from Archie or Jughead. I'll be seeking out more of both of those series.
Also, I oddly liked Reggie & Me. This series is ALSO narrated by the MC's dog, but this time it actually works. (Still, who would have though 2/5 of the reboots would be narrated by dogs?)
If the show plays its characters a little too straight, this collection previewing the first volume each of five modern Riverdale reboots (Archie, Jughead, Betty & Veronica, Josie & the Pussycats, Reggie) plays things a little too cheeky at times. Jughead's story by Chip Zdarsky had me actually smiling as I read because it was the right balance of play and story that the character deserves. But the Betty & Veronica volume, narrated by Jughead's dog, was way too verbose, focused as much on Archie and Jughead as on the girls, and the real conflict starts at the end. I know it's only a teaser for the rebooted series, but obviously they are the reason I picked this up and I don't want to continue and that is disappointing. Sigh.
The good news is that Archie's volume felt, indeed, like a modern version of the comics I used to read. Realistically, I knew reading this book would be to figure out which volumes of the new Riverdale-verse I'd want to check out. And now I know I can get my Betty and Veronica fix from Archie or Jughead. I'll be seeking out more of both of those series.
Also, I oddly liked Reggie & Me. This series is ALSO narrated by the MC's dog, but this time it actually works. (Still, who would have though 2/5 of the reboots would be narrated by dogs?)
January 2, 2019
The legendary fictional small town of Riverdale and its much-loved characters have been revamped. This entry-level edition contains the first-issues of all the reimagined launches.
So we get an introduction into a spankin’ new Archie Andrews with the same old issues but with greater, non-selfish sensitivity. My personal favorite, Jughead Jones indulges in a Game of Thrones (Jones) Parody when he is stunned silly by the fact that his favorite food, hamburgers, may soon not be within chomping reach. Best mates and sometimes frenemies, the equally stunning and talented Betty and Veronica are on the verge a serious squabble that could rip their tenuous friendship apart. Find out Josie and the Pussycats come into a shaky existence which almost doesn’t happen courtesy the manipulations of the reliably nasty Alexandra Cabot. But my personal (and rather unexpected) favorite was the introduction to Riverdale’s super-villain, Reggie Mantle, told from the POV of his pet dog, Vader.
The writing is inspired, the artwork is beautiful in the tradition of attention to detail like the early Archie comics but with the contemporary edgy touch and the familiar characters that we grew up with have a decided edge to their respective personalities.
I have come a bit late to the series that inspired the much acclaimed RIVERDALE show on Netflix but better late than never.
Thoroughly entertaining and rather addictive.
So we get an introduction into a spankin’ new Archie Andrews with the same old issues but with greater, non-selfish sensitivity. My personal favorite, Jughead Jones indulges in a Game of Thrones (Jones) Parody when he is stunned silly by the fact that his favorite food, hamburgers, may soon not be within chomping reach. Best mates and sometimes frenemies, the equally stunning and talented Betty and Veronica are on the verge a serious squabble that could rip their tenuous friendship apart. Find out Josie and the Pussycats come into a shaky existence which almost doesn’t happen courtesy the manipulations of the reliably nasty Alexandra Cabot. But my personal (and rather unexpected) favorite was the introduction to Riverdale’s super-villain, Reggie Mantle, told from the POV of his pet dog, Vader.
The writing is inspired, the artwork is beautiful in the tradition of attention to detail like the early Archie comics but with the contemporary edgy touch and the familiar characters that we grew up with have a decided edge to their respective personalities.
I have come a bit late to the series that inspired the much acclaimed RIVERDALE show on Netflix but better late than never.
Thoroughly entertaining and rather addictive.
March 9, 2017
I grew up reading the left over Archie comics that my cousin would throw away. I always found them a light read and something quick to pass the time. As I grew up (and moved away), I lost touch with the Archie comics. After many (MANY) years, I've been once again pulled in by the Archie and his gang. While the comics are still light and quick, the characters, artwork, and story have matured to a modern audience. It has also peaked my interest in the show based on the Archie comics (Riverdale -- for those of you that don't know), a show that I wasn't on my radar before.
Looking forward to the future installments of the Archie story only. The story on Jughead, while true to the character, looked cheaply drawn. The Betty & Veronica story, while drawn nicely, was a boring story. However, I will always love Josie and The Pussycats and any origin story with them is fine by me. (yay to Val being the main singer!)
Looking forward to the future installments of the Archie story only. The story on Jughead, while true to the character, looked cheaply drawn. The Betty & Veronica story, while drawn nicely, was a boring story. However, I will always love Josie and The Pussycats and any origin story with them is fine by me. (yay to Val being the main singer!)
August 10, 2017
I'm rating this three stars, but that's not really based on the quality. See,
Road to Riverdale
is all just the first issues of the new, revamped Archie series of 2016. Although it may be an excellent introduction for new fans of the Archie universe, it's kind of unnecessary for those of us who know and love Riverdale.
The comics included:
• Archie, Vol. 1: The New Riverdale - read April 16 and July 30, 2017: Five stars. This just reminded me how much I love Fiona Staples' art, and her take on the Archie gang. I love this series and the story.
• Jughead, Vol. 1 - read May 14-15, 2017: Four stars. Jughead is my favourite character, and I feel like this series captured the essence of Juggie perfectly. Not a huge fan of the art, and some of the pop-culture references are a little over my head (the one in this collection has a Game of Thrones reference, which I don't watch.)
• Betty and Veronica -This series isn't out in a collection like the others, and I'm really excited for when it is. (Edit 8/14/17 - It is coming out, it is coming out! I have a hold on it at the library! Huzzah!) The art style was totally different than what you'd expect in an Archie comic, let alone for the girls; I don't know if I can say I liked it, but I definitely thought it was interesting. I also really liked the story and am hyped to read more when it is released.
• Josie and the Pussycats, Vol. 1 - I skipped this story because my copy of this collection will be in at the library this week!! I'm REALLY excited to read this, and from what I saw while skimming, the art looks awesome.
• Reggie and Me, Vol. 1 - This collection comes out in October, and after reading this, I've gotta say I'm intrigued. The art was crisp, I liked Reggie's dog (okay, I like any dog) as the narrator, and I'm interested to see what direction this goes in.
All in all, this collection is pretty much only good as a sampler - I only read 2/5 of these stories because I had either already read, or am about to read the books they come from, so hardcore Archie fans can skip this.
The comics included:
• Archie, Vol. 1: The New Riverdale - read April 16 and July 30, 2017: Five stars. This just reminded me how much I love Fiona Staples' art, and her take on the Archie gang. I love this series and the story.
• Jughead, Vol. 1 - read May 14-15, 2017: Four stars. Jughead is my favourite character, and I feel like this series captured the essence of Juggie perfectly. Not a huge fan of the art, and some of the pop-culture references are a little over my head (the one in this collection has a Game of Thrones reference, which I don't watch.)
• Betty and Veronica -
• Josie and the Pussycats, Vol. 1 - I skipped this story because my copy of this collection will be in at the library this week!! I'm REALLY excited to read this, and from what I saw while skimming, the art looks awesome.
• Reggie and Me, Vol. 1 - This collection comes out in October, and after reading this, I've gotta say I'm intrigued. The art was crisp, I liked Reggie's dog (okay, I like any dog) as the narrator, and I'm interested to see what direction this goes in.
All in all, this collection is pretty much only good as a sampler - I only read 2/5 of these stories because I had either already read, or am about to read the books they come from, so hardcore Archie fans can skip this.
February 9, 2025
I grew up with the traditional Archie comics, so I was curious (but a bit skeptical) about this darker, more contemporary reimagining, Road to Riverdale Vol. 1.
The artwork caught my attention (I'm familiar with a few of the artists from other series) – it's sleek and stylised, a far cry from the cartoonish look of classic Archie, but it works surprisingly well. Each character has been thoughtfully updated while maintaining their core essence. The modern Betty and Veronica feel genuine rather than forced, and Jughead's brooding personality actually adds depth to his character.
What makes this collection interesting is how it bridges the gap between classic Archie and the edgier Riverdale TV show. The stories have more bite than the original comics – dealing with real teenage issues and drama – but without going full dark mode like the show.
Not perfect, but a modern take that respects its source material while daring to try something new. It's worth a read if you're curious about how Archie and the gang can be reimagined for today's audiences.
The artwork caught my attention (I'm familiar with a few of the artists from other series) – it's sleek and stylised, a far cry from the cartoonish look of classic Archie, but it works surprisingly well. Each character has been thoughtfully updated while maintaining their core essence. The modern Betty and Veronica feel genuine rather than forced, and Jughead's brooding personality actually adds depth to his character.
What makes this collection interesting is how it bridges the gap between classic Archie and the edgier Riverdale TV show. The stories have more bite than the original comics – dealing with real teenage issues and drama – but without going full dark mode like the show.
Not perfect, but a modern take that respects its source material while daring to try something new. It's worth a read if you're curious about how Archie and the gang can be reimagined for today's audiences.
May 29, 2018
Archie #1 - 5 Stars!!
Jughead #1 - 4 Stars
Betty & Veronica #1 - 3 Stars
I just couldn’t stand how mean and annoying Veronica is. She’s way better in the TV series.
Josie and the Pussycats #1 - 4 Stars
I honestly wish Josie was the same from the show. Instead, she’s a pale red-head. I thought the story was cute though if a bit rushed.
Reggie and Me #1 - 5 Stars
I cringed when I read that the story was in Reggie’s dog’s POV. I wasn’t too crazy about that same scenario for Jughead’s story. But then, Reggie’s dog was adorable, and I really liked reading about Reggie. He’s soooo attractive in season 2. I thought their personality differences were interesting though - this new comic’s Reggie is mean and cunning, but CW Tv show’s Reggie is a teenage football player trying to fight for what he thinks is right. (Which is not the right thing, but I understand where he’s coming from).
Jughead #1 - 4 Stars
Betty & Veronica #1 - 3 Stars
I just couldn’t stand how mean and annoying Veronica is. She’s way better in the TV series.
Josie and the Pussycats #1 - 4 Stars
I honestly wish Josie was the same from the show. Instead, she’s a pale red-head. I thought the story was cute though if a bit rushed.
Reggie and Me #1 - 5 Stars
I cringed when I read that the story was in Reggie’s dog’s POV. I wasn’t too crazy about that same scenario for Jughead’s story. But then, Reggie’s dog was adorable, and I really liked reading about Reggie. He’s soooo attractive in season 2. I thought their personality differences were interesting though - this new comic’s Reggie is mean and cunning, but CW Tv show’s Reggie is a teenage football player trying to fight for what he thinks is right. (Which is not the right thing, but I understand where he’s coming from).
February 3, 2017
This was pretty hit and miss. The two things I judge comics on are story and artwork and none of the issues really excelled at both. Jughead’s had to be the worst. The artwork was kind of ugly to look at and the plot was that type of funny that ends up coming across as dumb. I did think it was interesting though to see the different drawing styles. My favorite one had to be the Josie and the Pussycats issue. Melody was adorable and I loved her soft spot for animals. Betty and Veronica’s was a close second. The dialogue with Pops at the diner had me laughing. The drawings were a bit weird at first, but it really grew on me the more I saw it. There was something extremely beautiful about it in this weird washed out sort of way.
April 3, 2017
to be clear: This is issue #1 of all the new Archie comics, not anything specific to Riverdale the show. BUT I think it's a great idea to collect all the first issues like this, kind of a lil comic sampler. I really did like most of these comics more than I expected! (I know, I know, the new Archie comics have some really good writers/artists attached to them, but in the back of my head I was still like....yeah but it's Archie though? SORRY)
I'm definitely going to follow up with the Josie & the Pussycats comic and Jughead.
I think this is a good intro for a new-to-Archie (or at least new-to-New-Archie) reader BUT it could be misleading for someone wanting something more like The Flash Season Zero but for Riverdale.
I'm definitely going to follow up with the Josie & the Pussycats comic and Jughead.
I think this is a good intro for a new-to-Archie (or at least new-to-New-Archie) reader BUT it could be misleading for someone wanting something more like The Flash Season Zero but for Riverdale.
March 12, 2018
This was a weird compilation, more made to "sell" the audience on the Archie-verse than anything, having the first issues of basically all the different Archie comics in one volume. Including the first Archie volume they included in the other Riverdale collection, making it an annoying re-read. What this collection did more than anything is make me like the show less and make me NEVER want to read the comics, all of which tell different stories in the same universe and contradict each other. Also some went for sweet humor while others (ahem Josie) went for weird sex jokes. And not that I'm against it, but did anyone else think it weird that two different series had dogs as the narrators?
August 6, 2017
If you're a fan of the new show Riverdale on the CW and are wanting to learn more about these characters from the comics, this is the perfect way to do so. This book collects the first volume of Archie, Jughead, Veronica & Betty, Josie and the Pussycats, and Reggie & Me. It's a great way to compare the comic characters from the show.
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