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Archie: 1941 #1-5
Archie: 1941
Archie Andrews and the gang have seen it all since the characters made their comics debut in 1941, and this fall they're going back to their roots in a tale set in Riverdale during World War II.
Written by comics legend Mark Waid ( Archie, Captain America ) with longtime collaborators co-writer Brian Augustyn ( The Flash, JLA ) and artist Peter Krause ( Superman ), 1941 finds Riverdale dealing with the impact of the impending conflict on the small town and in the personal lives of Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and Reggie.
The story will allow fans a chance to see the real-world consequences and drama of the war through the eyes of some familiar faces, but with the humor, heart, milkshakes, and dates that come with any Riverdale tale.
Written by comics legend Mark Waid ( Archie, Captain America ) with longtime collaborators co-writer Brian Augustyn ( The Flash, JLA ) and artist Peter Krause ( Superman ), 1941 finds Riverdale dealing with the impact of the impending conflict on the small town and in the personal lives of Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and Reggie.
The story will allow fans a chance to see the real-world consequences and drama of the war through the eyes of some familiar faces, but with the humor, heart, milkshakes, and dates that come with any Riverdale tale.
144 pages, Paperback
First published July 9, 2019
12 people are currently reading
181 people want to read
About the author
Mark Waid
3,182 books1,273 followersMark Waid (born March 21, 1962 in Hueytown, Alabama) is an American comic book writer. He is best known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
June 25, 2020
Archie and the gang graduate and ponder their place in the world, just as the world is on the brink of war...
I've been chewing through my Archie backlog in the past few days. This one looked interested one of the times I fell victim to a sale at the Archie website.
So this is a really good story about the people that go off to war and the people that get left behind. The Riverdale gang is torn asunder when Archie goes off to war and everyone else is left picking up the pieces. It's also a great looking book. Peter Krause's art is a perfect fit for the time period and Kelly Fitzpatrick's coloring is understated, a good match to the story.
I have two gripes with this book.
1. It seemed rush, particularly in the last issue.
2. It didn't feel like an Archie story. It felt like a war story and someone just changed the names to the names of the Archie characters.
I enjoyed Archie: 1941 but I'm hoping the rest of the Archie historical series feels a bit more like an Archie book. Four out of five stars.
I've been chewing through my Archie backlog in the past few days. This one looked interested one of the times I fell victim to a sale at the Archie website.
So this is a really good story about the people that go off to war and the people that get left behind. The Riverdale gang is torn asunder when Archie goes off to war and everyone else is left picking up the pieces. It's also a great looking book. Peter Krause's art is a perfect fit for the time period and Kelly Fitzpatrick's coloring is understated, a good match to the story.
I have two gripes with this book.
1. It seemed rush, particularly in the last issue.
2. It didn't feel like an Archie story. It felt like a war story and someone just changed the names to the names of the Archie characters.
I enjoyed Archie: 1941 but I'm hoping the rest of the Archie historical series feels a bit more like an Archie book. Four out of five stars.
July 13, 2019
Archie was created in 1941 so Mark Waid has went back and recreated a Riverdale dealing with the threat of a looming World War II. This was really, really good. It was missing the humor of Waid's run on the regular title, but this had all the feels of those left at home while the boys were off at war. I would have loved to have seen this mapped out to a longer maxi series than 5 issues. It felt like it was just getting started when it ended. Peter Krause's art fit in perfectly with the Saturday Evening Post look he gave to the book.
The introduction said Archie would be visiting the several decades of the 20th century with Archie 1955 up next. I'm all for it. It's a clever idea to modernize Archie by revisiting the past.
The introduction said Archie would be visiting the several decades of the 20th century with Archie 1955 up next. I'm all for it. It's a clever idea to modernize Archie by revisiting the past.
February 10, 2019
Although I enjoyed Mark Waid's latest Archie story, I'm having hard time giving it higher than three stars. Despite the story being spread across five monthly issues, if you take into account that the last six to eight pages of each of the issue were dedicated to advertisements, the story in essence felt much shorter than presented. And there lies, I think, its greatest weakness: the length is too short for the weight of the tale being told.
Obviously, plenty of good—even great—stories have been told in fewer chapters, using brevity to their advantage. And clearly, Waid isn't trying to tell some multi-arc, ongoing series bloated with traumatic heroism, brotherhood and savagery. He is providing slice of life snapshots of Americana in the lead up to America's entrance into WW2 and thru to the early North Africa Campaign.
This is a ground-level approach to history, not some epic. We aren't concerned with battles won and lost due to brilliant tactics of generals or with the machinations of historical figures shifting geopolitics. We don't even see much of the war itself. It is about how the disaffections of youth and the post-graduation plans of our Riverdale cast are interrupted. It's about the lives of those left behind to tend the home front continuing on despite an epic war raging thousands of miles away and how every fiber of their being felt as if their world has ended. It's about how a small, idyllic community was nearly destroyed.
And here, I think, lies the strength of Waid's story. It is so much grander, much more beautiful and painful than the usual tale of bullets and foxholes . It's sad that the story was hamstrung by page count. Sure, brevity can be a powerful narrative tool. When a story is too long it risks becoming another war melodrama. Too short, and it risks rushing the ending, or in the the case of Archie: 1941, ending with expositional letdown after spending the last four chapters building strong and steady narrative arc and expectations.
Obviously, plenty of good—even great—stories have been told in fewer chapters, using brevity to their advantage. And clearly, Waid isn't trying to tell some multi-arc, ongoing series bloated with traumatic heroism, brotherhood and savagery. He is providing slice of life snapshots of Americana in the lead up to America's entrance into WW2 and thru to the early North Africa Campaign.
This is a ground-level approach to history, not some epic. We aren't concerned with battles won and lost due to brilliant tactics of generals or with the machinations of historical figures shifting geopolitics. We don't even see much of the war itself. It is about how the disaffections of youth and the post-graduation plans of our Riverdale cast are interrupted. It's about the lives of those left behind to tend the home front continuing on despite an epic war raging thousands of miles away and how every fiber of their being felt as if their world has ended. It's about how a small, idyllic community was nearly destroyed.
And here, I think, lies the strength of Waid's story. It is so much grander, much more beautiful and painful than the usual tale of bullets and foxholes . It's sad that the story was hamstrung by page count. Sure, brevity can be a powerful narrative tool. When a story is too long it risks becoming another war melodrama. Too short, and it risks rushing the ending, or in the the case of Archie: 1941, ending with expositional letdown after spending the last four chapters building strong and steady narrative arc and expectations.
May 26, 2022
The book itself has nothing to say, besides teenagers can be confused and mopey, which just isn't entertaining.
August 19, 2019
কমিকসে বিষন্ন, ভারী একটা পরিবেশ শৃষ্টি করতে মার্ক ওয়েইডের কোন জুড়ি নাই। আমেরিকার সবচেয়ে জনপ্রিয় টিন এজার আর্চিকে আমরা দেখি দ্বিতীয় বিশ্বযুদ্ধের প্রাক্কালে অনিশ্চিত অবস্থায়।
১৯৪১ এ আমেরিকানদের জীবনে যে অনিশ্চয়তার কালো ছায়া পড়েছিল, সে আমলের তরুণ তরুণীদের মনোজগতে যে ঝড় চলতেছিল, আমেরিকার মফস্বল শহরে যে গুরুভার চেপে বসেছিলো, তা বিভিন্ন ঘাত প্রতিঘাতের মাধ্যমে রিভারডেল শহরের অতি সুপরিচিত আর্চি এন্ড্রিউজ আর তার বন্ধু, পরিবার সদস্যদের মাধ্যমে তুলে ধরা হয়েছে। সিরিজের প্রথম চার ইস্যু খুবই দুর্দান্ত, শেষ ইস্যুতে তাড়াহুড়া জরে ফিনিশিং দিতে গিয়ে লেজে গোবর করে দিয়েছে।
টিপিক্যাল ওয়েইড।
আর্টোয়ার্ক অবিশ্বাস্য সুন্দর, সেই আমলের আবেশ সম্পুর্নভাবে তুলে ধরেছে। আর্চি, জাগহেড, বেটি আর ভেরোনিকাকে যেভাবে চিত্রায়ন করেছে, মনে রাখার মতো। ফ্রেড আর মেরি এন্ড্রুজকেও অনেক বাস্তবসম্মত ভাবে এঁকেছে। সবচেয়ে ভালো লেগেছে ব্যাকগ্রাউন্ড, আমেরিকান মফস্বল শহর বলতে যা মনে ভেসে উঠে, সেটাই তুলে ধিরা হয়েছে।
কালারিংও দারুণ, গাঢ় রং ব্যবহার করে অন্ধকার ভাব শৃষ্টি করা হয়েছে, যা গল্পের পরিবেশের সাথে খুবই মানসই, পড়ার সময় (বা দেখার সময়) পাঠকের মনের উপর চাপ সৃষ্টি করে।
শুধু যদি ফিনিশিংটা সুন্দর হতো!
১৯৪১ এ আমেরিকানদের জীবনে যে অনিশ্চয়তার কালো ছায়া পড়েছিল, সে আমলের তরুণ তরুণীদের মনোজগতে যে ঝড় চলতেছিল, আমেরিকার মফস্বল শহরে যে গুরুভার চেপে বসেছিলো, তা বিভিন্ন ঘাত প্রতিঘাতের মাধ্যমে রিভারডেল শহরের অতি সুপরিচিত আর্চি এন্ড্রিউজ আর তার বন্ধু, পরিবার সদস্যদের মাধ্যমে তুলে ধরা হয়েছে। সিরিজের প্রথম চার ইস্যু খুবই দুর্দান্ত, শেষ ইস্যুতে তাড়াহুড়া জরে ফিনিশিং দিতে গিয়ে লেজে গোবর করে দিয়েছে।
টিপিক্যাল ওয়েইড।
আর্টোয়ার্ক অবিশ্বাস্য সুন্দর, সেই আমলের আবেশ সম্পুর্নভাবে তুলে ধরেছে। আর্চি, জাগহেড, বেটি আর ভেরোনিকাকে যেভাবে চিত্রায়ন করেছে, মনে রাখার মতো। ফ্রেড আর মেরি এন্ড্রুজকেও অনেক বাস্তবসম্মত ভাবে এঁকেছে। সবচেয়ে ভালো লেগেছে ব্যাকগ্রাউন্ড, আমেরিকান মফস্বল শহর বলতে যা মনে ভেসে উঠে, সেটাই তুলে ধিরা হয়েছে।
কালারিংও দারুণ, গাঢ় রং ব্যবহার করে অন্ধকার ভাব শৃষ্টি করা হয়েছে, যা গল্পের পরিবেশের সাথে খুবই মানসই, পড়ার সময় (বা দেখার সময়) পাঠকের মনের উপর চাপ সৃষ্টি করে।
শুধু যদি ফিনিশিংটা সুন্দর হতো!
October 5, 2022
This is by far my favorite Archie reboot. The love between Archie and Betty, how Jughead is more mature, how real it feels to experience America in 1941. Wow. What an amazing job the writers and illustrators did 👏
October 31, 2021
3.5 stars
I've always loved historical AUs and this was no exception. I just wish that it had been longer, the end felt so abrupt that I had to double-check that it was actually the end.
I've always loved historical AUs and this was no exception. I just wish that it had been longer, the end felt so abrupt that I had to double-check that it was actually the end.
June 25, 2019
Archie comics got their start in 1941, but as escapist literature they didn't touch upon the war-torn world of the then-present. So it was fairly brilliant when Archie Comics decided to return to 1941, but this time create a truly historical comic, with a focus on WWII. Even better, it was a way to tell the story of a war comic that would truly have resonance for the readers, because it was about characters that they knew.
Sadly, Archie 1941 doesn't really meet these high-minded goals. I think much of the problem is that it's just too fast-paced, jetting through a couple of years in five short issues. There's just not much opportunity to care bout what's going on as a result, and a story like this is all about carrying. Really, it doesn't even feel like the story has much of an ending, as a lot of the plotlines just stop, making me wonder if this "miniseries" was intended as open-ended. Meanwhile, we've lost all of the humor that made Waid's original Archie run so successful.
OK to read, but really not that notable besides.
Sadly, Archie 1941 doesn't really meet these high-minded goals. I think much of the problem is that it's just too fast-paced, jetting through a couple of years in five short issues. There's just not much opportunity to care bout what's going on as a result, and a story like this is all about carrying. Really, it doesn't even feel like the story has much of an ending, as a lot of the plotlines just stop, making me wonder if this "miniseries" was intended as open-ended. Meanwhile, we've lost all of the humor that made Waid's original Archie run so successful.
OK to read, but really not that notable besides.
May 7, 2025
Forget the Sexy Archie TV show. This is the gritty Archie we deserve.
Our favorite lovable, clumsy redhead first appeared in 1941, right when World War II was starting. Needless to say, that time period was depressing as all get out; so most teenagers didn't want to read anything realistic or pertaining to war or death. The Archie comics publishers realized this, and Archie and his gang of friends lived in a place free from war or violence or loss. It provided thousands of teenagers and adults during a very difficult period in world history.
But what if Archie and his friends weren't immune from the reality of war? What is that war penetrated the peaceful perimeters or Riverdale and forced Archie and the gang to face the cold, grim shadows the enemy? That's what this comic tries to do, and it does a fairly successful job.
I was surprised by how just dark and gritty this comic was. The new modern editions of Archie still keep that same carefree personality of it, and even Sexy Archie, albeit dark, has gone into the ridiculously silly territory. But this comic book really touched on the feelings of tension, grief, and terror people were feeling at the time. My grandparents lived through World War II and told me stories about living through that time, and it was pretty accurate to their accounts.
This Archie is not the happy-go-lucky Archie that we all know and love. Burgers are not the only thing Jughead is obsessed with. Betty and Veronica have more important things to worry about than winning Archie's affections. They have to worry about going off to war. They have to worry about the possibility of not seeing their friends or family members ever again. They have to worry about being seen as traitors for potentially not joining up to fight against the common enemy. They have to face the cold, hard reality of loss. All of that was done extraordinarily well.
I thought the artwork was absolutely gorgeous and actually pretty accurate to the artwork of the time. I loved the deeper dive into the characters and how their personalities, while keeping some of the characteristics from the earlier comics, became more nuanced. I did think the ending issue was extremely rushed and didn't provide enough closure to storylines or gave some characters their proper sendoff.
Riverdale was one of the few places where World War II wasn't felt, because teenagers didn't want or need extra suffering in their lives, even if it was fictional. In this reimagined Riverdale, however, World War II is very real. In this new Riverdale, teenagers grow up fast, villains become heroes, and Archie and his friends are woken up from their idyllic existence and mature into the people they eventually become. Highly recommended.
Our favorite lovable, clumsy redhead first appeared in 1941, right when World War II was starting. Needless to say, that time period was depressing as all get out; so most teenagers didn't want to read anything realistic or pertaining to war or death. The Archie comics publishers realized this, and Archie and his gang of friends lived in a place free from war or violence or loss. It provided thousands of teenagers and adults during a very difficult period in world history.
But what if Archie and his friends weren't immune from the reality of war? What is that war penetrated the peaceful perimeters or Riverdale and forced Archie and the gang to face the cold, grim shadows the enemy? That's what this comic tries to do, and it does a fairly successful job.
I was surprised by how just dark and gritty this comic was. The new modern editions of Archie still keep that same carefree personality of it, and even Sexy Archie, albeit dark, has gone into the ridiculously silly territory. But this comic book really touched on the feelings of tension, grief, and terror people were feeling at the time. My grandparents lived through World War II and told me stories about living through that time, and it was pretty accurate to their accounts.
This Archie is not the happy-go-lucky Archie that we all know and love. Burgers are not the only thing Jughead is obsessed with. Betty and Veronica have more important things to worry about than winning Archie's affections. They have to worry about going off to war. They have to worry about the possibility of not seeing their friends or family members ever again. They have to worry about being seen as traitors for potentially not joining up to fight against the common enemy. They have to face the cold, hard reality of loss. All of that was done extraordinarily well.
I thought the artwork was absolutely gorgeous and actually pretty accurate to the artwork of the time. I loved the deeper dive into the characters and how their personalities, while keeping some of the characteristics from the earlier comics, became more nuanced. I did think the ending issue was extremely rushed and didn't provide enough closure to storylines or gave some characters their proper sendoff.
Riverdale was one of the few places where World War II wasn't felt, because teenagers didn't want or need extra suffering in their lives, even if it was fictional. In this reimagined Riverdale, however, World War II is very real. In this new Riverdale, teenagers grow up fast, villains become heroes, and Archie and his friends are woken up from their idyllic existence and mature into the people they eventually become. Highly recommended.
August 25, 2021
Shockingly good. One thing I've noticed about Archie comics is they are great at putting their familiar characters in new settings and making it work. Whether it's the horror line, Riverdale, or something serious like this, it always strikes a chord. I think using the familiar characters immediately gives readers a connection, even if the characters aren't exactly like the ones we know.
In this case we have a very serious story set in 1941 dealing mostly with WWII and how it effects those both at war and at home. Very powerful ending.
The art was perfect for conveying the feel of the 1940s without looking overdone.
Overall one of the best Archie series I've read.
In this case we have a very serious story set in 1941 dealing mostly with WWII and how it effects those both at war and at home. Very powerful ending.
The art was perfect for conveying the feel of the 1940s without looking overdone.
Overall one of the best Archie series I've read.
April 8, 2019
Each issue seemed shorter than normal. And the final issue was a rushed mess, making for a horrible ending. Three stars on the strength of the start. Why not do a full six issues and flesh out a decent ending?
March 25, 2021
Después del enganche que me he cogido con Riverdale (sí, uno es así y tiene ese lado oscuro), me apetecía leer algo de Archie, aunque no ha sido la colección más tradicional, sino una serie limitada de cinco números que contaba con un aliciente, y es que Mark Waid estaba a los guiones. Y sí, resulta que el mismísimo guionista de Kingdom Come ha escrito también sobre el pelirrojo más famoso del mundo del cómic y casi de la televisión.
Archie: 1941 es una historia corta que refleja algo que no es novedoso, que hemos visto docenas de veces y que posiblemente no aporta nada al tema, pero lo hace con ese aire cándido e inocente de los cómics de los años cincuenta, y es la entrada de Estados Unidos en la II Guerra Mundial y como los jóvenes se alistaron y murieron en el campo de batalla, volviendo a reflejar a través de una historia tímida el horror de la pérdida de la juventud en la guerra. Aquí tenemos a Archie y sus amigos enfrentándose de diferentes maneras al último verano de su infancia, ese verano de Pearl Harbour. Y veremos a Archie y a Reggie Mantle alistarse, a Betty permanecer en Riverdale intentando ser fuerte, a los padres de Archie enfrentados por la marcha de su hijo, a Verónica abandonar su torre de marfil para hacer frente a su propio padre, a Jughead representando a los que no pueden ir y a Pop a los que están en contra de la propia guerra...
Y aunque me ha hecho mucha gracia ver a Archie, Verónica, Betty y Jughead en el medio en el que nacieron... pues hombre, la historia no es nada del otro mundo y aunque tiene cierto encanto, no es ni con mucho el trabajo medio de Mark Waid. Pero bueno, otra cosa diferente...
Archie: 1941 es una historia corta que refleja algo que no es novedoso, que hemos visto docenas de veces y que posiblemente no aporta nada al tema, pero lo hace con ese aire cándido e inocente de los cómics de los años cincuenta, y es la entrada de Estados Unidos en la II Guerra Mundial y como los jóvenes se alistaron y murieron en el campo de batalla, volviendo a reflejar a través de una historia tímida el horror de la pérdida de la juventud en la guerra. Aquí tenemos a Archie y sus amigos enfrentándose de diferentes maneras al último verano de su infancia, ese verano de Pearl Harbour. Y veremos a Archie y a Reggie Mantle alistarse, a Betty permanecer en Riverdale intentando ser fuerte, a los padres de Archie enfrentados por la marcha de su hijo, a Verónica abandonar su torre de marfil para hacer frente a su propio padre, a Jughead representando a los que no pueden ir y a Pop a los que están en contra de la propia guerra...
Y aunque me ha hecho mucha gracia ver a Archie, Verónica, Betty y Jughead en el medio en el que nacieron... pues hombre, la historia no es nada del otro mundo y aunque tiene cierto encanto, no es ni con mucho el trabajo medio de Mark Waid. Pero bueno, otra cosa diferente...
June 25, 2019
This 5 issue miniseries takes a dramatic look at Archie and the gang as if they were graduating high school in 1941. Archie wanders around Riverdale looking for his purpose and decides to enlist after Pearl Harbor. The writing is great, opting out of the humorous route and instead going for a realistic, melodramatic approach. The shadow filled moody artwork compliments that writing very well and in the best part of this book. Highly recommended!
July 16, 2019
Probably 3.5. I enjoyed it.
July 29, 2024
Archie 1941 - A Solemn Look At What The Archie Characters Might've Been Like Growing Up In The '40s
This is a quite different Archie story than what we normally get from an Archie story. This is filled with tons of drama and not so much comedy. And I understand why that is. It's because a war is going on.
Just understand that, when you read this story, it is not the typical Archie story. With that being said, I think Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn did a fantastic job researching that era and being able to convey it flawlessly onto the written page. Peter Krause's artwork is beautiful to look at. He really did his research well.
Even the colorist did a bang up job of conveying that this story is set in the past by giving the artwork a grainy feel to it like it would have if it was actually coming out in 1941. The colorist's name is Kelly Fitzpatrick. I look forward to seeing more of her colors when I start reading Mark Waid's Archie run next. There are some good moments in this story for each of the Riverdale characters.
I'm not going to spoil what happens for people. If you want to read and see these moments for yourself, then I recommend checking this book out yourself. Just keep in mind that this is not the typical Archie story. It's a story set against the backdrop of World War 2. It's also a love story and how 2 people truly in love with each other will always find their way back to one another despite the odds being against them 🙂🖖.
This is a quite different Archie story than what we normally get from an Archie story. This is filled with tons of drama and not so much comedy. And I understand why that is. It's because a war is going on.
Just understand that, when you read this story, it is not the typical Archie story. With that being said, I think Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn did a fantastic job researching that era and being able to convey it flawlessly onto the written page. Peter Krause's artwork is beautiful to look at. He really did his research well.
Even the colorist did a bang up job of conveying that this story is set in the past by giving the artwork a grainy feel to it like it would have if it was actually coming out in 1941. The colorist's name is Kelly Fitzpatrick. I look forward to seeing more of her colors when I start reading Mark Waid's Archie run next. There are some good moments in this story for each of the Riverdale characters.
I'm not going to spoil what happens for people. If you want to read and see these moments for yourself, then I recommend checking this book out yourself. Just keep in mind that this is not the typical Archie story. It's a story set against the backdrop of World War 2. It's also a love story and how 2 people truly in love with each other will always find their way back to one another despite the odds being against them 🙂🖖.
May 7, 2020
This exceeded every expectation I had for it. I didn't think it was going to be so dramatic, but in retrospect, how could it not be? I've seen a couple of other reviews say that it was too short, and I do wish it had been a little longer, but I don't think it effected the story too badly. I can't wait to read more of these decades books!
June 11, 2019
Pretty okay but I was expecting more from this based off issue #1.
January 20, 2020
The premise for this book is such a natural that one almost wonders why it didn't happen sooner. Waid and Augustyn have crafted a tale that is heartfelt, moody, at times dark, yet still manages to be truly Archie despite a lack of belly laughs. I was initially disappointed by the seeming leap-forward in time between the graduation and the events in December, as I was hoping for more examination of the pre-Pearl Harbor divisions about attitudes regarding the war. But as I kept reading, I realized that one of the themes was that of things moving fast. One of the big things that moves so quickly is life itself. Ultimately, this is a story about growing up experienced from multiple angles. The teens, of course, deal with growing up themselves and how to handle their idealized youth ending. The parents have to deal with their kids growing up. Some are frustrated that they aren't growing up the "right way," while some can't handle them growing up at all. Now . . . the ending, which I won't give away here . . . There was a time when a much more cynical version of me who was desperate to sound smart would have balked at the ending of this book. But, now, a somewhat more mature and definitely less cynical me can appreciate a note of hope in such a serious story.
Krause's art is nothing less than perfect, as is Fitzpatrick's coloring. Together they evoke the look of the time period and the emotions of the characters, along with the mood of the setting. One small thing I have to compliment: it may seem weird to focus on this, but I thought the replacement of Jughead's iconic crown beanie with a newsboy cap was genius touch. It's such a small detail, but it effectively conveyed the mature tone of this story. It'll probably be the only time that replacing the character's headgear will be widely accepted by fans.
Krause's art is nothing less than perfect, as is Fitzpatrick's coloring. Together they evoke the look of the time period and the emotions of the characters, along with the mood of the setting. One small thing I have to compliment: it may seem weird to focus on this, but I thought the replacement of Jughead's iconic crown beanie with a newsboy cap was genius touch. It's such a small detail, but it effectively conveyed the mature tone of this story. It'll probably be the only time that replacing the character's headgear will be widely accepted by fans.
January 30, 2024
This pictures the Archie/Betty/Veronica/Jughead/Reggie group back in 1941with them just graduating from high school. Reggie plays a much larger role that he usually does. The Betty vs. Veronica fighting over Archie part is left out totally.
The book does a really good job of showing what things were like back then and the types of decisions young males had to make as to whether or not they would sign up for military service. It also shows the effect all of this was having on the parents of those young people.
I'm not going to do a recap of all the events. I'll just point out a few things. Reggie hits Archie with a volleyball and Archie decks him. We see a lot of Archie figuring out just what he wants to do and that has put a lot of pressure on him.
When one or more of the group is in the movie theater they watch the news bulletins about the war. Remember that this was the time before television so seeing the things in the theater was the only way that type of information was available to everyone.
The FDR speech declaring war on Japan is covered. The problem of racism is shown in two different ways.
Veronica's father does not come across very nicely at all. He's even accused of profiteering by raising his gasoline prices.
The latter part of the book has a lot of graphics in it and for each chapter of the book the main cover of the series is show, it's shown with the inks, there's variant covers, there's several pages of character concepts and an alternate logo concept.
This is followed by interviews with the writers.
So the story is done well, there are changes from what we are used to, there's lots of cover graphics and a really good interview. This is an excellent publication.
The book does a really good job of showing what things were like back then and the types of decisions young males had to make as to whether or not they would sign up for military service. It also shows the effect all of this was having on the parents of those young people.
I'm not going to do a recap of all the events. I'll just point out a few things. Reggie hits Archie with a volleyball and Archie decks him. We see a lot of Archie figuring out just what he wants to do and that has put a lot of pressure on him.
When one or more of the group is in the movie theater they watch the news bulletins about the war. Remember that this was the time before television so seeing the things in the theater was the only way that type of information was available to everyone.
The FDR speech declaring war on Japan is covered. The problem of racism is shown in two different ways.
Veronica's father does not come across very nicely at all. He's even accused of profiteering by raising his gasoline prices.
The latter part of the book has a lot of graphics in it and for each chapter of the book the main cover of the series is show, it's shown with the inks, there's variant covers, there's several pages of character concepts and an alternate logo concept.
This is followed by interviews with the writers.
So the story is done well, there are changes from what we are used to, there's lots of cover graphics and a really good interview. This is an excellent publication.
Read
March 11, 2021Archie began in 1941, of course, but as an escape, a pseudo-timeless small-town 1941, not the one where the USA was finally dragged into the Second World War. And for all that recent reworks have seen Riverdale's teens face Predators, ludicrous serial killer mysteries, or various flavours of undead, none of those versions were quite the downer this is; monsters are one thing, but turns out the cruellest thing you can do to the inhabitants of an idyllic bubble is boot them into history. And boy am I glad I read it during a period when our own nightmare alloy of history and timelessness seemed at last to have an out, or lines like "If we ever get to have a good time again, I'll see ya back here" would have been too much for me. The poor sods are snarling and directionless even before Pearl Harbor, then faced with terrible choices after it – and I was particularly interested to see how many of the parents were trying to convince their sons not to sign up, very much the inverse of the patriotic narrative one often assumes. In an afterword, Waid and Augustyn talk about how they ditched large chunks of the original plot once research demonstrated they were nonsense (the draft, for instance, was initially for men over 21, not 18 as they'd assumed) – if only more historical fiction would do likewise! But it's Peter Krause and Kelly Fitzpatrick who are the real stars here, the former's art and latter's grainy colours perfectly capturing that curious blend of nostalgia and foreboding.
September 2, 2019
Archie: 1941 is quite different from typical comics in the Archie universe, but that’s exactly why it’s a fantastic comic.
I was hooked on the comic from the introduction. While speaking of Archie’s 1941 origin, it says, “The kids who were reading those funny books back then needed an escape, because they or their loved ones were about to enter the toughest situation the world had ever seen. If Archie was actually a real teenager in 1941, what would happen? What would be next? What would he do?” I think this expertly shows how they came up with the idea for the comic.
Within the story, the characters aren’t their typical happy and joking selves. Instead, they’re fighting loneliness, fear for their loved ones, and the thoughts of, “What can I do now?” The artwork reflects this perfectly, as does the coloring. The writers take characters, such as Reggie, Jughead, and Betty, and show them in lights that we have never seen them in before.
The only fault I see with the volume is that sometimes the transitions between scenes are choppy, but that reflects the hectic nature of the time. I’m looking forward to more of Archie’s time period series because if this is any indication, Archie Comics is truly taking characters in directions they have never been before, which is wonderful.
I was hooked on the comic from the introduction. While speaking of Archie’s 1941 origin, it says, “The kids who were reading those funny books back then needed an escape, because they or their loved ones were about to enter the toughest situation the world had ever seen. If Archie was actually a real teenager in 1941, what would happen? What would be next? What would he do?” I think this expertly shows how they came up with the idea for the comic.
Within the story, the characters aren’t their typical happy and joking selves. Instead, they’re fighting loneliness, fear for their loved ones, and the thoughts of, “What can I do now?” The artwork reflects this perfectly, as does the coloring. The writers take characters, such as Reggie, Jughead, and Betty, and show them in lights that we have never seen them in before.
The only fault I see with the volume is that sometimes the transitions between scenes are choppy, but that reflects the hectic nature of the time. I’m looking forward to more of Archie’s time period series because if this is any indication, Archie Comics is truly taking characters in directions they have never been before, which is wonderful.
August 30, 2020
Real rating: 3.5
Mark Waid is my favorite comic writer and his run on the main Archie book is legendary, so when I saw he was coming back for a miniseries it was a no-brainer. As always, Waid's real strength is finding a character's voice and letting it shine in any situation and Waid successfully transposes the Riverdale crew into a wartime setting. Waid manages to hone in on the unease of trying to find a purpose in life, class disparity, the uncertainty of a burgeoning war and the wedge that it can drive between people in excellent form, but unfortunately the series is just too short to fully explore its ideas once Archie actually ships off to battle. The series does an excellent job with the buildup and all of the time spent in Riverdale is very well done, but I felt like it really rushed through Archie's time in combat for the sake of getting to the end within the 5 issue limit. There's really a lot of room to explore how Archie's time on the frontlines affected him, but by the time he gets back to Riverdale you're really on the final pages and the happy ending just happens a bit too fast compared to how the rest of the series took a realistically uneasy view of everything else going on. Overall there's a lot of good stuff here but it feels like half a story. Artwork is absolutely stellar, so rounding the rating up.
Mark Waid is my favorite comic writer and his run on the main Archie book is legendary, so when I saw he was coming back for a miniseries it was a no-brainer. As always, Waid's real strength is finding a character's voice and letting it shine in any situation and Waid successfully transposes the Riverdale crew into a wartime setting. Waid manages to hone in on the unease of trying to find a purpose in life, class disparity, the uncertainty of a burgeoning war and the wedge that it can drive between people in excellent form, but unfortunately the series is just too short to fully explore its ideas once Archie actually ships off to battle. The series does an excellent job with the buildup and all of the time spent in Riverdale is very well done, but I felt like it really rushed through Archie's time in combat for the sake of getting to the end within the 5 issue limit. There's really a lot of room to explore how Archie's time on the frontlines affected him, but by the time he gets back to Riverdale you're really on the final pages and the happy ending just happens a bit too fast compared to how the rest of the series took a realistically uneasy view of everything else going on. Overall there's a lot of good stuff here but it feels like half a story. Artwork is absolutely stellar, so rounding the rating up.
April 28, 2020
I’m a huge Archie fan (but not Riverdale), and one of my absolute dearest friends bought this for me as a birthday gift last gift and I am still so thankful! This is an especially important addition to the Archie library since the very first Archie came out in 1941, and he was a goofy teen in a Riverdale that was wholly removed from the ongoing war. In this we see a much more serious teen who has to confront the war head on, and whose entire community has to as well. The change in the dynamics were challenging in this volume and also so enjoyable! Please don’t be fooled, there are still classic Archie laughs too. I read this with my grandfather and I had a few “Oh my! Plot twist!” moments but he predicted everything and tried to ruin my fun. So some may find a few surprises and others may feel a little more blasé. My grandfather also wants readers to know that if you’re a real Jughead fan, you don’t get enough of him in this TP. I don’t know if I agree with him, but that is his stance and I promised I would share it. My rating is a 4 because one of the surprises was a bit of cheat and my grandad’s rating is a 3 because there wasn’t enough Jughead for his liking and he guessed everything that would happen.
October 27, 2019
Těšil jsem se na to a nakonec se mi dostal takový polotovar. V jednu chvíli komiks skvělé mapuje "What if" scénář, kdyby Archie narukoval do druhé světové.
Ze začátku to skvělě ukazuje jak jsou hlavní hrdinové nuceni od lidí okolo jít na vojnu a to i přes to že si třeba tím jen někteří kompenzují že ve svém mládí do války nešli. Bohužel i přes to že je tu spousta silných a skvělých scén. Tak kvůli zbytečnému zrychlení a přeskakování v čase tu Archieho válečná linka vyjde lehce do prázdna a to je největší chyba. Bylo by skvělé více do hloubky sledovat jak s tím hrdinové bojují se svými démony ať už mimo válku či přímo v ní. Takhle bohužel závěr vyšuměl do prázdna a je vám líto že vlastně Archieho válečná linka spolu s Reggiem je zabalena během pár stránek. Takových pět sešitů navíc by fakt neuškodilo.
I tak díky kresbě a i zachování humoru či chování postav jsem si to dost užil. Jsem zvědav jak dopadne další příběh o Archiem v minulosti co má vyjít a mapovat rok 1955.
Pokud jste fanoušci Archieho, tak do toho jděte, je to fajn, ale šlo z toho dostat více. Takhle to působí jen jako ochutnávka toho jaké by to bylo.
Ze začátku to skvělě ukazuje jak jsou hlavní hrdinové nuceni od lidí okolo jít na vojnu a to i přes to že si třeba tím jen někteří kompenzují že ve svém mládí do války nešli. Bohužel i přes to že je tu spousta silných a skvělých scén. Tak kvůli zbytečnému zrychlení a přeskakování v čase tu Archieho válečná linka vyjde lehce do prázdna a to je největší chyba. Bylo by skvělé více do hloubky sledovat jak s tím hrdinové bojují se svými démony ať už mimo válku či přímo v ní. Takhle bohužel závěr vyšuměl do prázdna a je vám líto že vlastně Archieho válečná linka spolu s Reggiem je zabalena během pár stránek. Takových pět sešitů navíc by fakt neuškodilo.
I tak díky kresbě a i zachování humoru či chování postav jsem si to dost užil. Jsem zvědav jak dopadne další příběh o Archiem v minulosti co má vyjít a mapovat rok 1955.
Pokud jste fanoušci Archieho, tak do toho jděte, je to fajn, ale šlo z toho dostat více. Takhle to působí jen jako ochutnávka toho jaké by to bylo.
April 22, 2020
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. The story starts with Archie and the gang graduating from high school in 1941 and struggling to decide what to do with the rest of their lives. After some soul-searching, Archie and Reggie eventually join the army. What I liked about the story was the viewpoint of them as real teenagers during such a crucial time in our nation's history; it was a stark contrast to the happy teenagers in the comic books I grew up reading whose biggest worries were about fashion or school or (of course) the classic Archie/Betty/Veronica love triangle. But while I liked the contrast I prefer the escapism of the old-school stories. I also wanted a longer story, it felt like it was just getting started and then it had a rather abrupt ending in my opinion. There's a lot that could have been covered and I felt the authors did the story a disservice by keeping it so short. Finally, I'm on the fence about the artwork. I think it was really good, and I don't want to shade the artists, I just like the bright colors of the books I grew up reading. But I understand the colors used reflect the time period, and I appreciate that. I give the book a C--.
April 2, 2024
Although the melancholy, realistic tone is not what I usually read Archie for, by the end of the comic I felt immersed in the time period and the characters' internal and external battles. Most of the story serves as a moving piece of historical fiction--exempting the last issue which feels like a pages from another book entirely. I'd go so far as to suggest not reading the final chapter.
The last issue of the mini-series was such a bummer for me. Waid sets a consistent serious tone that pulled at my heartstrings, yet the series lapses back into an overly-Romanticized trope in its final issue. It took me a while to get used to a sad comic with Archie in it, but as soon as I bought in, Waid reverts to using the oldest trope in the book--which does not fit into this series at all.
Waid does a killer job orchestrating what life would be like around WWII for the gang. He is respectful to the serious subject material--war, and also respectful to the heart of the characters. For some reason, the tone reminds me of the film American Beauty as characters go through feeling post-modern angst, as they each have a sense of hopelessness about war. Again, the story's end is a slap into the face of everything the book works to accomplish. It's as if in the end Waid had to remind everyone: Hey everybody. Remember this is an Archie book. We can't go that far.
Many of the scenes even haunt me a little bit, especially conversations involving Jughead and Archie's parents. It's a shame the ending let me down so much. I do, however, understand how others might enjoy the fairy tale ending. For me, it feels false to end a war book with a fairy tale.
The last issue of the mini-series was such a bummer for me. Waid sets a consistent serious tone that pulled at my heartstrings, yet the series lapses back into an overly-Romanticized trope in its final issue. It took me a while to get used to a sad comic with Archie in it, but as soon as I bought in, Waid reverts to using the oldest trope in the book--which does not fit into this series at all.
Waid does a killer job orchestrating what life would be like around WWII for the gang. He is respectful to the serious subject material--war, and also respectful to the heart of the characters. For some reason, the tone reminds me of the film American Beauty as characters go through feeling post-modern angst, as they each have a sense of hopelessness about war. Again, the story's end is a slap into the face of everything the book works to accomplish. It's as if in the end Waid had to remind everyone: Hey everybody. Remember this is an Archie book. We can't go that far.
Many of the scenes even haunt me a little bit, especially conversations involving Jughead and Archie's parents. It's a shame the ending let me down so much. I do, however, understand how others might enjoy the fairy tale ending. For me, it feels false to end a war book with a fairy tale.
Read
October 19, 2020Archie debuted in 1941 and this book reimagines what Archie and the gang would be like if they were teens that year. It’s less a traditional Archie story and more a realistic look at how the Second World War affected small-town America. There’s very little humor here, while the characters only vaguely resemble what we know them as. Basically, you could change the names of the characters and it wouldn’t matter. Positives first: Peter Krause and Kelly Fitzpatrick’s art is fantastic, putting you right in the time period. Fitzpatrick uses a muted tone that’s perfect for the story. The script also has some good emotional moments. However, the story feels rushed and there’s little room for the characters to breathe. It’s almost like a series of sketches. The last issue, too, is a bit of a cop out. It just ends, with a small explanation. I think this could have been better overall, but it’s not bad, and at least it looks nice.
November 29, 2021
Following his smash revision of Archie, Mark Waid hits the wayback machine and takes a look at how Archie and the gang would have fared had they been highschoolers in 1941 (the year Archie itself was launched). The story is much heavier than usual, with WWII looming over everyone's heads, and of course, with Archie feeling the call to serve. What follows is heavy for Archie, but fairly light for war stories, but never strays from how an Archie comic ought to feel. Archie knows too well that not everyone comes home from war on their own feet. And this comic doesn't shy from that, telling a tale that is sweet, touching and heartbreaking. But more than anything, comics like this prove the thesis that Archie is a state of mind, and just like how a truly great song can be wonderful in almost any musical treatment, so too does the Archie universe prove itself able to deliver, whatever the premise.
Read
July 13, 2019I love the realistic character design (Jughead in a gray flat cap!), and the story matches that take. Waid takes on some nontraditional-for-WWII heavy subjects. We don't picture all these difficulties on the American homefront.
Normally in WWII-set pop culture, everyone works together to support our troops and save some rubber. Maybe some will shed some tears about some soldiers and shrug about sugar scarcity. We don't get to see all the angst of kids not able to go off to war or adults who fight over why their kids are in North Africa.
But then the story pulled all its punches, opting for a VERY traditional ending. So many other elements of this story are focused on the psychology of these character during war. We need this to be less rushed: to explore more about how even a "happy" ending affects Riverdale.
Normally in WWII-set pop culture, everyone works together to support our troops and save some rubber. Maybe some will shed some tears about some soldiers and shrug about sugar scarcity. We don't get to see all the angst of kids not able to go off to war or adults who fight over why their kids are in North Africa.
But then the story pulled all its punches, opting for a VERY traditional ending. So many other elements of this story are focused on the psychology of these character during war. We need this to be less rushed: to explore more about how even a "happy" ending affects Riverdale.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2019
I appreciate what this comic was trying to do, and I get it - war ain't pretty. But this felt so removed from the Archie gang that I know and love that I couldn't overly get into it. The characters seemed very out of character; the core four had no connection with each other, Fred Andrews was a total jerk. This wasn't my Riverdale. I kind of enjoyed the story, but I felt like it jumped around kind of awkwardly, and the dialogue seemed stilted.
Despite my lackluster feelings about this comic, I am interested to see the other historical Archie comics that come out, especially since Archie! '55 is about rock 'n roll. I'm hoping the gang will be more true to themselves without the bleak backdrop of war.
Despite my lackluster feelings about this comic, I am interested to see the other historical Archie comics that come out, especially since Archie! '55 is about rock 'n roll. I'm hoping the gang will be more true to themselves without the bleak backdrop of war.
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