Blossoms: 666

Blossoms: 666 #1-5

by Cullen Bunn, Laura Braga (Illustrator)

Archie Horror's newest title, featuring a demonic take on Riverdale's troublesome twins.Cheryl and Jason Blossom are a pair of seemingly normal kids in Riverdale. They're wealthy, popular and likeable--but they also harbor a deep, dark secret--one of the Blossom Twins is the Anti-Christ. Both want the title, and no one in Riverdale is safe.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Horror, Comics, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Fantasy, Paranormal

144 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 5, 2019

About the author

Cullen grew up in rural North Carolina, but now lives in the St. Louis area with his wife Cindy and his son Jackson. His noir/horror comic (and first collaboration with Brian Hurtt), The Damned, was published in 2007 by Oni Press. The follow-up, The Damned: Prodigal Sons, was released in 2008. In addition to The Sixth Gun, his current projects include Crooked Hills, a middle reader horror prose series from Evileye Books; The Tooth, an original graphic novel from Oni Press; and various work for Marvel and DC. Somewhere along the way, Cullen founded Undaunted Press and edited the critically acclaimed small press horror magazine, Whispers from the Shattered Forum.

All writers must pay their dues, and Cullen has worked various odd jobs, including Alien Autopsy Specialist, Rodeo Clown, Professional Wrestler Manager, and Sasquatch Wrangler.

And, yes, he has fought for his life against mountain lions and he did perform on stage as the World's Youngest Hypnotist. Buy him a drink sometime, and he'll tell you all about it.

Visit his website at www.cullenbunn.com.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the Blossom twins is the Anti-Christ.
That's not much of a stretch, is it?



I love Archie Horror when it's well done, and (to me) this was very well done.
The gist is in the blurb, but Cullen Bunn puts a few nice twists and turns into the story that I'd rather not reveal if you haven't read it yet.



There's this creepy Omen vibe happening. Yes, there's supernatural horror but then there's just plain old evil human horror, too. I like that sort of thing.
Plus, you've got the conspiracy angle. How many of the townspeople are in on it?
Dun, dun, dunnn...




This one was a lot of fun to read. Can't wait for the next volume!

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cullen Bunn signs up for Archie's horror line giving us a tale mashing up The Omen, Rosemary's Baby and the Blossom twins. The pacing in the final issue felt somewhat rushed, almost like the series was cut short and Bunn needed to wrap things up. I would have loved to see this played out over a longer series. I feel like we only got a taste. Lauren Braga's art was a pleasant surprise.

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cullen Bunn cranks out another horror-ish tale, never actually getting interesting or surprising.

[Artemy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another new installment in the Archie Horror line, this time reimagining the Blossom family as members of a satanic murder cult. It’s pretty fun, even if the story doesn’t shy away from treading a few tired old horror tropes, and the ending felt a bit smudged. Still, Cullen Bunn manages to write probably the best Archie Horror book to date, and Laura Braga’s excellent and consistent artwork is icing on the cake.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Blossom Twins of Riverdale harbor a dark secret. One of them is destined to be the antichrist. Will it be Jason or Cheryl... or neither?

So I had high hopes for this and the beginning had a lot of potential. It felt like The Omen meets Cruel Intenions starring the Archie gang. There was even a couple good twists in the mix. And then it was over with no resolution and no issues have been done after #5.

I'm not a huge Cullen Bunn fan but I thought his writing was great in this. Laura Braga is no Francesco Francavilla but her art was up to the task.

Severely underwhelmed by the end of this. I'm not really motivated to write much else.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I keep trying these Archie Horror comics, and I keep being disappointed. They're neither scary nor interesting in the least. I hoped being unfamiliar with the Blossom siblings would help this time around, but they are simply wooden jerks who don't accomplish much of anything as they vie to be the Anti-Christ. The story such as it is stops, but it really doesn't end.

The first issue of Jughead the Hunger Vs. Vampironica is included in the back. This was useful, as it let me know that I don't need to bother with that series at all.

[A.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping, albeit slightly too short mini series from Cullen Bunn, Blossoms 666 is another home run for Archie Horror. I enjoy these spins on character we already know. This one shows us the Blossom twins competing to see who will become the Anti-Christ, when suddenly, their long lost sibling turns up.

This series is great, but really could have benefited from another issue. I wouldn’t mind a sequel but knowing how slow these Archie Horror books come out, I really doubt we’ll be seeing one anytime soon. Fun story nonetheless.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 2 out of 5]

So this is Archie's fifth(?) trip down the Horror line, where they contrast the naiveté and innocence of their Archie characters with the murderous and destructive forces of terror. And, it's the least successful of the bunch. (OK, I haven't read the vampire-Veronica one, but it's certainly less successful than Afterlife and Sabrina, which were both great, and even than the Jughead-Werewolf, which was at least scary and icky.) It's no longer enough to just kill off Archie characters in horrific ways, and if the shocking thing here was to corrupt the Archie characters, it wasn't that successful. We get dull devil worshiping that just feels like it's going through the motions, then we get a real non-ending.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two of my favorite things: horror and Archie comics. I am a long time fan of the Riverdale gang and was very unhappy with the Riverdale show so I was skeptical with the Archie Horror comic series however these comics have proven to me...the horror spin offs are amazing! Blossoms 666 is a brutal series surrounding the Blossom Twins and their competition against each other to become the next Antichrist. The twins bring havoc and horror to the carefree town of Riverdale but Betty Cooper is onto them. Will she save Riverdale and her friends from literal hell on earth?

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Who would have thought Archie Comics would be producing some of the best horror comics ever? I've been a fan of Archie Horror ever since Afterlife With Archie and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and the hits keep coming.

In this volume we have the Blossoms competing to see who becomes the antichrist. Plenty of twists and turns, and art that is both scary and sexy. The only reason I didn't got a solid 5 stars is because the series has an open ending and we haven't seen a sequel yet.

Great horror series and a great read for Halloween Season.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the Blossoms is going to be the Anti-Christ. Watch them destroy Riverdale as they try and work out who. That's the hook, and you really don't need any more than that. Of course, a forgotten twin brother doesn't hurt though.

I did like this, I really did. The machinations of Cheryl and Jason are fun to watch, and it's clear from Riverdale and the other Archie Horror books that Archie Comics don't mind torturing their characters. But there's definitely a big sense of 'was that it?' at the end.

There's no resolution. There's not even a cliffhanger. The story just ends, and we're no closer to finding out who wins, who dies, anything at all. If there's a second mini-series incoming then I might change my mind, but anyone expecting a complete story from this mini-series is going to be disappointed (so I'd assume most people).

Can't fault the art though; Laura Braga's great, and her eye for clothing and costume design remind me of Joelle Jones. Lovely stuff all the way through. Shame the story doesn't quite live up it.

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great Archie Horror title. This time, Bunn gives the Blossom twins The Omen treatment. I don't think there's a more natural fit in the line. Unfortunately, it feels like this series was cut short. It read like, at best, the first half of an at least 12 issue series. I'm not sure if this is bad pacing from Bunn or the series getting cut short by editorial. Up until that rushed, incomplete ending, this was great. The twins are devious and creepy and dangerously appealing, and the havoc they're wreaking in wholesome Riverdale is both fascinating and awful. I just wish there was more. Maybe there will be, but Archie Horror is... not the most reliable line with such things.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Individual issue reviews: #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5

Total review score: 1.9

[Kate Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐

non seguo la serie Riverdale (ho abbandonato dopo quattro episodi), ma tutti i fumetti dedicati ai suoi personaggi mi ispirano tantissimo, specie perché prendono una piega soprannaturale (se anche la serie tv fosse così, la guarderei tipo subito).

Blossom 666 mi ispirava da secoli, ma ho aspettato pazientemente che concludessero la pubblicazione dell'ultimo albo, in modo da non dover attendere e poterlo leggere tutto di seguito... e dopo averlo finito penso solo che forse avrei dovuto aspettare l'uscita pure del secondo perché QUEL FINALE E' ILLEGALE. NON SO COME FARO' AD ASPETTARE. Spero solo che finisca come Sabrina .....

Blossom 666 ha qualche aspetto abbastanza tipico del genere horror e ci sono parecchi punti interrogativi, quindi non mi sono fatta un'idea precisa. Di sicuro è molto coinvolgente. Personaggi ok, ma anche loro hanno ancora molto da dire. Di sicuro ho adorato Julian, completamente inaspettato (vero che non seguo Riverdale, ma un paio di personaggi li conosco)... e poi vabbè, pigliate un personaggio psicopatico e sfigato e lo amerò, a prescindere.
L'ho shippato da morire con Betty, ma ho l'impressione che questa ship non vedrà mai la luce.

Comunque come inizio penso sia ottimo. Le tavole poi... delle piccole meraviglie.

[Amory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another fantastic Archie horror comic! The Blossom twins are always portrayed as soulless so seeing them compete to become the Antichrist just works super well. The art for this was also absolutely amazing; this whole comic had such a cool modern style that I loved. My only complaint is that this would have been better as a longer series with a more complete ending.

[Jaclyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this one might be my least favorite so far in the Archie Horror series. The concept is interesting and I did like how it includes the side characters well and included them in the storyline. I just wish the ending felt more like an ending, as it doesn't seem there are more books in the series.

[reagan schwartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

cheryl blossom is my best girl forever and always so of course this title even existing is a win for me. but i felt that it was not quite fleshed out enough and should have been
longer. the ending seemed rather abrupt

[Emma Giles (byo.book) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Y’all are aware of the dark turn that they’ve taken with several of our beloved Archie-verse characters of late, right? Afterlife With Archie about a zombie infestation of Riverdale, The Chilling Tales of Sabrina featuring a more occult-driven telling of the life of our favorite teenage witch, Vampironica that can only be described as the bastard hybrid of Vampirella and Veronica Lodge, and Jughead: The Hunger where Jughead is a werewolf. Yeah, those. Well this is the continuation of that horrific evolution only it kinda confirms something I’ve believed all along... that Cheryl and Jason Blossom are the antichrist.

Well, one of them is, anyway. It’s up to the two of them to fight it out to earn the title in a series of deceptions and manipulations that only Cheryl and Jason Blossom can perpetrate on each other and get away with it with a wink and a smile.

It’s dark, it’s twisted, it’s kinda delicious. It’s Blossoms: 666.

[Alex Sarll]

The Archie horror line is overextended anyway, especially with its two first and strongest books now MIA for years. And this entry, with the core premise that one of the Blossom kids is the Antichrist, feels like it lacks the usual hook. They're nasty pieces of work in the normal canon, so seeing them evil doesn't make for as much of a twist. Similarly, making their family part of a sinister cult? We know they are, it's called the 1%. In terms of them being pledged to Satan, didn't Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina already cover that? And art taking its lead from the TV Riverdale just emphasises that darkening this world and these characters has now gone mainstream to the point it's played out.

Despite all of which, on a good day, Cullen Bunn is excellent when it comes to writing small town corruption. Laura Braga and Matt Herms make it all look suitably lush and sinister. And it's just enormous, decadent fun watching Cheryl and Jason go all Dangerous Liaisons except with more bloodshed.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe that my bookshelf proves that I love Archie Horror comics. But it also proves that Archie Horror Comics do not like us, because we rarely get follow up after the first five issues, and that really really really bums me out. But alas, I'll continue.

I loved Blossoms: 666. The artwork was fucking divine *chefs kiss*. I could look at these drawings forever. Cheryl was gorgeous, Jason was handsome, and the gore was all over. What more could you want?

Well, a third Blossom, of course! However, he ended up being not as much of a competitor for the throne as I thought he would be. He was more of a thorn in our side, but super fun to read about nonetheless.

Overall I loved every second of this. So of course we'll NEVER find out which Blossom will rise to the top with Satan at their side. And I'll be devastated forever. Ugh.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twins Jason and Cheryl Blossom are destined to be the Anti-Christ. Or one of them is. Or neither? There's something nefarious going on, at least, and they're competing to see who comes out as the true biggest bad. What follows are five issues of them competing, trying to corrupt the people of Riverdale and set in plan some big dark schemes that I still don't understand. Eventually the book ends and when I say that I mean it ends quickly. Maybe they were going for 666 to have 6 issues and they got cut off first? Maybe this is all just waiting for a sequel? But it wasn't satisfying.

[Vicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was beautiful, and it pulled characters together how I would expect them, but all in all it left me with too many questions. They're supposed to be competing to become the anti-christ... But what does that even look like? I was really underwhelmed by the plot and the new character; it all could have gone much darker.

[Audrey Hacker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whyd it end there!

[chad chrysanthemum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was kind of suprised by how much I liked Blossoms: 666. I've read a few others of Archie Horror's offerings, and I find them to be kind of hit and miss. This little 5-issue miniseries is definitely too short - the final issue had really too much to tie up, and it wasn't particularly satisfying (like, did the plot actually go anywhere or resolve anything?) but as pulpy horror, I would say it really delivered. It had me repeatedly gasping out loud with the twists and turns of the events as they unfolded, and I liked not fully knowing character's motivations and if they were telling the truth, it really got me intrigued. Jason and Cheryl are really great as the main characters as they vie for the title of Anti-Christ and the addition of Julian spiced things up, although I think it was also kind of the cause of the unsatisfying ending as there were almost too many questions. (Side note: I wonder where Julian as the third secret triplet first showed up? It happens in, at the very least, Riverdale as well). Jason and Cheryl's relationship is where the story really shines - I'm kind of obsessed with the toxicity of it, the way they almost veer into pseudo-incest, the way they hate each other & love each other, the way they manipulate each other, it's just great. The art in this series is really great too - the bright juicy reds throughout provide a lot of contrast and really make the Blossoms stand out against the milieu of the other characters. It's an art style that feels in line with the other New Riverdale comics I've read, while still being distinct enough that it has its own identity. Overall, I really enjoyed this series, and I'm mostly sad there isn't more of it. It has a sort of ambiguous ending that was clearly left to allow the series to continue depening on audience reaction, but given the rating on goodreads and the fact I've not heard a peep about it for the last 5 years, I'm going to guess that's unlikely to come to fruition. Ah well, I enjoyed what I got!

[Lindsay Heller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. I read this. I basically read it because it was presented to me on Hoopla, and thus rather easy to get my hands on, and I love Cheryl Blossom. I loved Cheryl Blossom when she was just a bitchy mean girl in my Betty and Veronica Double Digests and I love her even more now that she's the best thing on Riverdale (with her freaking bow and arrow). So in this it's basically that either she or her twin brother, Jason, are the antichrist and they have to sort of battle it out between each other. And fuck up a lot of shit along the way. Obviously. Complications arise when a new sibling is randomly thrown into the mix. It didn't really have much of a resolution... to the point where I feel like there has to be more because if there isn't more I'm not even sure what the point of this whole book was other than just pure unabashed amusement. So, I hope they give us more. Cause I love amusement, but I still want to know what happens.

[Jean-Pierre Vidrine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The bare bones of the story doesn't present anything too new. Anti-Christ stories are pretty common and can't help but be compared to The Omen, to which they will invariably be deemed inferior. What gives this story that added appeal, of course, is featuring Archie Comics' characters. And, really, one would almost think the Blossom twins were created specifically for Satanic horror.
Laura Braga's art is gorgeous here, feeling appropriately like the visuals of a TV drama. It's accentuated brilliantly by Matt Herms' coloring, which is muted for the most part but vivid when it counts.
I won't say the story falls short, but I would liked to have seen more depth. The whole "darkness behind the idyllic small town" theme is one that really hits home for me. This feels like it's only just scratching the surface of its own world. Maybe there is more to come?

[Tatiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of all the Archie Horror adaptations, this was my least favorite.

The cover might make you interpret a Little Red Riding Hood kind of thing, but Blossoms 666 is a story where one of the Blossom twins is the Anti-Christ.

The plot moves so slowly that this graphic novel felt long. Nobody knows what's going on except for the Blossom family, and anytime they do talk about it, it's through evil smirks and obtuse dialogue.

Above all though, it genuinely feels SCARY. All the other Archie Horror books are a bit more campy (except for Sabrina), and some of them are gory, but Blossoms 666 is the first one that feels like a truly, despicably evil horror.

As for the art, it is drop-dead gorgeous and I'm impressed that any artist could reach this level of detail and quality in every single panel.

Would recommend to: horror fans.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I dunno, I don't think this was horrific enough for me. I dislike how this collection ended without any kind of answers or resolution, and it looks like that was the end of the series? But why did Cheryl and Jason have to compete to be the anti-Christ? What was their task? How was Betty's parents involved? Needless to say, I found the story extremely lacking. (It almost seemed like it was trying to be an edgier Riverdale, which is already try-hard enough.)

That said, I enjoyed the art. I liked the muted colours, minus the Blossoms' hair. The vividness of the red, especially compared to Riverdale's other famous readhead, really set them apart. Too bad the story was kind of a bummer.

[Cassie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept of a Cheryl and Jason horror comic is brilliant, but this is wasted potential. It just feels like S3 of the TV show. There’s not enough actual plot here, just a very vague supernatural backdrop with the generic riverdale trope of betty and sometimes jughead being the ones who looks into everything while Archie and Veronica snog in some empty house. The main-main characters, then, Cheryl and Jason, convincing people to do vague occult stuff so one of them can eventually be the anti-Christ, whatever that really means in the riverdale universe. It’s just like, ok sure? But nothing special or new and I’m sure I’ll forget all about it in a day.