Teenager Archie Andrews and the residents of his hometown of Riverdale have entertained comic readers since their debut in 1941. Part of the reason for their long lasting appeal is how Archie Comics' stories tend to be populated with great characters while providing fans a classic sense of Americana.
That doesn't mean Archie Comics are stuck in the past, though. In 2015, writer Mark Waid, artist Fiona Staples and others brought Archie and the Riverdale gang into the modern era with a brand new series. Modernizing Archie's adventures without losing the character's iconic appeal was a challenge, but the result was a success, as Waid and his collaborators told a number of fun and dramatic tales, and they even paved the way for the CW Network's television adaptation of Archie, Riverdale
This November, the next phase of Archie's modern day comic exploits begins in the milestone Archie #700, where the new creative team of writer Nick Spencer and artist Marguerite Sauvage kick off their run. Ahead of the series' big moment, CBR spoke with Spencer about his love for the Archie characters, how his stories compare to what's featured on The CW's Riverdale, and the character dynamics he's most enjoyed writing.
CBR: You've written some of Marvel Comic's biggest names and with November's Archie #700 you kick off your run on America's most iconic adolescent. What made you wanted to tackle this particular franchise? And what is it about the denizens of Riverdale that inspired you as a storyteller?
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Nick Spencer: I am a life long, hardcore Archie fan. I grew up with the Digests and the single issues from the newsstand. They were a regular part of my comics reading experience as a kid. So I have an enormous amount of fondness for these characters, their legacy, and everything that's been done with them throughout the decades.
So when Alex Segura called me and asked if I was interested I couldn't say yes fast enough. It was certainly a dream come true, and it really felt like the right time and opportunity to try my hand at writing this. And so far, that's been proven true. I'm having an absolute blast writing this book.
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Your run is meant to serve as a continuation of what's come before and a welcoming spot for new readers. Some of those new readers might be coming your way because of the CW's Riverdale. So how does what you're doing in Archie compare to what we see weekly on Riverdale?
I'm a huge Riverdale fan. I love that show, so when I got the opportunity to write the book one of the first things I said was, “I want to make sure we're offering something to appeal to somebody who has been watching Riverdale and is interested in picking up the comics while also being true to the established history and legacy of the characters.
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It's been about finding that balance of the soap opera and darkness of Riverdale contrasted with the kind of wholesome, All-American nature of the classic Archie comics. That's been a really fantastic writing exercise for me. And I think we've found a good way to give everybody a little bit of what they want.
You certainly have some room to do some big drama. During his run, Mark Waid had a number of big things happen, like a drag racing accident, and a school dance even got held hostage.
[Laughs] For sure! I'm a huge fan of what Mark Waid, Fiona Staples and all the other artists involved did with the characters. I can not overstate what a challenging assignment they had in front of them in terms of trying to modernize these characters without losing what makes them special. I think what they did was beyond successful. Marguerite Sauvage and I are building on what they did while also offering something new.
If you were reading Mark's run I feel confident you'll want to pick up ours as well.
Another way in which your comic will be similar to Riverdale is that like that show you'll have a beautiful looking story thanks to Marguerite's art.
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Yes! I've been lucky in getting to work with so many phenomenal artists over the course of my career. I really can say though that Archie #700 is hands down one of the most beautiful looking comics that I've ever been a part of. That's really down to Marguerite. She's such an amazing talent. Her layouts, storytelling, style, and color pallet all come together to create a book that's just gorgeous to look at.
One of the joys of writing Archie is its extended cast of iconic characters and Mark left them in some interesting places. What's it like writing them? Which character dynamics are proving to be especially fun?
The first time I got to write Betty and Veronica together was one of those pinch yourself moments. These characters are so iconic and larger than life. They're two of the best known female characters in all of comics. So getting to write their relationship was a thrill. There are some other ones I can't talk about for risk of spoiling, but I was pleasantly surprised by how great it was to write those characters together.
Finally, do you see your run as a series of arcs? One long form tale where it all comes together? Or something different?
Like a lot of the things I do I think the structure will become more apparent over time. We are setting out to tell one of the biggest stories to ever hit Riverdale, but at the same time there are a lot of smaller self contained arcs along the way to keep you entertained.