ARCHIE #1 (ONI PRESS)

Welcome back to Riverdale! Archie, Jughead, Veronica, Betty, and the rest of the gang have arrived at their new publishing home, Oni Press. With this new home begins a new series featuring the Riverdale gang and all of their shenanigans. So, grab a milkshake and a burger from Pop’s and enjoy the wholesome ride!

Archie #1 – Written By Ben H. Winters – Art By Fábio Moon – Colors By Jason Wordie – Letters By Andworld Design – Edited By Bess Pallares – Published By Oni Press

Credit: Oni Press

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

STORY OVERVIEW:

This first issue is broken into 3 separate short stories featuring Archie and Friends. The first story is called Rude Awakening, and deals with Archie oversleeping because he keeps hitting snooze on his phone. Now, he’s in a race to get to Riverdale High before the first bell. Will he make it in time, or will he face the ire of his first period teacher? The second story is called Yes, We Cannes!, and this story picks up with the gang in film class. At the end of the class the teacher invites them to enter the Sixth Annual Riverdale Film Festival. Archie instantly starts putting ideas together so he can make and enter a film. But in classic Archie form he gets drafted into being an actor in all of his friends’ projects, which leaves him no time to make his own. The price of being a good friend is what it’s chalked up to. Finally, we get an entry into Jughead’s Journal. Jughead is at his favorite place on earth Pop’s, doing his favorite thing, eating. As he puts down a massive amount of food for a normal person, Pop’s confides to him that one day he will close up the restaurant and move closer to his daughter and her new family. This gives Jughead and existential crisis as what will he do without his favorite place to hang and eat.

WRITING:

This first issue sets the tone and expectations of where Oni Press will go with this new Archie line. Ben H. Winters is keeping that classic Archie feel, well also making the series a little more modern and relatable to today. The wholesome stories and situations that Archie and Friends find themselves in stays the same. Well Winters transposes some modern features to the stories that update Archie and the gang into a more modern feeling era.

The first story, Rude Awaking, takes a simple concept like being late to school and gives it that Archie charm. What is just a story about oversleeping, becomes zany and fun as Archie tries to make it to school on time. The hilarity ensues as he passes his friends in a hurry and makes it just in time for the bell. Only for Winters to reveal one more trick up his sleeve. A very fun open that sets the tone for what’s to come in the series.

Next up is Yes, We Cannes!, this story deals with that fantasy and daydream element that Archie Comics have been known for. Winters shows that Archie is that perfect friend that always has his friends’ backs, even when it is at his own cost. As he moves from one ridiculous movie idea and scene to the next, Winters fills the story up with humor and a ton of fun. The more absurd the better and just when it looks like Archie has sacrificed his goal, well getting blamed for making others fail. He finds a way to save the day for himself and his friends. This is classic Archie and really sends a great and positive message.

Lastly, we get Jughead’s Journal Part 1, and I for one hope this makes its way into every issue. A little short side story that deals with Jughead’s internal thoughts on things around him that affect him. Winters hits a homerun with this first entry as what makes Jughead tick more than food and his favorite restaurant Pop’s. The thought of losing the place, even if it’s in the future, is enough to make him question everything. Winters does an amazing job of keeping this story fun, well still giving it some emotional depth. The growth Winters has Jughead show, not only gives this story a fun boost, but also sets the tone for where this series will be headed.

Overall, this first issue delivers the fun, humor, and atmosphere that we have come to know and love with Archie Comics from a writing stand point. Winters follows the formula that has made this franchise endure for decades, well adding his own twists and takes. This new series will surely be a hit with fans of the Archie franchise, well bringing in a new generation of fans in the process.

ARTWORK:

The artwork in this first issue carries the familiarity of a classic Archie comic while giving it just enough polish and personality to feel fresh for a new generation. Fábio Moon captures the essence of the franchise without trying to overly redesign or modernize what already works. Riverdale still feels like Riverdale, with that warm, timeless quality that makes the town instantly recognizable. The streets, school halls, classrooms, and Pop’s all have a comfortable familiarity to them, but Moon adds enough detail in the backgrounds and staging to make each setting feel active and alive rather than simply nostalgic.

One of the strongest parts of Moon’s work is how expressive the characters are from panel to panel. Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica, and the rest of the cast are all easy to identify immediately, but their body language and facial expressions do a lot of the storytelling. Archie’s frantic energy in Rude Awakening comes through in the way he moves across the page, while Jughead’s quieter moments in Jughead’s Journal land because his reactions feel sincere without becoming overly dramatic. Moon keeps the exaggerated comedy that belongs in an Archie book, but he balances it with softer character moments that give the issue more heart.

The panel layouts also help each short story move at the right pace. The opening story has a brisk, energetic flow that matches Archie’s race against the clock, while Yes, We Cannes! gives the art team room to play with different movie ideas, visual gags, and quick shifts in tone. Those scenes are especially fun because the visuals lean into the ridiculousness of each project without losing the clean readability that makes the humor work. Even when things get busy, the storytelling remains clear, which is important for an issue built around quick jokes, fast transitions, and multiple short stories.

Jason Wordie’s colors are another big reason the issue feels so welcoming. The palette has the bright, cheerful quality readers expect from Archie, but it never feels flat or overly simple. The colors bring warmth to Riverdale, give Pop’s that inviting comfort, and help sell the upbeat tone of the book. Wordie’s work supports Moon’s line art by keeping the pages vibrant and classic-looking, while still giving the characters and environments enough depth to feel modern. It is a smart color approach because it honors the franchise’s history without making the book look dated.

Overall, the art team understands that the goal is not to reinvent Archie, but to remind readers why this world has lasted for so long. Moon’s character work, expressive comedy, and approachable layouts pair perfectly with Wordie’s warm and lively colors. Together, they give this debut issue the charm, humor, and wholesome energy fans expect, while also making it visually inviting for newer readers. The artwork respects the classic identity of the franchise and still finds small ways to make Riverdale feel current, energetic, and full of life.

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Final Thoughts:

Archie #1 is a charming and energetic debut that captures everything readers love about Riverdale while giving the series a fresh new start. Ben H. Winters delivers fun, wholesome stories with heart, and the art team brings Archie and his friends to life with classic warmth and modern polish. This is an easy recommendation for longtime fans and a welcoming entry point for new readers. Grab a copy when you are at the shop, have a blast reading this first issue, then make sure to add this series as well as the other Archie titles from Oni Press to your Pull List ASAP.

FINAL GRADE: 9.5/10

Let me know your thoughts on Archie #1 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!