The CW’s new teen TV show revisits the small town of Riverdale and the characters of Archie comics, characters that have been around since the 1940s! Archie Comics are no strangers to adaptation and reboots, in addition to Archie and his gang, familiar faces like Jughead, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Josie and the Pussycats have taken on a life of their own through countless comics, TV shows, music and movies.

Riverdale debuted this past January, on the CW and Netflix, and the second season begins in October. Set in a modern-day small town, Archie and his gang find themselves (and the town) torn apart by a shocking murder. Jason Blossom, one of the golden boys of Riverdale, is dead with no culprit or motive in sight. Archie and his friends find themselves drawn deeper into the mystery while the town sinks into suspicions and resentment.

Although the Riverdale characters are familiar, their story lines feel fresh and filled with relatable teen struggles. Archie’s got secrets, Veronica’s father is in jail for embezzlement, Betty’s parents are controlling, Cheryl’s brother is dead and Jughead’s family seems broken beyond repair. And even though the focus is on the murder mystery, they’re also falling in love, making friends and figuring out their futures at the same time. There’s plenty of sizzling romance, mystery, suspense and dark secrets. It’s like a real-life, drama-filled version of the Scooby-Doo gang!

What I like about the show are the interconnected relationships between the teens and adults in Riverdale. Most of the time, the gang’s parents are the ones making mistakes, fighting amongst themselves and generally causing all kinds of problems. But the teens always stick together, helping each other through family and relationship drama while doing their best to be better versions of their parents.

Archie comics have been busy, and they haven’t stopped at a TV show. Archie Andrews gets an origin story in Archie: The New Riverdale by writer Mark Waid and artist Fiona Staples in yet another reboot of the classic characters.

I have to confess, I’ve never read any classic Archie comics! But since watching Riverdale, I’m really interested in checking out some older Archie issues.

And if you’re in the mood for classic Archie, there are tons of Archie collections to check out at your Library!

Whether you like classic Archie, new comic series Archie or TV show Archie, there’s something for everyone in Riverdale.

-Adina

Adina enjoys cooking and eating (mostly eating), ranting about books and watching movies with her friends. You can find her working at the West End branch or relaxing in her cozy apartment.