This Archie update has more to offer than a slick new look

I suppose I wouldn’t be considered a true Archie fan. I don’t have fond memories of reading the comics when I was younger. In fact, the comics section hardly ever attracted my glance. I only got into the Archie lore within the last five years (including a touch-and-go flirtation with the CW adaptation Riverdale) because the history of the strip is more fascinating than the teenage love triangle that has played out over the decades. I came to know Betty and Veronica as archetypes rather than as characters and often gave my attention to their carbon copies (Sweet Valley High, anyone?), reasoning that newer is always better.

Archie Volume One is a stellar revamp that makes me want to be a true-blue Archie fan.

The first six issues of the new Archie hit the ground running and never lose steam. Our affable narrator Archie, finally portrayed as the sort of every-teen you’d actually be friends with, is licking his wounds after a horrible break-up with long-term girlfriend Betty. Archie’s spirits lift when new girl Veronica, ex-reality TV star and richer than Midas, takes a somewhat inexplicable liking to him. The more down-to-earth Betty, nursing a broken heart, is going through an identity crisis (don’t ask about The Lipstick Incident). Meanwhile, best bud Jughead, put off by Veronica’s snobbery, is plotting to drive a wedge between the new couple. He’d rather sit back and eat himself into a mild coma, but Archie’s worth the extra effort.

Archie Volume One succeeds on a number of levels. The artwork and designs are energetic and eye-catching. Mark Waid’s dialogue is fresh and snappy, but with enough variation to give each character a distinctive flair. Fiona Staples provides a sophisticated sheen with her rich shading and realistic look, while Annie Wu and Veronica Fish have fun with thick, hasty lines and cartoon-y facial expressions. Fish pulls off a couple of homages to classic illustrations of Veronica throwing a temper-tantrum. One thing stays consistent throughout the issues: Veronica is often wearing warm colors (ruby red, plum purple), while Betty wears cool colors (turquoise, sky blue). It’s a stylistic choice that highlights their different personalities but hints at a complementary pairing, should they ever decide to work out their differences.

Also, this iteration of Archie lets its characters have actual, you know, arcs and their actions, consequences. The chasm between Archie and Betty is felt through all six issues. His relationship with Veronica seems rushed by comparison, but it’s made explicit that theirs is a puppy love. Betty and Archie don’t know what their break-up means for their friendship and want to avoid hurting each other. In fact, that’s one of Archie’s most appealing qualities: No one wants to hurt anyone. Betty tries to be nice to Veronica. Veronica isn’t trying to make Betty feel less than. This is the classic love triangle at its most—dare I say?—realistic.

Not surprisingly, it’s Jughead who spells out the theme of this series: “You are who you are, not who people think you are.” When he sees Archie being treated like “a lapdog” by Veronica, he sees Archie not being his true self. When Archie is uncomfortable with Betty trying on a new persona, he sees her as not being her true self. But maybe there’s more than one truth. (Veronica is the one character who knows exactly who she is, even when she’s throwing up sloppy joes.) Even Reggie Mantle, who swaggers into the plot with his own selfish goals, is given some much-needed dimension.

It’s a great first volume with lots of little goodies for new and old fans. By letting the character dynamics play out naturally, Waid gives us a fresh perspective on the decades-old Riverdale gang. I am what I am: a new Archie fan.