Archie's Superteens vs Crusaders #1 - Archie Comics
Script by Ian Flynn, David Williams & Gary Martin
Art by Kelsey Shannon, David Williams, Gary Martin & Jack Morelli
Letters by Jack Morelli
Archie Comics is certainly not afraid of a good crossover. We'll be seeing a Batman '66 crossover here soon, but first they're keeping it within their own universe. I have enjoyed the return of the Mighty Crusaders recently, so it might be just as fun to see them team up with Archie and his friends. So let's get set for a wacky adventure in Archie's Superteens vs Crusaders #1.
I think that wacky describes it quite well actually. This is from the description, so it's not really a spoiler, but a substitute teachers arrives at Riverdale High for much more than a simple movie day or reading silently from text books. Things go south in a hurry and it's only a matter of time before a hero is needed to save the day. How these two teams cross over makes sense once you see it, but being tardy seems to be a theme in this issue. Even though this is only a two issue mini-series, the end of this first issue leaves a bit of a cliffhanger. What will be most interesting is how this story can be wrapped up after only one more issue.
Any time I see Ian Flynn attached to an Archie book, I know it's going to be fun. Bringing the art team in on the scripting process was definitely the right call here, as the visuals do a great deal to convey the fun in a story like this. If you're a Jughead fan, this book is definitely for you. I really enjoyed every panel that he was in, and like how he was a focus of the story from the beginning. I had a good time with this book, but my only worry is that the story will be rushed going forward with only one more issue. I'm not saying that things need to be dragged out unnecessarily, but I just have a gut feeling that some of this story may continue in another ongoing at some point. This is definitely one of those books where you don't want to overthink it, though. If you love Archie books anyway, and the recent creative teams, then you will certainly enjoy this book. I'll definitely stick around to see how it ends.
RATING: PICK UP