Friday Slice of Heaven
This week: Archie and…wait…that's it?!?!
Welcome back, Donist World denizens! For those of you new to our site, I’m Donist, and I am joined by Donist World CFO Obie (my friends’ Boston terrier) and by our marketing director / administrative assistant / party planner / mostly empty pull box syndrome therapist Tulip (my dog, Obie’s sister). Yeah, I don’t really know what’s going on, either. Two weeks in a row where I only had one new comic to talk about. I will say that I did buy two new comics this week, but the other one left me less than thrilled (the art on that one was spectacular, though), but the good news is that that the one book I did enjoy, left me smiling ear to ear. Want to know what also has me feeling the happys? Simple, The Martian debuts in theaters today, which means I will be heading out to Hollister Brewing Company for a couple beers, some happy hour chicken nachos, followed by the movie version of one of the best books I have EVER read (I also listened to the phenomenal audio version immediately after finishing the book). The unfortunate side of this is that my puppy executive team are trotting around the office as if they get to go with me to watch the movie. Not gonna happen. The annoying thing is that Obie is dressed in a purple cape and wearing a set of bouncy antennae, proclaiming he is a Martian. Duh. He totally did not read the book. Tulip on the other hand is wearing a “Hello, my name is Mark Watney” name badge on her fur, so at least she it; she’s still not going, though. So, while you prepare your The Martian viewing plan, fire up some chillwave music (new Neon Indian album in October!), pour yourself a nice cool sweet tea, get yourself some nachos, and settle in for this week’s post. Thank you for reading.***Possible Spoilers Below***
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| Archie #3 |
Criminy, denizens, I love this comic! If you frequently tune into Donist World, then you know that I tend toward darker, more cynical comic book fare. Sure, there are a few series that I simply adore, that are laugh-out-loud funny, but most of those have a lurking bleak outlook. Archie breaks me out of my rut, leaving me smiling and wondering whether the title character and Betty will get back together, as well as what Jughead will say (or not say) or do (or not do) next. Archie is all-ages fun from beginning to end, providing relatable and humorous situations for the young ’uns, while giving us more-learned and wise (ie. old) adults something to be excited about.
With Waid’s dialogue and Staples’s character acting, I love / hate the newly reintroduced Veronica Lodge. She’s beautiful, smart as a whip, entitled, charming, vastly insulting, vulnerable, steely, and the list goes on and on. It’s clear that Veronica is a messed up, lonely rich girl with issues to match her father’s net worth. I’m sure she will have her moment to shine as a hero, but I’m also sure she will torpedo that opportunity to join the human race with a spiteful comment to keep everyone at arm’s length. As it stands, Veronica comes through with one of the best lines of the relaunch to date, when, with her nose turned up in disgust, she says to Archie (who she calls “Andy”), “I’ve never been in a public school before. What’s that smell? Is it what they call ‘crack’?” To which, Archie replies, “It’s Coach Kleats.” I suspect this awesome panel will pop into my head over the course of the week to raise my spirits when I least suspect it, and most need it. Moments like this, there are many of them, are what make the all-new Archie series such a joy to read.
Sadly, this is Staples’s final issue. Yes, yes, I’ve known she was only set for three issues for a long while now, but that doesn’t make her departure any less of a bummer. Staples took the traditionally cartoony style Archie Comics is known for and revamped it to a more modern look. Now, I have to admit I was skeptical of this change before I read the first issue — yes, despite Staples slated to be the artist — but after the first page of the first issue of this series, I have been loving the new look…nay, denizens, I am in love with the new look. Staples’s sheer command of character acting tells you everything you need to know about the emotions of the page, with Waid bringing every moment home in the funniest way imaginable.
This issue belongs to Veronica. With her fluid shifts from indifference, to annoyance, to disgust, to horror, through to when she relaxes enough to allow a smile to accidentally slip, or when she completely falls apart in girls’ bathroom, the creators deliver an updated Veronica, who is sure to have us laughing for many issues to come. Plus, those sneers between Veronica and Jughead are simply timeless. Thankfully, although Staples’s is off to work on some little-known comic called Saga along with up-and-coming writer Brian K. Vaughan, we don’t need to worry about the series’s next artist as we will have none other than the awesome Annie Wu to keep us smiling as we forge ahead.
I also need to restate that Jughead is the best. Smart, no-nonsense, nonconforming Jughead flows through life drifting through its setbacks as easily as he drifts through a barrage of ruby-red dodgeball projectiles. Jughead is like the honey badger, only much, much smarter. From this moment forward, I vow to embrace my inner Forsythe.
Anyhow…
Make no mistake, Archie is one heck of a good time. Only the coldest of coldest of hearts will be able to resist a smile when reading this charming, fun series that is a successful revamp of an already beloved universe. It’s also safe to say this all-ages title truly has something for all ages to enjoy, which is not an easy thing to do, but given the talent involved, it’s really no surprise just how much fun you’ll have with this book. I am not exaggerating when I say, I am super excited to see what happens next, and although I am sad to see Staples go, I’m pleased to have Wu taking over art duties. The wait for the next issue will be painful indeed, but we will luckily have the new Jughead series to tide us over until then. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Slice into the Woods
Two Comics in My Pull - And only one dang book worth discussing? I guess this is fine as I had yet another nutty week in regard to my search for a good job, among various other crazy time commitment things. If anything, having only the two comics gave me a chance to make it to the halfway point of the third Chew Omnivore Edition that I am positively loving. Oh well, I’m sure all of my favorite books will be coming off hiatus soon, and I will be buried in an onslaught of heavenly comics.
Another Fucking Gun-Related Massacre - Yeah, out of all the massacres over anyone’s lifetime, how many of those massacres have not involved guns? This is stupid. This is ridiculous. NO ONE needs the ability to fire more than a couple bullets in order to protect themselves in their own home. No one should be allowed to carry an instrument of killing to a school, or a church, or a theater, or anywhere. We should have talked about and dealt with guns decades ago, and subsequently decided to be intelligent about them, but since we can’t go back in time and undo the harm guns have caused our country, then now seems to be not just the right time to do something about them, but the only time to do something about them.
Ugh. Now I need to cheer myself up.
No Song This Week, But Since it’s My Brother’s Birthday…
Alrighty, now I feel a little better. Happy birthday, Little Bro.
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