Introducing… Cheryl Blossom! The fiery red-head takes center stage as Archie and Veronica’s worlds are torn apart as the two are living thousands of miles away from each other. What will happen to the rest of Archie’s friends in Riverdale? And just what kind of havoc will Cheryl Blossom wreak? All the answers and more in the third volume of the SMASH HIT Archie series! Collects Archie issues 13 – 17.

Waid’s work is not faltering. Each issue covers a different character with accompanying aesthetic. Starting in Switzerland, readers will enjoy the Gossip Girl/Mean Girls-esque vibe as Cheryl and Veronica become friends, but are actually enemies as Cheryl’s schemes to knock Veronica off the queen bee throne backfire. While in Riverdale, Veronica was characterized by her snobbishness, her unmeaning condescension at the “little people,” but compared to her peers, Veronica demonstrates compassion to others, and a willingness to help. She’s the rich version of Betty, and as she comes to realize, Riverdale has given her a conscience that makes executing her war against Cheryl harder.

The second/third issue features a coming-of-age identity crisis when Archie becomes Jughead and Jughead struggles to throw the Andrews’ a 20th anniversary. Jughead often gives Archie a hard-time, but Waid reinforces Archie’s good-heartedness and how he’s the glue that holds the social circle together even when his bud thinks he’s trying too hard.

Fourth issue brings us a Social Network when Dilton’s new app design brings out Reggie’s worst cyberbullying tendencies. As it is Riverdale, it gets resolved (same with Veronica finding a way to return from boarding school), but I genuinely laughed at the Scream references when Moose Mason comes knocking on Reggie’s door.

He also brings the comedy to the fifth issue with Cheryl’s grand entrance to Riverdale and her new plan to get revenge by getting Archie. It was pure comedy from Cheryl continually referring to Betty and Jughead as Betsy and Jug-handle, kicking cans from a homeless man like a cartoon villain, and her complete misapprehension that Archie is a modern day Adonis (based on Veronica’s description), not a klutzy, hormonal average joe. Jason Blossom also debuts and I enjoy how Waid references their original appearances in the comics and his blue-blood disdain for the hicks personality. I truly hope they make him fall for Betty as a running gag as well.

While Waid primarily plays with the main cast, he does nicely highlight the Dilton/Moose friendship as well as bring depths to Sayid when he refuses to bad-mouth Archie to the Blossoms because he’s getting a master-villain vibe from them. Good guy, Sayid.

Eisma’s art transitions from Staples/Fish without jarring the eye, and he brings more physicality and slapstick humor to the teens as well. My one critique is that he makes Jughead’s nose too beak-like than Cyrano.

Otherwise, 5 stars!