Rachel Reads & Reviews

Just like it says on the title, this comprehensive compedium is perfect for new fans and old. Not only does it deliver all the characters you love as well as many one-offs like Toño Diaz, Juanita and others that I was sure they’d miss. It also features favorite places and other timelines of Archie. For example, Little Archie, Archie 1, Archie 3000, Explorers of the Unknown and more. Jughead has quite a lengthy section himself as he had several series just for him particularly in the 80s-90s.

But if you don’t know what I’m talking about, that’s why you gotta get the book because it means it when it says it tries to get every Archie property.

For instance if you want to know a bit more about Greendale and its resident teenage witch, there’s a section for that. A rocking section about Josie and the Pussycats and their variations through the decades and on television. A cool meta-wink at Katy Keene’s devotion to her fans that send her outfit designs which was a long-running feature of her comic. Plus all the other MLJ teens that pre-dated Archie’s love triangle like Wilbur Wilkins, Bingo Wilkins (no relation to each other. Bingo is related to Jughead though!), Ginger, Suzie and so much more. Some are just out of this world (you’ll get it if you read the book or already know the Archie comic property that’s referencing).

However, there are quite a few errors, gramatically and factually that I just want to clear some things up.

1. First off, it said that Brandon won Cheryl’s hand in the 5-part series, “And the Winner is. . .?” in Betty and Veronica Double Digest #161. Completely inaccurate. George won! And you can easily check it with #165 and see the results in such stories as The Seventh Month Itch and him being Cheryl’s prom date in Betty #180 when the townies crash Pembrooke. So George won, not Brandon. Check your facts.

2. Next up, the Encyclopedia said that The New Archies was created in the early 90s. Also inaccurate. If you check the internet as well as Archie’s 75 Years, 75 Stories, the tv show or just the New Archies issues themselves, they started in 1987. That’s the late 80s, and it ended in 1990. So it’s more firmly an 80s property which certainly explains the clothing and the mullet.

3. Now I might be looking too into it, but the Sabrina character Rosalind or Roz first appeared in Chilling Adventures in 2014. But in the early Sabrina appearances, there is also a Rosalind. Maybe it’s just a coincidence but since it’s another redhead who has a perchent for stealing Sabrina’s crushes and making fun of her, it might be the same. If that’s the case, her first appearance may have been in Archie’s Madhouse #48, 1966.

4. Ethel’s short bio says that no one really knows why she chases after Jughead obssessively. According to the Battle of the BFFs character guide, Dilton had created a matchmaking machine to find who’s their perfect match. Her’s said Jughead and she had been chasing him ever since.

This is not much of a mistake but. . . . Sis’ real name is stated to be Mackenzie thoug I remember some earlier stories or at least in the 80s, her real name was given as Melissa. Maybe it’s a retcon or maybe her full name is Mackenzie Melissa Keene and she prefers one or the other. Just a little note rather than a mistake.

Now gramatically, there are quite a few glaring mispellings littered throughout.

1. “. . . will put everything on the line to protect his amily and friends,” (28)

2. In the section about Agent Veronica, it says “While it may be thanks to her father’s hi-tech facility and Dilton’s fancy gadgetry that Agent B gets buisness done,” (52). Yes, it helps Agent B, but the focus is on Agent V now.

3. This little paragraph about Riverdale’s Reggie and Veronica’s relationship is a bit repetitive, “Their passionate affairs burned bright and brief as Veronica was repeatedly drawn back to Archie. Reggie and Veronica’s business ventures and rendezvous were frequent, impassioned and brief,” (85).

The sections about the New Kids on the Block seem to just have been copied from the character guide, particularly the Twitters, Rob, and Ms. Ganesh, which honestly I can’t blame them since some of these characters haven’t reappeared since then. Though it is Native American History Month, I’d say give Rob Montaukett some page-time!

“Danny Transferred to Riverdale,” (141) Unnecessary capitalization

4. “Luke Simon hangs out with Soapy Waters and Max Marcus, bringing up the read,” (158). It also has “He’s a member of the band Riverdale HS band Cheerleader,” which is repeated in the Max, Soapy, Lulu and Georgia bios. Someone didn’t check what they were copying and pasting.

5. Another bit of someone forgetting to delete words in Alice Cooper’s bio, “[S]he does hope that Betty will outgrow will outgrow her schoolgirl crush on Archie,” (164).

6. “Ms. McCone (of if you ask Archie, Ms. McDrone) was the new science teacher at Riverdale High Schoolr,” (181).

7. “Mama B is Bic Vic Johnson’s mother,” (184).

8. “On her 16th birthday Sabrina needs to decide if she wants to be baptized into the Church of Nigh,” (206). Particularly noticable as the spelling is correct right on the next page.

9. “Ambrose was sent to the Spellmans because he revelated his magic,” (210). Again noticable as it was correct in the previous page.

10. In Ginger’s bio, this had contrasting tenses, “She doesn’t like to wear the same outfit twice, and instead thinks of new ways to repeating wearing a piece with something new,” (272)

11. Another bio where Shrimpy’s name gets switched with someone else’s, “Peggy has a crush on Pipsqueak, but he’s too oblivious to notice,” (278).

12. “Wealthy playboy Tommy Townsend becomes Captain Flag after he watchesThe Black Hand murder his father and almost himelf,” (294)

13. Another bit that is missing a few words, “He seems not to be afraid of anything but fears Chester has are hidden behind his sunglasses,” (298).

14. “Betty’s kindhearted ways have endeared her to everyone in Riverdale. She’s always ready to help those in need. . . She never lets this get her down though, and her kindhearted ways have endeared her to everyone in Riverdale,” (33). Unnecessary repetition.

15. Jenna Jackson is a founding member of The Nerd Girls at Riverdale HighSchool. She’s a fan of studying and getting good grades, but that doesn’t let that get in the way of her being stylish! She friendly with Betty and invited her to become a member of The Nerd Girls, to Veronica’s dismay,” (156).

16. VP Howitzer is a former Marine and can’t stop acting like one, even down to still wearing his military uniform, hat and all, and making the kids to pushups when they’re “insubordinate.” (179)

17. “Fortunately his invasion was defeated by team Cosmo and he hasn’t tired it again. . . yet! (261)

18. “Bingo plays football for his school, and is the lead guitarist and singer for His band “The Bingoes,” which he started with Samantha and their friends Teddy and Buddy,” (266). Unnecessary capitalization.

19. “She is the only one who can attempt to get her grouchy husband to see things from the point of view,” (268). Probably means “her point of view.”

20. And then there were times they neglected to italicize tv shows/comic series such as Explorers of the Unknown (52/83), Riverdale (75), Chilling Adventures (209), The Web (243) and I’m sure others that I missed. Point is, it’s left uneven, sometimes choosing to do italics and sometimes not.

They are minor things but I just feel that the book should have gone through another proofread. One or two mistakes, I understand, but over 10? It looks sloppy. Especially as a fact check of some of these things can be easily disproven if you read the comics or just check the internet.

It also didn’t quite get all the characters and since they said to write about the ones they missed, I’m going to do just that. Am I showing my nerdiness? Yes. I’m I showing my age as early 2000s Archie reader? Yes. But it’s my blog, so let’s get to it!

(more…)