It's that time of the month when we get to see the advanced solicits from publishers. This is a way to get some clues as to what you can expect. It also gives you the chance to run to your local comic shop (or you could pick up a phone) and let them know which comics to add to your pull list.
ARCHIE #659
A Riverdale Zoo field trip goes bonkers when Sabrina’s magical cat Salem mis-casts a magical spell, turning Archie and the gang into animals! Not only that, but they’re turning everyone they meet into animals as well. Can the gang escape the zoo and reverse the spell before they’re stuck in their animal bodies forever? Find out in “It’s Zoo To You”!
Script: Alex Segura
Art: Pat & Tim Kennedy, Rich Koslowski, Jack Morelli, Digikore Studios
Cover: Pat & Tim Kennedy, Bob Smith, Tito Peña
Zoo-Pendous Variant Cover: Mike Norton
Ship Date: 8/20
On Sale Date: 9/3
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.
ARCHIE COMICS DIGEST #254
Our favorite Riverdale guys, Archie, Jughead and Chuck are beating the end-of-summer blues! Chuck makes a plan to fit in as much drawing as he can in his spare time – and you won’t believe what happens to him at the art supply store! Find out in “Class Timing,” the lead story in this back-to-school digest! (Formerly Archie Double Digest.)
Script: Mike Pellowski
Art: Fernando Ruiz, Jim Amash, Bill Yoshida, Frank Gagliardo
Cover: Fernando Ruiz, Bob Smith, Tito Peña
Ship Date: 8/20
On Sale Date: 9/3
160-page, full color comic
$4.99 U.S.
ARCHIE‘S FUNHOUSE COMICS DIGEST #8
Archie Andrews is a self-proclaimed expert in body language, and he’s ready to teach everyone how to read the signs and signals that he’s so great at interpreting! With the track record Archie has for getting into difficult situations and misunderstandings, how could any of this possibly go wrong? Find out as hijinks ensue in “Archie’s Guide to Body Language,” the lead story in this laugh-packed digest! (Formerly Archie’s Funhouse Double Digest.)
Script: Angelo DeCesare
Art: Dan Parent, Jim Amash, Teresa Davidson, Glenn Whitmore
Cover: Fernando Ruiz, Bob Smith, Tito Peña
Ship Date: 8/27
On Sale Date: 9/10
160-page, full color comic
$4.99 U.S.
ARCHIE GIANT COMICS DIGEST (TR)
Everyone loves Archie Comics! Now you’ve got EVEN MORE to love with this GIANT paperback comics collection! This fun-packed, laugh-a-minute volume collects 480 pages of the dating drama and classroom commotion that have made Archie comic stories popular for over 70 years!
Script: Frank Doyle
Art: Dan DeCarlo, Harry Lucey, Bob Montana, Dan Parent, Fernando Ruiz
Cover: Fernando Ruiz
978-1-61988-947-7
$7.99/$8.99CAN
4 7/8 x 6 9/16”
TR
480 pp, Full Color
Direct Market On-Sale Date: 9/10
ARCHIE COMICS SUPER SPECIAL #6
Sizzle up for summer in Riverdale! Archie Comic Super Special Magazine hits the stand in this summer spectacular-themed edition! With no school to worry about, Archie & Friends will be hitting the beach, hanging out at Pops, and having all kinds of fun, all while Jughead soaks up the sun in his favorite hammock! It's classic summer fun and escapades from the Archie vault!
Script & Art: Various
Cover: Dan Parent, Tito Peña
Ship Date: 8/6
On Sale: 8/20
128-page, full color comic
$9.99 US.
THE BEST OF ARCHIE COMICS 1 DELUXE EDITION (HC)
Attention Archie fans! Finally, it’s the book you’ve been waiting for your whole life -- a full comic-book sized, hardcover, remastered, collector’s edition of Archie’s bestselling ‘The Best of Archie Comics’! Featuring over 50 iconic, hand-picked Archie stories from Archie’s 70 year history, this book is a sure thing with both die-hard Archie fans and those new to Riverdale!
Script: Frank Doyle, Various
Art: Dan DeCarlo, Harry Lucey, Bob Montana, Dan Parent, Fernando Ruiz
Cover: Harry Lucey
978-1-61988-955-2
$29.99/$34.99CAN
6 5/8 x 10 3/16”
HC
416 pp, Full Color
Direct Market On-Sale Date: 10/8
BEST OF ARCHIE COMICS VOL 4
The BEST-SELLING Best of Archie graphic novel series is back! This fun, full-color compilation that collects more all-time favorite Archie and friends stories, lovingly hand-selected and introduced by Archie creators, editors, and historians from 200,000 pages of material. It is a must-have for any Archie fan--for that matter, it’s a must-have for any fan of comic books!
Script Frank Doyle, Various
Art: Bob Montana, Harry Lucey, Dan DeCarlo, Dan Parent, Fernando Ruiz
Cover: Bob Montana
978-1-61988-942-2
$9.99/$10.99CAN
5 1/4 x 7 1/2”
TR
416 pp, Full Color
Direct Market On-Sale Date: 8/20
BETTY & VERONICA #272
Farewell … Betty & Veronica?! The time has come for Riverdale to say goodbye to two of America’s most beloved teens! How will their friends, family, and especially Archie cope? How will Betty & Veronica handle life when they’re separated from everyone and everything they’ve ever known? Find out what happens in the groundbreaking and tear-jerking “The Beginning of the End…” part 1!
Script: Michael Uslan
Art: Dan Parent, Bob Smith, Jack Morelli, Glenn Whitmore
Cover: Dan Parent
Vintage Pin Up Variant Cover: Stephanie Buscema
Ship Date: 8/6
On Sale Date: 8/20
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.
B&V FRIENDS JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #240
When Veronica receives a highly coveted society invite to a celebrity party, she’s delighted – and busy! She has an outfit to arrange, paparazzi to prepare for, and Betty to gloat in front of. Little does she know, she’s not the only Riverdale resident on the list – and won’t she be in for a surprise when she finds out how Jughead Jones got an invite to one of the most exclusive parties of the year! Find out what she does in “The List!”, the lead story in this celebratory Comics Digest! (Formerly B&V Friends Double Digest.)
Script: Barbara Slate
Art: Jeff Shultz, Al Milgrom, Jack Morelli, Barry Grossman
Cover: Bill Galvan, Bob Smith, Tito Peña
Ship Date: 8/6
On Sale Date: 8/20
288-page, full color comic
$6.99 U.S.
BETTY & VERONICA COMICS DIGEST #226
Veronica Lodge is an heiress, a fashionista–-and now a game show contestant! When Veronica competes on her favorite game show, she’s prepared for all sorts of puzzles, but she’s not prepared for the surprise challenges in store for her! Veronica has to face off against Jughead-–in a pie eating contest! Find out what happens to her in “Let the Games Begin,” the competitive lead story in this packed summer read! (Formerly Betty & Veronica Double Digest.)
Script: Dan Parent
Art: Dan Parent, Jon D’Agostino, Bill Yoshida, Barry Grossman
Cover: Dan Parent, Bob Smith, Tito Peña
Ship Date: 8/13
On Sale Date: 8/27
160-page, full color comic
$4.99 U.S.
THE MARRIED LIFE BOOK 6 (TR)
It’s the comic book event of the century—the death of Archie Andrews! Read the story the entire world is discussing in this heart-wrenching finale to the MARRIED LIFE graphic novel series, as Archie Andrews–-America’s most beloved character-–sacrifices his life heroically while saving the life of a close friend. Bringing to a close the acclaimed storyline that revealed the future of Archie and his friends, THE MARRIED LIFE BOOK 6 is an essential addition to the library of any graphic novel fan, and features what is sure to be one of the most-discussed finales in the history of comics and entertainment.
Script: Paul Kupperberg
Art: Fernando Ruiz, Pat & Tim Kennedy, Bob smith, Jim Amash, Jack Morelli, Glenn Whitmore
Cover: Fernando Ruiz
978-1-61988-945-3
$19.99/$23.99CAN
6 5/8 x 10 3/16”
TR
336 pp, Full Color
Direct Market On-Sale Date: 9/10
OFFERED AGAIN
THE MARRIED LIFE BOOK 1-5
THE DEATH OF ARCHIE (Graphic Novel)
MEGA MAN #40
The PULSE-POUNDING CONCLUSION to the latest crossover MEGA-event from Archie comics is here! "DAWN OF X" Part Four: The time-traveling adventure reaches its explosive finale as the mystery of Mega Man’s confrontation with the rogue Wily robot is revealed! X and the Maverick Hunters have their final showdown with the mechanical monsters! And Xander Payne’s fate comes to a startling conclusion! Don’t miss this crossover between iconic eras, with a SHOCKER-ENDING that will blow your mind! Featuring all-new cover art from Mega-artist supreme PATRICK "SPAZ" SPAZIANTE and a time-spanning variant cover by Colin Lawler!
Script: Ian Flynn
Art: Jamal Peppers, Gary Martin, John Workman, Matt Herms
Cover: Patrick “Spaz” Spaziante
"Lost in Time" Variant Cover: Colin Lawler
Ship Date: 8/6
On Sale Date: 8/20
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.
MEGA MAN 8: REDEMPTION (TR)
The FUTURE IS NOW in the next chapter in the Mega Man graphic novel saga! Mega Man took up his Mega Buster to stop the evil ambitions of Dr. Wily. That means Dr. Wily is his greatest enemy–-right? Not according to the Doctor! He says he was being used by the terrifying Ra Moon, and to prove it, he saves Mega Man’s life! What is the truth behind Dr. Wily? Is he plotting something sinister yet again, or has he really been the victim all along? Mega Man embarks on a mission that will test his courage as much as his skill to find out the truth! Featuring the first-ever look at the world of MEGA MAN X in comic book form, as drawn by Sonic legend PATRICK "SPAZ" SPAZIANTE!
Script: Ian Flynn
Art: Tyson Hesse, Patrick “Spaz” Spaziante, Powree, Gary Martin, John Workman, Matt Herms
Cover: Patrick “Spaz” Spaziante
978-1-61988-944-6
$11.99/$13.99CAN
6 5/8 x 10 3/16”
TR
104 pp, Full Color
Direct Market On-Sale Date: 9/3
SONIC SUPER SPECIAL MAGAZINE #12
Celebrate 25 years of the SEGA GENESIS with this extra-special anniversary edition of SONIC SUPER SPECIAL MAGAZINE! Take a look back at the SEGA system that started a revolution with this anniversary issue featuring the origins of such hit games as Golden Axe, Altered Beast, Streets of Rage and more—alongside awesome new pin-up art from the Archie team! Also featured is a special look at the all-new SONIC BOOM games and TV show, with exclusive info you won’t find anywhere else! The SONIC SUPER SPECIAL MAGAZINE gives you the world of Sonic the Hedgehog comics as you've never seen it before, with tons of comic stories, special features and exclusive articles on the latest and greatest in the world of everyone's favorite blue hedgehog-hero! Plus an interview with Sonic inker supreme Terry Austin and an all-new foil-enhanced cover from the incomparable BEN BATES! This issue is jam-packed with awesomeness!
Script: Ian Flynn
Art: Patrick “Spaz” Spaziante, Ben Bates, Tracy Yardley, Erik Ly, Jerry Gaylord, Brent McCarthy and more!
Cover: Ben Bates
Ship Date: 8/6
On Sale Date: 8/20
128-page, full color comic
$9.99 U.S.
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #264
A-WOOOOOOOOO! THE WAIT IS OVER! Prepare yourself for the terrifying debut of SONIC THE WEREHOG! “Control" Part One: Sonic, Amy and Sally venture deep into the rainforest in search of a Chaos Emerald. What they find are Mighty, Ray – and serious trouble! Will Egg Boss Thunderbolt push Sonic to the breaking point? Then, in “A Nice Day to Start Again,” Bunnie and Antoine experience the effects of the Shattered World Crisis in a very personal way! Featuring new cover art from PATRICK "SPAZ" SPAZIANTE and an "UNLEASHED" SEGA variant!
Script: Ian Flynn, Joey Esposito and Benjamin Bailey
Art: Tyson Hesse, James Fry, Terry Austin, John Workman, Gabriel Cassata
Cover: Patrick “Spaz” Spaziante
Unleashed Variant Cover: SEGA
Ship Date: 8/27
On Sale Date: 9/10
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.
SONIC UNIVERSE #67
BRAND NEW STORY ARC! The events of "Shadow Fall" and "Chaos Caper" have clashed to collision in the epic new tale -- "Total Eclipse" Part One! The third chapter in the DARK TRILOGY begins here as Team Dark comes to Angel Island on the hunt for Eclipse. But Knuckles isn’t known for his hospitality! Sparks begin to fly as he and Shadow clash over how to protect the world! Meanwhile, the sinister Eclipse hunts our heroes! It's the first-ever SU TRILOGY and you'll be in on the ground floor with this titanic new issue, featuring cover art from TRACY YARDLEY and a special "PIXEL CUTSCENE" variant from Ryan Jampole!
Script: Ian Flynn
Art: Tracy Yardley, Jim Amash, Jack Morelli, Matt Herms
Cover: Tracey Yardley and Ben Hunzeker
Pixel Cut Scene Variant Cover: Ryan Jampole
Ship Date: 8/13
On Sale Date: 8/27
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.
WORLD OF ARCHIE COMICS DIGEST #42
Pack your bags with Veronica, she’s tagging along on her father’s business trip to Paris! When a family friend introduces her to a handsome young French filmmaker who just so happens to share a name with Veronica’s favorite redhead back home, Veronica finds herself falling for him! When the Archie back in Riverdale hears what happened, he’s ready to take drastic action! Take an international ride with a new love triangle in “Archie or Archie?!”, the lead story in this exciting Comics Digest! (Formerly World of Archie Double Digest.)
Script: Dan Parent
Art: Dan Parent, Jim Amash, Teresa Davidson, Barry Grossman
Cover: Dan Parent, Bob Smith, Tito Peña
Ship Date: 8/6
On Sale Date: 8/20
160-page, full color comic
$4.99 U.S.