Artist’s corner: ‘Archie’ reimagined

ARCHIE
ARCHIE

IF “ARCHIE” doesn’t make you feel nostalgic, I don’t know what will. Back in the 1990s, it was a favorite of kids and adults, along with “W.I.T.C.H.,” “The Amazing Spider­Man” and our very own “Culture Crash.”

Growing up, I thought there was no better present to receive than a copy of “Archie Digest.” I remember tugging at my mom’s arm and pointing to the comic book each time I saw it in a bookstore.

I like reading superhero comics just as much as the next guy, but no character came close to piquing my interest than this cool redhead from Riverdale High.

Typical teen

BETTY

What I like about Archie Andrews is that he’s a typical American teenager trying to get through high school the best way he can. He’s very awkward, which makes him a regular target of Riverdale High School’s principal (and Veronica’s dad) Hiram Lodge.

Archie also has a car that’s on the verge of falling apart, but he can’t get a decent part-time job to earn money for its repair.

He’s good with music but is average academically. This makes him very relatable, which is why I think he remains appealing even to kids today.

Fans know the story: Archie is in a love triangle with the blonde Betty Cooper and raven-haired Veronica Lodge.

I can’t blame our freckle-faced hero for not knowing who to commit to. Betty is a nice and pretty girl­next­door who’s good with cars, plays video games and loves animals, while Veronica is a gorgeous, fashionable daughter of a millionaire.

Rounding up the gang is Archie’s best friend, Jughead Jones, who never says never to burgers; and frenemy Reggie Mantle, a vain fellow who likes to be ahead of the latest trends.

JUGHEAD

Rebooted

If you’ve surfed the Internet long enough, you might have noticed that “Archie” comics has been rebooted; it’s now written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Fiona Staples.

Like the proverbial kid in a candy store, I couldn’t resist buying the latest issues to see what the hype is all about.

It turns out that this reimagined version of the classic comics is so great I decided to draw my own version of the gang!

Using watercolor and gouache, I painted fan art of the new Archie, and incorporated digital halftones and fonts for the background.

Whether you’re a loyal follower of the old-school Archie or a fan of the new version, you can never get enough of this timeless teenage icon.

VERONICA

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