Archie Comics Launches Two New Series

Archie Comics has two new series under way, plus some big news about a new Sabrina show that is going straight to Netflix. Here’s a quick look at their latest announcements.

First of all, Archie is bringing back the superhero team The Mighty Crusaders. The first issue, The Mighty Crusaders #1, debuts on December 6 with a creative team of writer Ian Flynn (Jughead), artist Kelsey Shannon (Josie and the Pussycats), colorist Matt Herms, and letterer Jack Morelli

The Mighty Crusaders has quite a history: It was created in the 1960s as sort of a Justice League-type superhero team, but some of the individual members go back to the 1940s. The original Mighty Crusaders, which was written by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel, only lasted for 7 issues but has been revived several times in different guises. Archie relaunched it in the 1980s under its Red Circle imprint, DC licensed it in the 1990s, and in 2012, Archie brought it back as The New Crusaders, which featured the children of the Mighty Crusaders. In addition, Archie has rebooted several characters, including Black Hood and The Shield, and given them their own series. As might be deduced from all the reboots, the series has never really taken off, but Archie is giving it another shot with a new Mighty Crusaders series featuring the adults (not their children). Check the bottom of this post for a preview.

Archie is also launching a superhero/Frankenstein mashup Franken 9, which just debuted as a digital-first series. The first issue is available on comiXology and Amazon now. Here’s the publisher’s description:

What happens when an evil genius uses science to create a group of super powered, highly intelligent teenagers?

“FRANKEN 9” is a new sci-fi digital-first comic series by newcomers Jared Goldwater and Ryan Straughn and veteran artist Ryan Jampole (ARCHIE, MEGA MAN) featuring an eccentric and mysterious scientist whose experiments result in the creation of a new group of super-humans that will change the fate of the world forever.

Ostracized from the scientific community for his reanimation research, Dr. Lambda steals the brain of a dying genius to implant the minds of 9 homeless teens with his master plan for a new world order.

Newcomers Goldwater & Straughn join veteran comics artist Ryan Jampole on this new series blending together classic science fiction intrigue and bombastic superhero action. From super-powered organ transplants to time travel and everywhere in between, FRANKEN 9 takes readers on a journey full of twists and turns with plenty of mad science.

Dr. Lambda has monstrous plans for his creations – will they follow along or forge their own path forward?

Although this looks like a middle-grade series, comiXology gives the age rating as 15+.

And finally, last week Archie announced that a show based on The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina will go straight to Netflix, which has ordered two 10-episode seasons. Netflix also has the streaming video of Riverdale, so this is a natural companion. Note that neither of these is kid fare—Riverdale is definitely a teen and adult show, and Sabrina will probably be even more mature—but they both tie in to Archie series and may spur interest in the comics.

Check out this preview of The Mighty Crusaders #1, and stay tuned to see what else Archie has in store:

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