Archie In Hell #1 Review

 

 

Archie In Hell #1 Review

Writer: Patrick Horvath

Artist: Tyler Crook

Colorist: Francesco Segala

Flatter: Sabrina del Grosso

Letterer: Tyler Crook

Cover Artists: Tyler Crook, Patrick Horvath, Paul Azaceta, Jessie Lonergan, Kano, Dan Parent, Mirka Andolfo & Mahmud Asrar

Publisher: Oni Press

Issue Description: 32 Pages, Full Color

Price: $4.99 US

Release Date: November 4, 2026

 

Archie Andrews loves life. He’s got the best girl in the world, Betty Cooper. But then, he also adores Veronica Lodge. When he's not dating the lovely ladies in his life, Archie hangs out with his friend Jughead. His life in Riverdale couldn't be better. Still, Archie will do his best to make it Heaven on Earth. What happens when Archie resolves to pack more into each day? Can Archie juggle his love life, schoolwork, sports, time with his friends, and still find time for charitable endeavors? Let’s leap into Archie In Hell #1 and see!

 

Story

It may be the weekend. Still, Archie rises at dawn. He has a date with Betty in the afternoon, then another with Veronica in the evening. But first, he wants to help the food drive. Archie grabs cans of food for Reach Out Riverdale and goes out to collect more. The people in Archie's life received the same appeals. Still, Archie is the one who mobilizes them to contribute.

 

Life has taught Sabrina to be careful. When she gained her magical abilities, Sabrina tried to shirk them. Yet in Archie In Hell #1, Sabrina no longer needs Salem to urge her to take her role as Greendale's protector seriously. Instead of rebuking her for not being cautious enough, her familiar thinks Sabrina is being too cautious. Yet when a spell alerts her to danger, the teenage witch needs her aunts' help to understand the stakes and who might be most endangered.

 

As Patrick Horvath splits the narrative between his two protagonists, Archie does good works, while Sabrina races to protect him. Along the way, Reggie seeks to discredit Archie to gain Veronica's favor. Yet even though he inadvertently helps his rival, Reggie and Sabrina are two steps behind the villains. In Archie In Hell #1, the Order of A’ldarax has planned its operation well. And whether they succeed or fail, Riverdale, Greendale, and the world will never be the same.  

 

Art

As the sun rises, Archie's mother carries a hamper of clothes to Archie's bedroom. Her jaw drops when she finds his room empty. Archie's father sits in the dining room, nursing a mug as Archie passes. Both parents lean out to watch their industrious son depart. A framed painting of a thatch-roof cottage links Fred and Mary Andrews’ conventional lifestyle with Hilda and Zelda Spellman’s old-world magic.

 

As Tyler Crook links Riverdale and Greendale, white space frames rectangular panels. Francesco Segala and Sabrina del Grosso adorn Archie In Hell #1 with limited and full palettes. Yellow sunlight streams into Archie’s bedroom as candles fill a dark room with yellow light. The teenage witch confers with her aunts amid yellow light while Reggie rides his yellow motorcycle. Archie's orange hair links him with Sabrina's top and Reggie's helmet. Archie's red car seems to herald bloodshed. Yet as panels adopt more diagonal angles, green conjures change in Archie's reality.

 

While Tyler Crook places black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes, Salem’s white uppercase letters appear in black balloons. Reggie’s words quickly shrink and swell as jealousy unbalances him. Yet when they recognize the danger threatening their world, Sabrina lowers her voice, Archie’s words grow bold and unbalanced, and both friends conjure large letters into spiky balloons. Sound effects link Archie's car with Reggie's motorcycle as Archie knocks on doors in Riverdale. Thanks to Oni Press for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

As each day brings new opportunities for Archie and his friends, Archie's innocence makes him a target of nefarious individuals. A sect needs someone like him to accomplish their goal. Yet, with Sabrina's help, Archie may surprise the Order of A’ldarax in Archie In Hell #1.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

For more collectible covers, see Archie In Hell #1 Cover Preview. 

 

For Sabrina's early struggles with witchcraft, see Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1 Review. 

 

For more of Archie's adventures, see Archie #1 Review and Archie #2 Review. 

Archie In Hell #1 Cover Preview

 

Cover A By Tyler Crook

Archie Andrews loves life. He’s got the best girl in the world in Betty Cooper. But then, he also adores Veronica Lodge. When he’s not dating the loves of his life, Archie’s hanging out with his friend Jughead. His life in Riverdale couldn’t be better. Still, Archie will do his best to make it Heaven on Earth. 

 

So, what happens when Archie resolves to pack more into each day? Can he juggle his love life, his scholastic endeavors, sports, time with his friends, and his charity work without everything falling through his hands?

 

Here's all the info from Oni Press:

Archie In Hell #1 Cover Preview

Writer: Patrick Horvath

Artist: Tyler Crook

Colorist: Francesco Segala

Flatter: Sabrina del Grosso

Letterer: Tyler Crook

Cover Artists: Tyler Crook, Patrick Horvath, Paul Azaceta, Jessie Lonergan, Kano, Dan Parent, Mirka Andolfo & Mahmud Asrar

Also Available: Blank Sketch Cover 

Publisher: Oni Press

Issue Description: 32 Pages, Full Color

Price: $4.99 US

Release Date: November 4, 2026

 

 

 

To Save Him . . .

They had to Damn Him! 

 

 

 

In the bloodstained tradition of Afterlife With Archie, something wicked this way comes to Riverdale in an infernal new ongoing series from multiple Eisner Award nominee Patrick Horvath (Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees) and Russ Manning Award winner Tyler Crook (Out of Alcatraz, Harrow County)!

 

They say that every small town has a secret. Well, in the case of Riverdale, it’s one heck of a humdinger: An ancient order of cultists has infiltrated its townspeople, bent on using human sacrifice to usher a demon lord into our mortal plane. And they’ve finally identified the final target they need to bring a century’s worth of planning to fruition: hometown football champion and all-around good guy Archie Andrews. 

 

But this secret cabal never dreamed that actual witches walk Riverdale’s streets . . . and when cult and coven clash in the final stages of Archie’s secret-ritual sacrifice, the consequences will be cosmic . . . and young Archie Andrews will find himself damned to something far worse than Hell’s inner circle.

 

Unstuck from time and space. Bound to a terrible curse. Late for school. Things are about to go from bad to downright diabolical as Horvath and Crook unleash the most malevolently merciless Archie Comics tale ever told . . . and, truly, you’ll never, ever expect what happens next.

 

 

Here are more collectible covers:

 

 

 

Cover B By Patrick Horvath

 

 

Cover C By Paul Azaceta

Cover D By Jesse Lonergan

Cover E Blank Sketch

Foil Variant ($8.99) By Tyler Crook

Foil Variant ($8.99) By Patrick Horvath

Teaser Variant (1:10) By Kano

Legacy Variant (1:20) By Dan Parent

Variant Cover (1:50) By Mirka Andolfo

B&W Variant (1:250) By Jesse Lonergan

Not Pictured:  

Variant Cover (1:100) By Mahmud Asrar

 

 

Thanks to Oni Press and Superfan Promotions for sharing this cover preview with us.

 

For more of Archie's adventures, see Archie #1 Review. 

 

For more of the magical realm of Archie's world, see Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1 Review. 

EC Shellshock #1 Review

 

EC Shellshock #1 Review

Writers: John Arcudi, Michael W Conrad, Julio Anta, Benito Cereno, Tom Fowler, William M Gaines & Al Feldstein

Artists: Shawn Martinbrough, Albert Monteys, David Lapham, Tom Fowler & Jack Davis

Colorists: Matt Herms, Albert Monteys, Nick Filardi, Michelle Madsen, & Michael Atiyeh

Letterers: Rich Starkings & Tyler Smith

Cover Artists: Lee Bermejo; Tyler Crook; Tom Fowler with Chris O’Halloran; Jay Stephens; Rian Hughes

Editors: Allyson Gronowitz, Jung Hu Lee & Sierra Hahn

Publisher: Oni Press

Price: $8.99 US

Release Date: August 19, 2026

 

The soldiers who fought in the trenches of World War I called it Shellshock. A century later, it goes by Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. But whether you call it Shellshock, PTSD, or Combat Stress Reaction, it's just a label. And no label can compare to the mark war leaves on soldiers. Sometimes for a few years. Sometimes, for life.

 

EC's new Shellshock anthology begins in the charnel house of Afghanistan. Where will it transport readers next? And how will it explore the battles veterans face at home? Let's grab our combat gear, leap into EC Shellshock #1, and see what happens!

 

Story

John Arcudi transports readers back a quarter century to the Shkin Firebase in Afghanistan. In “Scorched Earth,” Corporal Rita Cruces' military service is winding down. But as her friend Denny reminds her, just because she's about to go home, she should not succumb to superstition.

 

While Rita Cruces fears venturing into enemy territory days before her release, Michael W. Conrad transports readers back to World War I. After six months of fighting in the trenches, the higher-ups on both sides have organized a holiday truce. In "Christmas," an unnamed soldier worries about abandoning the trenches to bury his fallen soldiers. But he fears meeting the monsters he's only caught glimpses of amid the fighting.

 

For this third trip through time in EC Shellshock #1, Julio Anta transports readers to Langley, Virginia, in 1964. Dr Jeremy Davis’ patriotism is the guiding force of his life in “Blowback.” As he works for the CIA’s Directorate of Science and Technology, he knows that a nuclear bomb could end his life in an instant. And with the insidious threat of Communism recently infecting Cuba’s leader, Jeremy hopes to succeed where the Bay of Pigs Invasion failed.

 

After examining a century of Human warfare from different perspectives, Benito Cerena and Tom Fowler venture beyond this planet wracked by conflict. In “World of the Wars," many alien races have united to forge a historic pact. The assembled species recognize the intolerable cost of warfare to their people and resources. Still, recognizing that reasonable people will not always agree, the enlightened representatives propose a means of resolving their differences without damaging their worlds or incurring civilian casualties.

 

Finally, William M Gaines and Al Feldstein return us to the battlefields of Europe in their classic 1952 reprint, "Yellow." With the Germans encroaching on their position, Colonel Clark Henderson cannot contact Headquarters in EC Shellshock #1. But while he organizes a mission to get reinforcements, Clark learns that his son, his pride and joy, may not be living up to his ideals.

 

Art

In “Scorched Earth,” Shawn Martinbrough and Matt Herms surround the soldiers with the mountainous desert. A red, white, and blue flag brightens the gray mess hall, while green and yellow link the soldiers with the foreign lands. Yet in this story about the haunting nature of warfare, yellow and orange flames symbolize the toll warfare takes on its participants.

 

Gaunt faces, protected by steel helmets, peer over sandbags at a land of stunted and broken trees. Yet burning candles affixed to barren branches symbolize common ground. When the soldiers gather, yellow and orange compete with the dominant browns and grays as darkness falls. Yet after a soldier stares at a black-and-white photo in “Christmas,” Albert Monteys paints a soldier’s recollections in vibrant green.

 

On a bright, sunny day, the US flag flies beside a building and a futuristic parking lot canopy. In their laboratory, scientists use welding torches, hypodermic needles, soldering irons, and noxious chemicals to fashion weapons of surreptitious destruction. Yet in David Lapham & Nick Filardi's dark comedy "Blowback," a white-and-red creation and blue Xs on photos symbolize the protagonist’s patriotism in EC Shellshock #1.

 

The diversity of life that gathers at an excavated comet proclaims the eternal desire for peace. Yet, Tom Fowler’s portraits of civilization and its fragility make “World of the Wars” a heartbreaking read. As Michelle Madsen enlivens a series of regulated conflicts, yellow and orange are followed by splashes of red. Yet amid the hyperreal colors of this Hollywood Tent Pole-style production, an object covered in brown cloth becomes a symbol people cling to.

 

As the Colonel studies a map, his Sergeant plugs wires into a control board while listening to headphones. Michael Atiyeh’s restored coloring adorns the characters in green uniforms and brown equipment, while faded or vibrant flats highlight foreground characters and tense encounters. As in a single-location set TV show, Jack Davis cranks up the tension as the Colonel plans, waits, worries, and barks orders in his field office. When he finally abandons it in “Yellow,” his actions lead both to victory and defeat.

 

Lettering

Rich Starkings and Tyler Smith fill white dialogue balloons with black uppercase text, while narration fills white and colored boxes. "Christmas" and "World of the Wars" are narrative-only stories. But while one bespeaks reverence for comrades, the second emphasizes following the rules to preserve the peace. Thanks to Oni Press and Superfan Promotions for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Every action can have unintended consequences. Just as a stone thrown into a pond creates a myriad of ripples, so do the conflicts in war. Once the weapons begin firing, acts of compassion and friendship can be misinterpreted or abused. To preserve their futures, people compromise their principles in the name of peace. Yet even after the fighting stops, people pay the price for using violence to resolve conflicts in EC Shellshock #1.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For more cover art & other Oni anthologies, see EC Shellshock #1 Cover Preview.

 

Out Of Alcatraz HC Review

 

Writer: Christopher Cantwell

Artist, Colorist & Letterer: Tyler Crook

Publisher: Oni Press

Hardcover Price: $29.99

Release Date: October 22, 2025

 

On June 11, 1962, three prisoners escaped Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. All three men are still missing and presumed dead. The FBI closed its investigation in 1979, while the US Marshals still consider it an active case. But the missing convicts may have survived. If so, where might Frank Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin have fled? And what happened to the agents who investigated their escape? Let's grab our handcuffs, leap into Out Of Alcatraz HC, and see!

 

Story

After coordinating with an outside agent, Frank, John, and Clarence make a raft, life jackets, and oars. But the sea proves rougher than they anticipated, and only Frank and Clarence reach the mainland. While Clarence mourns his brother, Frank keeps him focused on their escape. Sliding a coat hanger down a driver’s side window and crossing the ignition wires nets them a ’55 Chevy. They reach their contact in Modesto. But neither man is good at following her rules.

 

While Out Of Alcatraz HC showcases Frank and Clarence's struggles, it introduces their mysterious contact. She has endured trials and refuses to give the men her name. And the man she works for is unhappy. He had planned on getting four men to work in his fields. Now, there are only two.

 

As Christopher Cantwell shows Frank and Clarence struggling to adapt to life outside their cells, he also highlights issues people faced in the 1960s. FBI agent Cyrus Michedoros and US Marshall Bob Canton don't meet society's expectations. Cy doesn't want to pursue the investigation. He fears the recognition he would receive for solving the case. But Bob has personal reasons for solving it. So, Cy risks his future to help his friend find the fugitives.

 

While Out Of Alcatraz HC shows Cy and Bob pursuing the escapees, it also reveals their similarities. All these people are hiding and fear discovery. What none of them realize as they seek to find each other and escape to their separate Happily Ever Afters is that someone else is pursuing them. He won't stop until he reaches them. And most of them, perhaps all, are on his naughty list.

 

Art

A beam of light streaks over the raging waves. Only the men's arms and heads emerge from the angry water as they struggle to stay afloat. Amid the battle for survival, hands reach toward each other. As one disappears beneath the surface, close-ups show Frank's determination and Clarence's anguish.

 

While Tyler Crook applies limited tones to fraught night scenes, more colors emerge as the men reach land. The bay shines blue, even in the evening. Yellow headlights glow, and red taillights shine as the stolen car races through the night. Like James Bond and Tracy di Vicenzo in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Frank and Clarence find sanctuary in a barn. But the next morning, as they enjoy a lazy trek through vibrant fields and orchards, frenzied activity occurs inside Alcatraz.

 

Tyler Crook fills dialogue balloons with black, uppercase dialogue. Sound effects heighten the tension in Alcatraz and everyday events. But violence is a part of all the characters’ lives in Out Of Alcatraz HC. Most unreels silently, until they reach the final climactic chapter in this beautifully painted story about the costs of freedom. Thanks to Oni Press for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Three men hiding their past. One woman disguising her race. Two men who break the law while serving it. Out Of Alcatraz cooks these social misfits in a toxic stew where they confront the worst aspects of society. They yearn to escape a society that disregards them. But not all of them can reach the Promised Land.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more, see my spotlight on Out Of Alcatraz HC. 

Out Of Alcatraz HC Spotlight

 

 

Prison breaks are tough, especially if you're not a bear with an inspiring love for people and marmalade. It helps to have friends like cigar-loving Hannibal Smith. He always has a plan for any contingency. 

Alcatraz may have been the toughest of all prisons to escape. Percy Jackson helped someone escape from there. But then, Percy is a demigod. And, the prisoner was being held in a secret section most mortals don't know about. 

As difficult as it is to escape, what happens afterward? Do you "Get out of jail free?" Or will you live out the rest of your life always looking over your shoulder?

Here's all the info from Oni Press: 

OUT OF ALCATRAZ HC

OUT OF ALCATRAZ HC WRITTEN BY CHRISTOPHER CANTWELL ART BY TYLER CROOK Born from one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the 20th century, Eisner Award–nominated writer Christopher Cantwell (Plastic Man No More, Briar) and Eisner Award–nominated illustrator Tyler Crook (Harrow County, The Lonesome Hunters) present the year’s most taut and breathtaking graphic novel event . . . Convicts Frank Morris and Clarence Anglin have washed ashore in San Francisco after surviving their infamous escape from Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in June 1962. They soon meet their gruff and disappointed handler, a mysterious young woman who’s also running from something, and hope to quickly get their way north to the border—if they can even make it out of Modesto alive. As a dogged federal manhunt and chance encounters threaten the desperate convicts, everyone involved is about to discover the same bloodstained truth: Life on the run is an even more hellish prison than Alcatraz ever was . . .  ON SALE OCTOBER 22nd, 2025 | $29.99 | 176 PGS | FC

Thanks to Oni Press for providing a review copy.