Archie #601

This issue of Archie deserves credit for taking a fresh look at the character - although to be fair, this issue falls in the "What If" / Imaginary Story category, as we're getting a look at what Archie sees when he walks up Memory Lane and takes the left branch.

Last issue we saw Archie propose to Veronica - and one might have expected that the six-issue miniseries would focus mostly on that history-shattering marriage. But if (like me) that's what you expected, you're wrong!

Because in this issue, the wedding takes place, and the clock moves ahead in surprising fashion. So apparently this series is going to cover quite a bit of ground. Kudos to writer Michael Uslan for his handling of the story so far.

It's interesting that this issue isn't top-heavy with jokes and the like - it's actually a sweet, sentimental story that even addresses the Betty issue in a thoughtful way. (Poor Betty.)

The art by Stan Goldberg and Bob Smith is spot on, of course, although it's still a bit odd to see the adult versions of these characters.

No matter how "real" the story is, it's entertaining and well worth a look.

Grade: B+