Archie #18

   The "new look" Archie seems to be a success, and it should be - it manages the almost impossible task of maintaining the comic feel of the classic series while updating it to a more modern style of storytelling.

   One of the secrets of its success: the cast is always in motion, which is a lot of fun.

   So we have Archie finally getting to go on a date with the finally-returned Veronica - but things don't go as planned.

   Betty is on a sorta-kinda date with Dilton, which also does not follow expectations.

   And Cheryl Blossom and her brother try to lure Jughead into solving a mystery. Can he resist the prize offered?

   So it's a fun issue by writer Mark Waid with terrific, high-energy art by Pete Woods.

   But the issue is also a bit irritating for reasons that have nothing to do with the story. The series originally featured short reprints in the back of each issue, but now those pages are given over to ads for the Riverdale TV series.

   Some of that is to be expected, but almost 1/4 of the issue is a bit too much.

   But the comic is well worth buying for the first 20 pages!

Grade: B+

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