Archie Comics will be celebrating a major milestone for their title character with the release of Archie #700, due to arrive this November. The book will be handled by the creative team of Nick Spencer (Captain America) on writing duties, with art by Marguerite Sauvage (Faith).
Archie #700 will pick up several months after the climax of the current, reimagined Archie series, which will reach its conclusion with #32. The November issue will see Archie and his friends returning to school with new storylines, new mysteries, and a “bombshell secret romance soon to be revealed,” according to the press release.
“Getting to write Archie is more than a dream come true for me,” said writer Nick Spencer. “I’ve loved reading the exploits of the whole Riverdale gang my entire life, and getting to now tell their stories myself is a real honor. And launching with a milestone 700th issue! It doesn’t get better than that.”
But before #700 is Archie #699, which will arrive in October and is set to be a special recap issue that covers the key events from this most recent Archie series, including the “Lipstick Incident,” “Over the Edge,” and more. This issue will be available for a special promotional price of just $1 and is geared towards both new and returning readers.
The company is also shaking things up with a brand-new series focused on Archie’s best gals with Betty & Veronica #1, due out in December. This new series will be written by Jamie L. Rotante (Betty & Veronica: Vixens) and will focus on the pair as they deal with the life changes of their senior year of high school.
“I want to take an approach that’s very grounded in reality – these are two best friends who have no idea what the future has in store for them,” Rotante said. “They’ve just gotten really close and college could separate them from one another. It's going to be a testament to their friendship, how they can pull through anything even when things get tough.”
Archie Comics is preparing for more new stories and new perspectives beyond Archie #700 and Betty & Veronica #1 as the company heads into 2019.
“Archie #700 is a legendary milestone in comics, and it was one we could not ignore at Archie,” said Archie Comics Publisher/CEO Jon Goldwater. “Having Nick Spencer and Marguerite Sauvage onboard to herald this new direction for Archie and his friends will help kick off a new, legendary era for the characters, and follows in the footsteps of other iconic Archie moments, including Archie’s Wedding, the Death of Archie, Archie #1 and Afterlife with Archie, to name a few. If you’re a fan of Riverdale, now is the time to jump to the comics and see what started it all.”
