Archie #1 Review: Riverdale Gets a Joyful, Smart, and Surprisingly Fresh New Beginning
Oni Press and Archie Comics relaunch America’s favorite teenager with heart, humor, and a mystery hiding beneath the milkshakes
Archie #1 is not trying to make Archie Andrews darker, edgier, or unrecognizable. That is the best thing about it.
Instead, the new ongoing series from Oni Press and Archie Comics understands exactly why Riverdale has lasted for generations. Archie is still charming. Jughead is still hungry. Betty and Veronica still pull the story in different emotional directions. Reggie is still Reggie. Pop’s still feels like the center of the universe.
But this new Archie #1 also knows that nostalgia alone is not enough. Writer Ben H. Winters and artist Fábio Moon use the familiar rhythm of Riverdale to build something bright, funny, and quietly mysterious. The result is a relaunch that feels welcoming for new readers while still giving longtime fans the kind of classic Archie energy they came for.
For readers who have been following Oni Press and Archie Comics’ larger Riverdale relaunch, this issue is the main event. Comic Book Addicts previously covered how Archie Comics redesigned Riverdale with Oni Press, and Archie #1 proves that this new era has a clear identity: timeless characters, modern pacing, and a playful mystery stitched into the background.
Archie #1 Brings Riverdale Back Without Losing Its Soul
The first issue opens with the most Archie problem imaginable: Archie Andrews is late.
That simple setup works because it immediately reminds readers who Archie is. He is well-meaning, easily overwhelmed, desperate to do the right thing, and constantly pulled in five directions at once. He wants to be responsible. He wants to be liked. He wants to help everyone. He also keeps making everything harder for himself.
Ben H. Winters nails that voice. His Archie is not a punchline. He is the emotional engine of the book. The comedy comes from Archie’s inability to say no, but the heart comes from the fact that he genuinely wants to make everyone happy.
That becomes the spine of the issue when Riverdale’s local film festival gives everyone a reason to create their own movie. Betty, Veronica, Dilton, Reggie, and the rest of the gang all have big cinematic ideas, and Archie gets dragged into the chaos. A romantic drama, a sci-fi epic, a drag-race picture, and more all collide around him.
It is classic Archie farce with a modern storytelling engine.
The Film Festival Setup Is a Perfect First-Issue Hook
The local film festival is a smart choice for a relaunch story because it lets every character reveal themselves through what they want to make.
Veronica’s production is grand, dramatic, and self-assured. Dilton’s movie goes full science-fiction. Reggie naturally sees himself as the coolest person in the room. Jughead is mostly concerned with food, because of course he is. Betty brings the grounded emotional pull.
Archie, meanwhile, is stuck trying to help everyone else while losing track of his own goals.
That is where the issue becomes more than just a comedy of errors. Archie #1 is about identity. Who is Archie when everyone needs him to be something different? Is he the leading man, the best friend, the love interest, the helper, the screw-up, or the guy who somehow holds Riverdale together without realizing it?
The answer is yes.
That is the magic of the issue. It turns a small-town film festival into a character study without losing the jokes.
Fábio Moon Makes Riverdale Feel Alive
Fábio Moon’s art is a major reason this relaunch works.
Riverdale looks warm, loose, expressive, and full of movement. The characters feel instantly readable, but not frozen in old house-style nostalgia. Moon gives the cast body language that sells the comedy before the dialogue even lands. Archie’s panic, Veronica’s confidence, Jughead’s deadpan energy, and Reggie’s swagger all come through clearly.
The layouts also keep the issue moving fast. Archie stories need momentum. They work best when chaos builds naturally, and Moon understands that rhythm. The pages never feel cluttered, even when the cast keeps expanding and the movie concepts start stacking on top of each other.
Jason Wordie’s colors give the issue a bright, modern finish without making Riverdale feel artificial. The palette keeps the book upbeat, but it also lets certain scenes breathe when the story shifts into something stranger.
That balance matters because this is not only a cheerful relaunch. There is a mystery forming underneath the surface.
Jughead’s Journal Adds the Bigger Mystery
The backup feature, “Jughead’s Journal,” is where Archie #1 quietly changes shape.
At first, it feels like a natural extension of Jughead’s usual world: Pop’s, hamburgers, onion rings, pie, and a Friday night in Riverdale. Then the story introduces a deeper feeling of unease. Jughead hears Pop discuss the possibility of someday selling the shop, and for a moment, Riverdale’s eternal comfort starts to crack.
That is a fascinating move.
Archie Comics has always existed in a kind of forever-now. The characters grow, reset, reinvent, and return. Riverdale changes constantly but somehow stays Riverdale. “Jughead’s Journal” appears to be poking directly at that idea. What happens when a character inside this world starts to sense that life could move forward? What happens when the safe places are not guaranteed forever?
That mystery gives the relaunch a hook beyond the main story’s comedy. It suggests that this new ongoing series is interested in Riverdale as both a place and an idea.
Review: Why Archie #1 Works
Archie #1 works because it is not embarrassed to be joyful.
A lot of modern relaunches try to justify themselves by breaking everything. This issue does the opposite. It reminds readers why the core formula still works, then adds just enough mystery to make the future feel intriguing.
The humor is clean, quick, and character-driven. The art is expressive and stylish. The story is easy to follow for brand-new readers, but longtime fans will recognize the familiar dynamics immediately. The issue also gives the supporting cast enough room to shine without making the debut feel overloaded.
Most importantly, Archie himself feels right.
He is not perfect. He is not especially smooth. He is not always smart. But he is kind. He wants to help. He wants everyone to have a good day. That sounds simple, but it is exactly why Archie Andrews has lasted this long.
The issue’s only real risk is that the mystery thread is still mostly a tease. Readers coming in strictly for answers will have to wait. But as a first chapter, that is not a problem. The debut gives us a complete, funny lead story while planting enough questions to make issue #2 worth grabbing.
Archie #1 Is a Strong Jumping-On Point
New readers can absolutely start here.
You do not need decades of Archie history to understand this issue. The characters are introduced through action, personality, and jokes. Riverdale is presented as a living town, not a continuity maze. The film festival plot gives everyone something clear to do.
Longtime fans, meanwhile, get a version of Archie that respects the classic setup without simply copying it. The book feels like Archie, but it does not feel stale.
That is exactly what a milestone relaunch should do.
Readers looking to pre-order or track the issue can check the official Oni Press Archie hub, the listing at League of Comic Geeks, or this signed Archie #1 pre-order from Comics & Cards. Broken Frontier also has more context on Oni’s upcoming Archie titles for 2026.
Archie #1 Release Information
Title: Archie #1
Publisher: Oni Press / Archie Comics
Writer: Ben H. Winters
Artist: Fábio Moon
Colorist: Jason Wordie
Lettering: AndWorld Design Lettering Studio
Cover A: Stuart Immonen
On Sale: September 2, 2026
Price: $4.99
Pages: 40
Format: Full Color
Archie #1 Cover Checklist
Cover A: Stuart Immonen
Cover B: Fábio Moon
Cover C: Karl Kerschl
Cover D: Khary Randolph
Cover E: Blank Sketch
FOC Reveal Variant: Travis Charest
Foil Variant: Stuart Immonen — $8.99
Foil Variant: Fábio Moon — $8.99
Teaser Variant: Kano — 1:10
Legacy Variant: Dan Parent — 1:20
Variant Cover: Elsa Charretier — 1:50
Variant Cover: Mahmud Asrar — 1:100
B&W Variant: Stuart Immonen — 1:250
Final Verdict
Archie #1 is a confident, charming, and beautifully drawn relaunch that understands the assignment. It brings Riverdale forward without losing the warmth, slapstick, and emotional simplicity that made the franchise last.
Ben H. Winters gives Archie a clear voice and a strong emotional center. Fábio Moon makes Riverdale feel alive. The film festival story delivers classic character comedy, while “Jughead’s Journal” hints at something stranger and more ambitious ahead.
This is a strong first issue for new fans, longtime Archie readers, and anyone looking for a comic that remembers joy can still be a powerful storytelling tool.
Review Score: 9/10
Join the Discussion
Are you picking up Archie #1, and which variant cover are you chasing?
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