Archie In Hell #1 Review: Riverdale Goes Full Horror in a Wild, Wicked New Ongoing Series
Patrick Horvath and Tyler Crook drag Archie Andrews into an infernal mystery that turns Riverdale’s wholesome image inside out
Archie In Hell #1 is not just Archie with a horror filter slapped on top.
This debut issue from Oni Press and Archie Comics takes the clean, familiar structure of Riverdale and slowly poisons it from the inside. The result is a strange, bloody, funny, and surprisingly sharp horror launch that understands exactly why Archie Andrews works as the center of this kind of nightmare.
Written by Patrick Horvath and illustrated by Tyler Crook, Archie In Hell #1 follows in the bloodstained tradition of Afterlife With Archie, but it is not simply trying to repeat that formula. This new ongoing series builds its own nightmare around cults, witches, sacrifice, cosmic consequences, and the most dangerous thing Archie Andrews can possibly be: a genuinely good person.
Comic Book Addicts previously covered the larger Riverdale relaunch from Oni Press and Archie Comics, along with the first look at Archie In Hell #1 and the later Archie In Hell #1 cover reveal. Now that the issue is here, it is clear this is one of the boldest pieces of the new Archie publishing era.
Archie In Hell #1 Turns Kindness Into a Curse
The smartest idea in Archie In Hell #1 is that Archie is not chosen because he is corrupt, arrogant, or secretly evil.
He is chosen because he is good.
The issue opens with Archie being Archie: helping people, collecting food donations, trying to make his movie date with Betty, and stretching himself too thin because he cannot stop saying yes. On the surface, it is classic Riverdale comedy. Archie is late. Betty is waiting. Reggie is annoyed. Veronica is watching from the side. Everyone has an opinion.
But Patrick Horvath uses that familiar setup like a trap.
Archie’s helpful nature becomes the thing that draws him closer to danger. He is not stumbling into horror because he is careless. He is walking directly into it because someone needs help. That makes the horror hit harder. Archie Andrews has always been Riverdale’s all-around good guy, and Archie In Hell #1 twists that identity into something terrifying.
The Order of Al Darax Brings Occult Horror to Riverdale
The big supernatural hook is the Order of Al Darax, an ancient cult hiding in plain sight inside Riverdale.
This is where the issue shifts from offbeat small-town setup into full occult horror. The cult has been working for generations to bring old gods into the mortal world, and Archie becomes the final piece of their plan. The idea is simple, nasty, and effective: Riverdale’s wholesome surface has been covering something rotten for a very long time.
Horvath does not over-explain the mythology in the first issue. He gives readers just enough to understand the stakes while leaving plenty of mystery for the ongoing series. That restraint works. The cult feels bigger than the issue, and the world around Archie suddenly feels much more dangerous.
The story also makes smart use of Sabrina and Salem. Their presence connects the book to Archie’s supernatural side without letting them completely take over the story. Sabrina understands enough to know something is wrong, but even she is not fully prepared for how ugly things get once cult and coven collide.
For readers tracking the wider relaunch, the official Oni Press Archie hub is worth keeping bookmarked.
Tyler Crook Makes Riverdale Feel Haunted
Tyler Crook’s art is a perfect match for this premise.
The early pages feel grounded and recognizable. Riverdale looks bright enough to be familiar, but Crook keeps enough shadow and unease in the edges to make the transition into horror feel natural. When the story turns, it really turns. The cult scenes are grotesque, tense, and grimy without losing the clarity of the storytelling.
Crook’s Archie is especially effective because he still looks like Archie. That matters. This is not a redesign built to distance the character from his roots. It is Archie Andrews dragged into a nightmare, which is far more unsettling.
The horror works because the innocence is still visible.
The ritual sequence gives the issue its most intense imagery, but the quieter pages may be even more important. The way Crook stages Archie going door to door, collecting donations, and trying to keep everyone happy makes the eventual violence feel like an invasion of a world that should never have allowed this kind of darkness inside.
Patrick Horvath Balances Horror, Humor, and Riverdale Energy
Patrick Horvath understands that an Archie horror comic still has to feel like Archie.
That means the jokes cannot disappear. The friendships cannot vanish. The town cannot become generic horror scenery. Archie In Hell #1 keeps the Riverdale rhythm alive long enough for the horror to feel disruptive rather than expected.
The dialogue has that familiar Archie bounce early on. Archie is trying to please everyone. Betty and Veronica orbit his chaotic schedule. Reggie has his usual mix of jealousy and ego. Sabrina and Salem bring supernatural sharpness. Then the issue gradually tightens the noose.
That tonal balance is the book’s biggest strength. It is funny until it is not. It is familiar until it becomes cursed. It is Riverdale until the floor drops out from under it.
The issue also does a strong job positioning this as an ongoing series, not just a shock-value one-shot. The ending opens the door to something bigger, weirder, and more time-bending than the title alone suggests.
Review: Why Archie In Hell #1 Works
Archie In Hell #1 works because it has a real idea behind the horror.
The book is not relying only on the novelty of Archie in a terrifying situation. It is asking what happens when a character defined by goodness becomes the key to something evil. That gives the issue more weight than expected.
The creative team also avoids making Archie feel foolish. He is naïve in the way Archie often is, but his choices come from decency. That makes him sympathetic even when the reader can see the danger coming.
The cult horror is strong. The witchcraft angle gives the story extra texture. The art sells both the small-town charm and the infernal brutality. The pacing moves quickly, but not so fast that the character beats get lost.
The only caution is that this is definitely a darker Archie title. Readers expecting a light Halloween romp should know this is much closer to horror than parody. There is blood, ritual violence, demonic imagery, and a cliffhanger designed to push the series into even stranger territory.
For horror fans, that is a selling point.
Archie In Hell #1 Is a Strong Jumping-On Point
New readers can start here without needing a heavy Archie Comics background.
The issue tells you who Archie is through action. He helps people. He overcommits. He tries to be kind. He is loved, envied, and underestimated. That is all the setup the horror needs.
Longtime Archie fans will get more out of the contrast. The familiar cast makes the darkness hit harder. Seeing Riverdale’s classic setup bent into occult horror gives the book its identity.
Readers looking for more context on the broader line can check Broken Frontier’s coverage of the upcoming Oni Press Archie titles, while collectors can also track listings such as League of Comic Geeks for Archie-related releases. For fans collecting the new relaunch era, this signed Archie #1 pre-order is also worth noting as part of the larger Archie push.
Archie In Hell #1 Release Information
Title: Archie In Hell #1
Publisher: Oni Press / Archie Comics
Writer: Patrick Horvath
Artist: Tyler Crook
Colorist: Francesco Segala
On Sale: November 4, 2026
FOC: September 28, 2026
Price: $4.99
Pages: 32
Format: Full Color
Archie In Hell #1 Cover Checklist
Cover A: Tyler Crook
Cover B: Patrick Horvath
Cover C: Paul Azaceta
Cover D: Jesse Lonergan
Cover E: Blank Sketch
Foil Variant: Tyler Crook — $8.99
Foil Variant: Patrick Horvath — $8.99
Teaser Variant: Kano — 1:10
Legacy Variant: Dan Parent — 1:20
Variant Cover: Mirka Andolfo — 1:50
Variant Cover: Mahmud Asrar — 1:100
B&W Variant: Jesse Lonergan — 1:250
Final Verdict
Archie In Hell #1 is a strong horror debut that knows how to use Archie Andrews without losing what makes him Archie.
Patrick Horvath turns Riverdale’s wholesome charm into a setup for something genuinely sinister, while Tyler Crook gives the issue a visual style that can handle both small-town warmth and occult nightmare fuel. The result is creepy, clever, and much more character-driven than the title might suggest.
This is not just Archie dropped into Hell for shock value. It is a horror story about goodness, sacrifice, hidden rot, and what happens when Riverdale’s brightest soul becomes the target of something ancient.
Review Score: 8.8/10
Join the Discussion
Are you picking up Archie In Hell #1, and which cover are you chasing for your collection?
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