The Hand That Rocks The Army of Darkness! Archie x The Army of Darkness 5 Review

With Riverdale's new S-Mart overrun by Deadites, Ash, Archie and the gang decide to flee and head to Pop's Choklit Shoppe. There's no way to drive there, the car in the parking lot had flat tires, so they have to leg-it. Quietly, so they don't attract the Deadites to follow them... Unfortunately, they are hot on the gang's trail, and things get bloody on the way to Pop's. Even more unfortunate, the leader of the Deadites has gotten there first, and dispatched and decapitated Pop.

It's the final round and the final stand for the gang against The Army of Darkness!

Evil, arrow-through-the-head Archie cuts off Pureheart Archie's hand!

Finally, (SPOILER ALERT!) Archie finishes the counter incantation and The Army of Darkness bursts into flames!

Archie ends up with a metal hand just like Ash.

Ash ends up transferred to Hawaii, where a new S-Mart is set to open. He may face future encounters with the Deadites!

It's a pretty simple ending to the thriller-chiller. It's an ending that was in place from the start - reverse the incantation and drive off The Army of Darkness. Still Burnham, the Galvans, Wright and Mangual wrap things up with a fiery bang. The resolution leaves behind permanent scars.

Archie x The Army of Darkness wraps up with four stars. 

    

Facing the Dark Mirror - The Archies of Darkness! Archie x The Army of Darkness 4 Review!

At Riverdale's new S-Mart, Ash and the Archie gang must face - The Archies of Darkness! Evil, undead, zombie dark mirror reflections bent on annihilation! How can good overcome evil? Betty bludgeons Evil-ronica with a weight. Veronica dispatches Evil Betty with a shotgun. Ditto for "Evilheart" Reggie. Ash downs Evil Archie with an arrow through the head. Jughead clobbers his own evil twin with a salami! Ash puts the final touches with his chainsaw, whittling away at Wicked Juggie.

While this is not necessarily for Archie's younger, more impressionable audience, it feels more played for comedy and laughs than blood and guts horror. It's thriller and suspense, Archie style. That's kudos to Erik Burnham's writing and the Galvan's art, with Ellie Wright colors and Mangual's lettering. It's all fun and games even when somebody puts out an eyeball.

All this is happening while Ash is trying to find the right passage for Archie to recite to end The Army of Darkness.

Can. They. Do. It. In. Time?!?! Only time will tell...

Archie x Army of Darkness 4 earns four stars!    

The Chilling Adventures of Archie and the Gang! The Archie x The Army of Darkness 3 Review!

Erik Burnham has got this down.

This latest installment opens with Ash saving Archie and the gang from a pair of possessed stuffed Stormy Dogs! It's "groovy" to see Bill and Ben Galvan along with Ellie Wright bringing the look of Archie and The Army of Darkness. It's like a darker version of Scooby Doo. Where the Deadites seem to play for keeps! The visuals are pretty dark. A cabin the deep dark woods at night and after hours at the Riverdale S-Mart.

One is more familiar with the Archie gang than Ash, however, everyone is acting very much in character. Even Jughead comes off as Shaggy! The kids are delightfully hilarious. Ash is pretty grim 'n' gritty. It meshes pretty well.

Burnham sets up the suspense. There doesn't seem to be any predictability. There's somewhat of a familiar sequence when the leader of the Deadites creates evil doppelgangers! Jinkies!

What horrors await Archie and the gang next?!?!

Archie x The Army of Darkness 3 earns five stars!  

Beware The Hounds of Riverdale! Archie x The Army of Darkness 2 Review!

It's the Grand Opening of Riverdale's S-Mart! Ash is showing Archie the ropes. Archie's done pretty well handling customer service. The best part is the First Paycheck! The whole point of Archie working at the S-Mart is to be able to afford a couple Stormy Dogs - one for Betty and one for Veronica.

Cashing his check and buying the stuffed animals leaves Archie broke and with a broke down jalopy! Ash to the rescue again. He gives Archie a ride out into the dark woods to the party at Reggie's lake house. Ash declines an invite to the party, however, all four of his tires blow out and he ends up stuck.

Good thing he just happens to be around when Archie accidentally reads from the Necronomicon!

Burnham keeps things light-hearted for a horror story. Horror comedy is much more enjoyable than bloody and gory horror. Your mileage may vary on that. I'll take a Scooby Doo or Tremors version over Michael Meyers or Freddie Krueger any day. The Army of Darkness seems cut from a wacky suspense horror mold. A highlight is when the pair of Stormy Dogs come to evil, murderous life!

Archie x Army of Darkness earns four stars for a bloody goody thrill!