With almost a month left of summer, those kids going back to school means Halloween will soon be in the air, and Archie Comics is bringing NINE issues for Halloween, with four holiday treats from horror imprint Archie Horror.  Get ready for standalone one-shot issues anyone can dive into.  Just in time for Sabrina’s 60th anniversary, her black cat familiar Salem gets his own story in Chilling Adventures of Salem, kid readers are the focus of Fear the Funhouse, a classic title is back in Return of Chilling Adventures in Sorcery, and finally, Archie and friends go the way of The X-Files in Chilling Adventures Presents… Weirder Mysteries (what a great title!).  Plus five classic-style new Archie books with a Halloween or fall theme.

If those Archie Horror titles sound like a Halloween film festival, it’s because that was the plan.  Check out the covers and details below.

While you’re waiting for these new books, check out CW’s Riverdale for two guest appearances of Kiernan Shipka back as Sabrina from her successful four-season series, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix.  She’s in episodes 99 and 114.

CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SALEM #1 (ONE-SHOT)
Salem the Cat has always been known as Sabrina’s familiar, but what happens when Sabrina’s not around to protect him (or, as is more the case, when he doesn’t have to protect her)? This special one-shot explores a different side of Salem’s life, one in which he acts as an anti-hero enacting vigilante justice on those who hurt others like him… animals, in a horror story that’s equal parts Pet Sematary and Hereditary.
Script: Cullen Bunn
Art: Dan Schoening
Colors: Matt Herms
Letters: Jack Morelli
Cover: Dan Schoening, Matt Herms
Variant Cover: Francesco Francavilla
On Sale Date: 10/12

From Francesco Francavilla: “I was very excited when Archie Comics asked me to do a cover for the new title CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SALEM! You see, I’m cat people: I’m currently taking care of an indoor cat and at least 3-4 outdoor (stray) cats so to draw a cover where the main focus is one of our feline overlords? Heck YEAH!… Archie Comics is continuing the tradition of the Archie Horror excellence Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and I originated a few years back with AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE.”

   

FEAR THE FUNHOUSE #1 (ONE-SHOT)
A night camping at the treehouse in the woods leads the pre-teen Archie and his friends to do what any kid their age would do in that scenario: tell scary stories! But each story grows creepier and creepier as the kids realize that maybe, just maybe, there is some truth to these tall tales in an anthology that’s equal parts Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Goosebumps.
Script: Micol Ostow, Magdalene Visaggio, Michael Northrop
Art: Lisette Carrera, Ryan Caskey, Diana Camero
Colors: Matt Herms
Letters: Jack Morelli
Cover: Lisette Carrera
Variant Cover: Sweeney Boo
On Sale Date: 10/19

 

RETURN OF CHILLING ADVENTURES IN SORCERY #1 (ONE-SHOT)
Madam Satan escaped Hell a fugitive and hated woman by Satan and his thralls. She’s now principal of Baxter high and Hell has come to Earth. With each classroom acting as a portal to the different circles in Hell, Madam Satan must recruit similar tortured souls if she has any chance of survival… all leading up to a Madam Satan and her army vs. Satan and his in this highly anticipated follow-up to last year’s hit Chilling Adventures in Sorcery!
Script: Elliot Rahal, Sina Grace, Casey Gilly
Art: Vincenzo Federici, Corin Howell, Liana Kangas
Colors: Matt Herms
Letters: Jack Morelli
Cover: Julius Ohta
Variant Cover: Francesco Francavilla
On Sale Date: 10/26

CHILLING ADVENTURES PRESENTS… WEIRDER MYSTERIES #1 (ONE-SHOT)
Riverdale is known to be a hotbed of strange happenings and paranormal activity… always has been and always will be. Take a look as a few extra-special case files are opened that highlight the weird occurrences that happen in the small, quiet town, in a one-shot anthology that’s equal parts The X-Files and Black Mirror. 
Script: Frank Tieri, Joanne Starer, Ron Robbins
Art: Federico Sabbattini, Juan Bobillo, Ryan Jampole, Matt Herms, Jack Morelli
CVR A Main Cover: Adam Gorham
On Sale Date: Sept

ARCHIE’S HALLOWEEN SPECTACULAR #1
This year’s Halloween spectacular kicks off with a BRAND NEW story! In “Spirits of Halloween,” meet TWO new characters to the Archie universe: Trick and Treat! This pair of impish magical creatures come around every Halloween to cause chaos wherever they go—and this year, that just so happens to be Riverdale! How much mischief will they cause Archie & the gang while trick or treating? Plus, a collection of hilarious Halloween tales!
Script: Ian Flynn
Art: Ryan Jampole
Colors: Glenn Whitmore
Letters: Jack Morelli
Cover: Ryan Jampole, Dan Parent
On Sale Date: 10/5

ARCHIE JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #334
TWO BRAND NEW STORIES! First in “A Very Cosmo Halloween!” Cosmo the Merry Martian—or someone who looks an awful lot like Cosmo—crashes the Lodge Halloween Ball. Fortunately, this year it’s science fiction-themed! Cosmo tries to warn the teens of an impending invasion—but will they be able to tell them apart from the costumed aliens at the party?  Then, in “Here Come the Power Pets!” The Superteens battle an evil villain called Snowboy. As Snowboy uses his powers to put the Superteens in a deep freeze, Archie’s beloved dog Vegas realizes that he’s got to find a way to rescue them. He gathers Vader, Hot Dog and Carmel and convinces them to join him. Our new heroes become the Power Pets, but do they have what it to rescue their humans?
Script: Dan Parent, Tom DeFalco
Art: Dan Parent, Pat and Tim Kennedy, Bob Smith, Jim Amash
Colors: Glenn Whitmore
Letters: Jack Morelli
Cover: Francis Bonnet, Rex Lindsey, Rosario “Tito” Peña
On Sale Date: 10/12

WORLD OF BETTY & VERONICA JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #19
BRAND NEW STORY! “Frightful Faceoff” – It’s Halloween night and Sabrina is on her guard, expecting her foe Amber Nightstone to return. As she heads to a Halloween party, she keeps thinking every red thing she sees is Amber, even though she knows that Amber has already been dealt with. But why does she still have the strangest feeling that Amber’s nearby?
Script: Tania del Rio
Art: Bill Galvan, Jim Amash
Colors: Glenn Whitmore
Letters: Jack Morelli
Cover: Bill Galvan, Ben Galvan, Rosario “Tito” Peña
On Sale Date: 10/5

WORLD OF ARCHIE JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #124
TWO BRAND NEW STORIES! First, in “More Doom and Gloom,” Archie can’t shake the feeling that something strange is happening in Riverdale after he and Jughead come across a mysterious lab in the woods. Then it hits Archie: he remembers that lab from childhood—it belongs to the evil Mad Doctor Doom! He also remembers the two children who foiled his plans for world domination in the past—but will they be able to stop him this time?  Then, in “The Power Pets Return!” Archie’s dog Vader has noticed that while the Superteens often work together, Evilheart (Reggie) enjoys playing practical jokes on Pureheart (Archie). Trying to steer Reggie in the right direction, Vader enlists the other Power Pets to help him prevent these practical jokes once and for all!
Script: Bill Golliher, Tom DeFalco
Art: Bill Golliher, Bill Galvan, Bob Smith, Jim Amash
Colors: Glenn Whitmore
Letters: Jack Morelli
Cover: Bill Golliher, Bill Galvan, Ben Galvan, Rosario “Tito” Peña
On Sale Date: 10/26

BETTY & VERONICA JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #308
BRAND NEW STORY! “Scary Sleepover” It’s spooky season, so Veronica’s hosting a special sleepover so she and her friends can binge-watch horror movies!
Script: Dan Parent
Art: Dan Parent, Bob Smith
Colors: Glenn Whitmore
Letters: Jack Morelli
Cover: Francis Bonnet, Jeff Shultz, Rosario “Tito” Peña
On Sale Date: 10/19

Add any or all of these new titles to your pull list at Elite Comics or your local comic shop today.

C.J. Bunce / Editor / borg