Archie

Archie Comics used to be defined by its rigid commitment to nostalgia and the familiar, but over the past few years the publisher has proved to be more than willing to shake it up and adapt their iconic characters across a variety of genres and concepts. Next year, Archie will publish four one-shots by a wide array of creators across a number of different genres, showcasing just how versatile it core cast of characters can be.

I know we've all been waiting very patiently, but the day is finally upon us. Comics based on James Cameron's Avatar are finally coming next year on Free Comic Book Day! The comic book adaptation of the smash-hit blockbuster that everyone loves and remembers is just one of twelve Gold Titles as part of FCBD's 2017 celebration, which also includes Rick & Morty, Doctor Who and X-O Manowar. Announced today, Free Comic Book Day 2017 will be celebrated across the world on May 6th, and as usual the big name publishers, including Image, IDW, Boom, Oni and Titan, all have offerings as part of next year's crop of Gold Sponsor titles.

This week, the Sonic/Mega Man crossover begins, and it turns out that alternate dimensions and roboticized masters are easier to understand than the usual stuff.

I'll admit that when Archie relaunched Josie and the Pussycats, I had my doubts as to whether Alexandra Cabot could really fit into the restructured and slightly more realistic take on the Archie Universe. See, while her primary role as Josie's power-hungry but tone-deaf antagonist was pretty standard teenage rival stuff, her more distinctive trait involved a witchy bloodline that allowed her to cast spells whenever she was holding her cat. It made for some weird stories, but I was worried that Alexandra's over-the-top abilities might not have survived the reboot. Now, though, I can see that I was wrong. When Josie and the Pussycats #3 hits shelves this week, she's back in full force, literally riding around on a giraffe and interrupting Josie's concert with an even more sinister force than dark magic: Capitalism! Check out a preview!

There's always been a seamless crossover between video games and comic books, and odds are if you're a fan of one, you're a fan of the other. Comics have been adapted into video games and vice-versa for almost as long as video games have been "a thing," and as both mediums have evolved, so too has the quality of those crossovers. With the holidays around the corner, we've put together a selection of some of the best video game related comics and art books for the gamer in your life.

With almost 300 issues in the core series, Archie's Sonic The Hedgehog stands as the longest-running uninterrupted American monthly comic book that's currently being published. In Hedging Your Bets, I attempt to get up to speed on Sonic the Hedgehog, challenging the odds to hopefully make it all the way to the finish line. This week, Poochie returns to his home planet.

Anyone who identifies as a comics nerd (and we use that word in the most celebratory sense) must love reading. And even beyond reading comics, there are plenty of books about comics that they could be reading. So dive in to this gift guide and find a book or two for the history buff, nerdy academic relative, or bookworm kid in your life!

The question most often asked of the ComicsAlliance staff is a variation of, “Which comic books should I be reading?” or, “I’m new to comics, what’s a good place to start?” The Wednesday deluge of new comic books, graphic novels and collected editions can be daunting even for the longtime reader, much less for those totally unfamiliar with creators, characters and publishers, and the dark mysteries of comic book shopping like variants, pre-ordering, and formats. It’s with these challenges in mind that we’ve created Best Comic Books Ever (This Week), an ongoing guide curated by the ComicsAlliance staff. This is where new comics readers and seasoned Wednesday shoppers alike can find our picks of the best books the medium has to offer.

We all have our fun with The CW’s outrageously attractive casts pushing the limits of teen drama, but can a dash of Archie balance the scales? We’ll find out, as Riverdale and its inhabitants get a dramatic (and sexy, don’t forget sexy) makeover in the first 2017 trailer.

For Sonic's 25th anniversary the good people over at Archie Comics are launching "Genesis of a Hero," a four-part saga with a retro style that hearkens back to the events of the Sega Genesis games. Check out a preview and get a look at the action yourself!