For a very long time now, a new “number one” has been used as a marketing tactic to boost sales. Hence, Marvel is seemingly relaunching titles all the time and sometimes using wonky Legacy numbering to produce anniversary issues. DC has, over the years, bounced between keeping Legacy numbering—seemingly depending on the breeze.
Archie has done a few relaunches over the years. Perhaps, most notably, Archie Comics. The original series lasted from 1942 through issue #666 in 2015. It has to be one of the longest continuous runs of a series. Archie Comics rebooted its flagship title in 2015 with a second volume, aiming to refresh the characters and storytelling for a modern audience while drawing in new readers. The relaunch began with Archie #1 in July 2015, written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Fiona Staples and others, and continued for 32 issues. However, the numbering resumed at Archie #699 and ran through #713, adding 15 more issues. Hey, at least Archie didn’t do wonky numbering!
These days, Archie does a lot of fun, all-ages one-shots. The recent Josie and the Pussycats Annual Spectacular 2025 #1 is a one-shot anthology featuring more than 30 pages of content. The issue combines timeless tales from creators such as Frank Doyle, Dick Malmgren, and Dan DeCarlo with fresh material by Dan Parent, making it a perfect blend for both devoted fans and new readers.
Like most Archie releases, this annual includes at least one brand-new tale. Though Halloween has passed, the Pussycats stumble into a spooky showdown when the South Side Serpents try to prove their toughness by spending the night in haunted woods said to be home to witches. When Josie and the band show up, both their musical legacy—and their bravery—are put to the test.
Archie has jumped on another trend—to facsimile edition, with the latest being Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1 from 1971. However, over the years, Archie has done a fantastic job of bringing their comics to digital editions. In the case of Archie, all 666 issues are available to read. Same with Sabrina, which has all 77 issues of that first run available.
While ComiXology Unlimited has lost much of what made it special over the years, it is still a fantastic place to read Archie Comics, because most of the digital editions are available to borrow via the service. In fact, CU and Kindle Unlimited are offering special Black Friday deals. With KU, you can get three months for 99 cents a month—a massive discount. The same thing that 99 cents for CU also applies.
Also, let’s not forget that Archie has a nice selection of comics over on Global Comix. In fact, they offer day-and-date on all Archie, which means the day it hits comic shops, it’s also available on the platform. Global is everything we always wanted ComiXology Unlimited to be. It’s the best digital platform out there—at least right now. It’s also offering a Black Friday deal: $49.00 for a whole year, $30.00 off the regular annual price.
Don’t be like many fans who dismiss Archie as a kiddie comic because they are really all-ages. Even stories from decades ago actually age better than you might think. With all the options out there, there is no reason not to sample some Archie Comics.
About Author
