Review: Archie - Volume 1 by Mark Waid and Fiona Staples

This book was a library book. My views are my own. 

I don't normally read graphic novels but after watching Riverdale, the Netflix series based on the 1950's Archie comics, I was keen to read some of the books. 

Firstly if you are expecting the comic strips within the books to follow the series, you will be disappointed, as the episodic stories are based on the original cartoon strips and not what you have seen on Riverdale. There is no great big murder hunt for Jason Blossom's killer in these pages. Also don't expect Veronica's dad to be in prison. The plots within the graphic novels deal with the normal teenage lives of the students of Riverdale High. However, we do get a glimpse into the background stories of the main characters. 

Archie of course is one of the main characters and this book deals with events in his life. There are more graphic novels based around the other main characters which I hope to read at some point. Archie is very smitten with Veronica in this one and it is kind of sweet. He is accident prone but an ace guitarist. Betty is more of a tomboy and is an able mechanic, which I really wish they had kept in the TV show as I think they made her come across as way too weak and girly.

The graphics in the novel are brilliant and really look modern as well as resembling the characters on TV much more than the original ones. What I really found fascinating in this book, was the chapter at the back that shows you how they build a graphic novel. For anyone interested in writing and drawing their own, it really breaks it down  into stages.

I did have one issue with the book, which is why it only got three stars on Goodreads from me. I found the chapters somewhat confusing. One minute it felt as though I was being told one story, then it would flip without warning into another. I found I had to keep going back to re-read to see what happened. 

On the whole though, it was a really quick enjoyable read and a good extension to the show. If you are up to date with watching it, then it is a great way to bide your time until more episodes are released.