Booklist Review

Lots of wild side projects erupting from Archie Comics these days most of them pretty darn good but their flagship comic reboot remains strong enough to keep the whole armada at an even keel. The plot is as same as ever: clumsy carrot-top Archie Andrews keeps bumbling enough to make Mr. Lodge determined to keep him away from his daughter, Veronica, while Betty pines from the sidelines. The stakes remain delightfully low in this sunny teenage soap opera, but Waid wrings oodles of charm from the details: Mr. Lodge's scheme to move the whole Andrews family overseas; Veronica's overboard restyling of the humble Andrews household; a mayoral contest in which Archie gets embroiled (the name Trump is mentioned!); and Betty's desperate scramble to assemble a group to take on Archie and Veronica's band in a local competition. Waid's biggest accomplishment is making rich, conceited Veronica sympathetic her inability to understand a simple shopping list is poignant. Fish keeps things as colorful as Jughead's hat, jamming smart one-frame non sequiturs into the usual mild comedy romantics. Keep it comin'.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2017 Booklist