By Dustin Cabeal
There’s so much potential in this story. As a comic fan, I wish that most companies were willing to do alternative world comics like this. Archie, plus werewolves is a great idea. What isn’t so great about this, is that it’s like reading a fan script for Supernatural starring Riverdale’s cast.
Plain and simple, the story has too many characters. For some reason, instead of focusing on Jughead and developing him at all, the story instead checks in on every other character. Which is a shame because even Betty’s lame ass “cousin” is a better-developed character. If you wanted more info on what happened in the last issue, well keep waiting because we’re given none here. Hell, we don’t even know how Jughead got out of the cage since he’s just teleported to a hotel room.
The good part of the comic is that Reggie and Veronica are werewolves and they’re dicks. Their motivation isn’t even remotely clear to the reader, which leaves a lot to be desired when they talk a lot and don’t do much else. Betty and Archie continue to be Dean and Sam lite, and it’s terrible. It’s the worst part of the story.
If you read the one-shot that started this all, then get ready to be disappointed. It seems that nothing from that issue is going to stick outside of what we already know. Jughead’s a werewolf, Betty hunts werewolves, etc. etc. The writing and plotting is weak and trying to do too much. The circus people feel like well-rounded characters compared to Jughead, and he’s the title character.
The artwork is the best part of the book. The only times it’s disappointing is when it’s Betty and Veronica. They don’t look the characters at all. Not that there’s some dress code for them, but they’re being betrayed differently in this story, and they look entirely different as well making you wonder why they’re in the story and not some made up fill-ins. Otherwise, the werewolves and their transformations are visually pleasing. The art could do with less big scenes and some character focus on future issues.
Unfortunately, I don’t have much to say about this issue in general. It’s a concept I like, but these last two issues have been very disappointing. There’s a large inconsistency to how the story is being told from issue one to two, and I’m not sure which style will win going forward. Hell, I don’t even know if I’ll be back for future issues. Kudos on the idea, but the execution is lacking.
Score: 2/5
Jughead: The Hunger #2
Archie’s Madhouse