Tom King and Dan Parent will make Archie Comics history in special one-shot this August

At this point in his career, when superstar writer Tom King takes on a project you know it’s because he believes in it with every fiber of his being. Whether it’s his superhero work for publishers like DC Comics or his creator-owned projects, King has certainly cultivated his own brand. However, I don’t think anyone could have predicted that King would pen an Archie one-shot! That’s right! After cryptic teases earlier this week, it was announced today that King is making his Archie Comics debut this summer with Archie: The Decision, described a “sprawling, antic all-ages one-shot comic.” Moreover, he’s teaming up with legendary Archie artist Dan Parent.

Like many prolific writers, King definitely has certain tropes that frequently appear throughout his work which seem a far cry from the lighthearted fare of Archie. However,  In the official press release, King made it no secret how much he adores the Archie characters:

“As a massive Archie fan, this is just a pure joy project for me,” King said. “I wanted to do something zany and cool and screwball and hysterical and gorgeous and harebrained and maybe a little tiny itty-bitty bit profound as a tribute to my Golden and Silver Age Archie heroes—people like Dan DeCarlo, Harry Lucey, Bob Bolling, Bob Montana, and Samm Schwartz. And who better to do that with than the modern Archie maestro, Dan Parent, who inherited and brilliantly carried on the legacy of those giants.”

Artist Dan Parent remembered the first time he met King before this collaboration:

“I had a chance to meet Tom King a few years ago at Comic Con,” Parent said. “I was already a super fan; he’s a writer whose work I love and had been raving about for years! The fact that he’s an Archie fan and was so complimentary to my work was such a pleasant surprise. We struck up a friendship and began to talk about a collaboration. And here we are, a fantastic story that encompasses everyone in the Archieverse!”

Here’s how the publisher describes the one-shot

A frequent Archie Comics running gag is the mayhem caused by Archie’s inability to decide whom to date, whether it’s for one Friday night or forever. Archie: The Decision opens on a historic moment: Archie has decided to put an end to all of that. Where King and Parent take him next is a joyfully tense escalating series of events that winds up engulfing the entire town, and reflects the expansiveness of today’s Riverdale.

Tackling such an elemental aspect of the Archie Comics mythos is emblematic of the thoughtful character work and grand scale King brings to all his writing, most notably his fan-favorite emotionally resonant revivals of classic superhero characters like The Omega Men, Adam Strange, and The Vision. Archie: The Decision will be his first Archie Comics title.

Parent has been regularly illustrating stories featuring every Riverdale character since 1987, including historic moments like the introduction of Archie’s first openly gay character Kevin Keller and the “Love Showdown” crossover that brought wild card Cheryl Blossom into the spotlight.

“The story contains all the elements of classic Archie madcap comedy, with a modern twist,” Parent continued. “It’s an honor and a privilege to team up with the best writer in modern comics, and the fact that he’s a great guy and friend doesn’t hurt either!” King added, “This is an epic, riotous story featuring scores of Archie characters where Dan and I wrestle with the greatest dilemma in the near 85-year history of comics. I’m not sure we can solve it, but, like all of Riverdale, we’re going to have a ton of fun trying.”

Archie: The Decision will be available August 28 in comic shops nationwide, with inks by Bob Smith, colors by Rosario “Tito” Peña, letters by Jack Morelli, and an open-to-order variant cover by Stephen Byrne. It will be available for pre-order on May 24.

ARCHIE: THE DECISION (ONE-SHOT)

Who will Archie choose? Betty or Veronica? Written by Eisner Award-winning comics scribe TOM KING and illustrated by Archie legend and fan-favorite artist DAN PARENT, this is the tale only they can tell. Everyone in Riverdale is waiting for his choice, and all of your favorites, from Josie & The Pussycats to Sabrina the Teenage Witch (and even Hot Dog!), are joining in the fun. No matter who you want him to choose, you DEFINITELY don’t want to miss this ALL-NEW, FULL-LENGTH story! 

Script: Tom King
Pencils: Dan Parent
Inks: Bob Smith
Colors: Rosario “Tito” Peña
Letters: Jack Morelli
Main Cover: Dan Parent w/ Rosario “Tito” Peña
Variant Cover: Stephen Byrne
On Sale Date: 8/28
32-page, full color comic 
$3.99 U.S.

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