I promised this review a few days ago, and only now have I had the time to write it.
Anyway, the next part in the “Archie Marries Veronica” saga shows us what Archie and Veronica’s family would be like….and that’s about it.
Really, that’s it. There’s not much going on in this story, not like the first issue. Well, perhaps it was just that the first issue was exciting due to the fact that it was the first time we’ve actually seen Archie choose one of the girls. But still, this issue was just mainly fluff.
Part of the reason the plot fell so flat was that it had all of the main plot-points and gags you’d see in any ‘90s sitcom about pregnancy-the husband and his best friend going to Lamaze class and making a scene, the pregnant wife eating a bunch of sweets, the husband-in a panic-forgetting the wife when it’s time to go to the hospital (by the way, Veronica is extraordinarily calm during this scene considering she’s in labor), etc. Also, a lot of the scenes in this book read like Hallmark cards. In one of the first panels, Veronica tells Mrs. Andrews, “Our marriage is based on four principles…1- communication, 2- a sense of humor, 3-work at it like it’s your job, 4-be each other’s best friend!” This may be true, Veronica, but things like this just bog down the motion of the story.
I think the one thing that is beginning to disappoint me the most is that Michael Uslan, executive producer of three of the greatest comic book movies- Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight- has written this script. In Begins, Knight and Phantasm, there is nuance, drama, excitement, and noir. Now I’m not expecting Archie stories to be noir in the slightest, but where’s the three-arc story development? Where’s the drama? What’s at stake? Maybe the rest of the issues will accomplish this for me.
I’ve griped on this before, but the fashions in these issues are just killing me. Double-breasted suits (as seen above)? I know the eighties are back, but not in the way of Archie wearing a double-breasted suit. Also, something about the color scheme of the book, which combines sherbet, pastel, and electric colors, also reads very 1989. This is not good, since this “what if” story is supposed to be happening in 2009.
This is a highly personal gripe, but I really wish the entire series of issues was just about Archie and Veronica instead of flip-flopping back to a “what if” story about Archie and Betty getting married. I know I might be offending quite a few readers by writing this, but I really think Archie and Veronica make more sense than Archie and Betty. This only struck me as valid for the critique because in this issue, Veronica asks Betty to be the godmother for her and Archie’s children. If I was a jilted could-have-been wife for a guy, I might have to think twice about being the godmother for the children he’s had with another woman. I mean, hasn’t Betty suffered enough without this final slap in the face? For the entire run of the comic book, Archie has really only had his eyes set on Veronica-many times in the older books he’s addressed Veronica plainly as his girlfriend-and Veronica seems like the only woman who can completely control him. There is a lot of textual evidence that Betty is only used by Archie when either Veronica is mad at him or has something better to do than go on a date. I think Betty should’ve moved on from Archie decades ago and be her own woman, but this is a topic for another article.
Overall, you can buy this issue just for the collector’s value and to complete the set. Otherwise, you’re not really missing anything.
thanks for the review. while I’m not surprised at how nearly every cliche every showed up for this story, I’m also fairly pleased with how the characters stayed mostly in-character. they’re old jokes, and not necessarily good ones, but still worth a smile or two.
As for your take on Betty, I have a few things to say. Yes, Betty should have given up trying to go after Archie decades ago and tried her luck with either Jughead or Reggie, but on the other hand, she has been best friends with both Veronica and Archie for well, always. Yes, Ron was her biggest rival when it came to Andrews, and yes, the redhead did stomp on her heart to many times to count, but they are still two of Betty’s closest friends.
Even if she’s been unintentionally hurt by the pair, they are still her friends and she is remaining true to character with the godparents thing. Countless times it’s been Betty who remains true to her friends even when they’re being idiots. It’s how she works.
I agree with you, in my head it’s always been Arche/Veronica and Betty/Juggie. Harsh for Bets’ as Archie was her first, but, that’s the way the dice roll.
Good article! I look forward to reading more of them.
Liz
Thanks, I’m glad you liked the review.
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