Just what violent ordeal is about to take place in an Archie story?
8 Comments Published by Avi Green on Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 10:41 AM.
USA Today writes another sugary piece of lip service to the inmates now running Archie, and reports that Riverdale is going to be tarnished by a very dark alleyway soon:
Now, they're taking one more step to discourage family audiences from buying their products by suggesting that either a violent assault takes place, or worse, a rape, and we can only wonder then just which female cast member will suffer the misfortune - Betty, Veronica, Josie, or even Cheryl. And even if that's not what they have in mind, I'm not impressed at all, I'm disgusted, mainly because of how Goldwater's clearly doing this all for publicity stunt's sake. The plot he's promoting in itself is nothing new to fiction, just to Archie's world.
The worst part is that if comics like these began today, there's no chance they'd be able to use the kind of approach The A-Team used with few deaths that were usually far between. In fact, even The A-Team couldn't be greenlighted today unless it adhered to the kind of bleak viewpoint Goldwater is now advocating. Whatever they're about to release on the market doesn't deserve any sane person's time or money.
Things will get real emotional in Life With Archie issue 22, out Aug. 15. In one story, Cheryl Blossom breaks the news of her breast cancer to her friends, while in another, something sudden and quite violent occurs for a fan-favorite character.It wasn't that way they're making it out to be years before. Yes, there were stories where various protagonists would match wits with crooks, but it was usually just bank robbers, hijackers, smugglers and other such stories far from involving the most violent offenses committed in the real world, and the stories typically avoided bloody murders. In fact, most violence-sans-death taking place usually refrained from being bloody too: it's not like you'd see people breaking their bones or getting gashed in the skin. In other words, it was the kind of approach The A-Team usually employed.
Crime is something everybody faces in various forms in their day-to-day lives, and seemingly quaint Riverdale is no exception, says Jon Goldwater, Archie's co-CEO.
"People live and die, are injured, face violence or theft — just like everyone else. Riverdale has always been a reflection of the real world, and this continues that."
Now, they're taking one more step to discourage family audiences from buying their products by suggesting that either a violent assault takes place, or worse, a rape, and we can only wonder then just which female cast member will suffer the misfortune - Betty, Veronica, Josie, or even Cheryl. And even if that's not what they have in mind, I'm not impressed at all, I'm disgusted, mainly because of how Goldwater's clearly doing this all for publicity stunt's sake. The plot he's promoting in itself is nothing new to fiction, just to Archie's world.
The worst part is that if comics like these began today, there's no chance they'd be able to use the kind of approach The A-Team used with few deaths that were usually far between. In fact, even The A-Team couldn't be greenlighted today unless it adhered to the kind of bleak viewpoint Goldwater is now advocating. Whatever they're about to release on the market doesn't deserve any sane person's time or money.
Labels: Archie, msm propaganda, violence
Oooooh man, please tell me this isn't going to be a Trayvon Martin tie-in.
I hope not, as I had deal with that in last night's Law & Order: SVU. Way to go, NBC.
Anyway, it seems like every comic is going to become Identity Crisis, isn't it? Gag. What's next, we're giving Reggie a retroactive lobotomy to explain his evil?
Good point, Killer Moth. It's sad how they feel the need to restort to shock value violence just to "stay relevant" or some other nonsense.
Carl
C'mon guys, this is ridiculous. Can't we at least wait to read the thing before judging it like this? Or maybe be aware of the context at least?
This is going to be a story in the Life With Archie magazine, which is about the Archie characters grown up and living in a more realistic world. It's not as much of a humor comic; more like a soap opera. It's not meant for 8 year olds to read--not that there's anything in it that's objectionable--it's still Archie, after all. Trust me, unlike any of you, I've actually read this series. And the regular Archie series are just as happy-go-lucky, harmless and funny as ever.
And by the way, haven't any of you ever been affected by something "violent" happening? I don't see what the big deal is here--I'm sure whatever happens won't really be all that shocking--just, as was stated, more reflective of LIFE.
And c'mon, really?? You're watching Law & Order SVU but complaining about something "violent" and "shocking" that's going to happen in a comic book you've never read? There's more darkness and depravity in 10 minutes of that show than in 70 years of Archie comics, including this entire serie. Which, again, I have to point out-- you haven't even read.
I just can't take you seriously anymore!
I don't give a hoot what it's about. It's just fun to make snide comments. I can't take anyone seriously that takes Archie so seriously.
Doesn't matter whether or not it's the "main" Archie comic. The point is, is it really necessary to have that kind of violence for shock value's sake in what is ostensibly a kids' comic? The answer is no.
Carl
Like I said earlier, it's just another publicity stunt they're doing to "stay relevant." They know their sales, like so many in the comics industry, are down, so they come up with these kind of tactics in the hopes of getting 15 minutes of mainstream press attention. Basically that's all Marvel and Dc have been doing for years as well.
It'll be some sort of hate crime.