Good grief, what a depressing issue. Aguirre-Sacasa definitely knows how to construct an effective story. He even mini-apes the dog issue of Hawkeye, only he does it here to greater success. Archie might be where he can have zombie attacks and make very adult observations about Archie Comics, but it’s also got an air of sincerity. Aguirre-Sacasa uses the Archie trappings as a tap into the readers’ nostalgia and familiarity to make the issue all the more devastating.
This issue Aguirre-Sacasa utilizes flashbacks rather well. Francavilla draws them bittersweet, like a too wise for its years comic strip. The flashbacks are pretty awesome technically and always drawn out just enough they never seem cheap in the context of the modern events.
The modern events are zombie attacks, human and not, and how to deal with them.
The creators have turned a gimmick title into great comics.
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