Comics – The Race to Save Face!

Writer: Craig Boldman
Pencils: Steven Butler
Inks: Jim Amash
Colors: Glenn Whitmore
Letters: Jack Morelli
Original Publication: Archie & Friends, No. 17 (Hot Rod Racing #1)
On-Sale Date: April 3, 2024
Length: 5 pages

So Archie & Friends (no relation to the previous ongoing title of the same name), much like Betty and Veronica: Friends Forever, was originally an all-reprint title that reprinted stories that had recently been new in the digests. The purpose was to get these “new” stories onto floppy-sized paper (never mind that there’s a trade paperback dedicated to collecting the new digest stories). Also like the B&V title, it was always a #1 issue (but had sequential numbering in the indicia, and now they’re confusingly referring to each issue as a “one-shot” on the front cover). Also like the B&V title, it has started adding one actual new story to each issue. Also like the B&V title, it has fallen comically (ha!) behind schedule – to the point where it’s basically an annual. The last issue came out on June 7, 2023, and parodied Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Why is this title even still around?

Anyway, it seems it’s time for yet another new character to be introduced. This time, it’s a racer named Daisy Thunder. If you suspect she was blatantly named after the movie, Days of Thunder, you’re right, and Archie Comics Editor-in-Chief Mike Pellerito openly admitted it: “Racing and cool cars are such a big part of childhood fantasies and part of Archie lore, and we wanted a new character who evoked that feeling with a little bit of danger. I had a rough idea of what we wanted with an invented history of the Southside Serpents going back to the ‘Little Archie’ days and a look that took inspiration from Evel Knievel, Pinky Tuscadero, and Penelope Pitstop, which Steven Butler perfectly brought to visual life. But I wanted a name before Craig Boldman put it all together. My right-hand man [Archie Comics Production Manager/Associate Editor] Stephen Oswald started listing off cool racing movies with a twist, and we had Daisy Thunder! Craig turned it into something great and Steven went above and beyond. Another amazing character added to the Archie sandbox, and I can’t wait for more.”

It’s the day of the Riverdale Road Race, and Reggie questions Archie’s decision to enter his “sad-looking jalopy”. His race car is basically a souped-up version of Archie’s old Ford Model A, kind of like this. Archie says it’s “happy where it counts” and says Dilton has reinvented the engine. Daisy Thunder arrives and calls out to “Little Archie”. Daisy introduces herself and says she’s back in town.

Someone (Coach Clayton?) waves the checkered flag, and they’re off. Yeah, it’s as sudden as it sounds. Betty and Veronica are viewing the race on a monitor in a booth in Pop’s and offering commentary. Betty exposits it’s a charity event. Ronnie exposits about their drone camera. They hype Daisy and Archie as being “supercharged” compared to the other racers.

Jughead and Reggie are riding with Archie. Jughead asks about Daisy, and Archie says she’s his oldest rival (Reggie resents that). In grade school, he spilled chocolate milk on her art contest drawing (a drag racer). Daisy was furious. Archie explains he was “a little clumsy in those days”.

Jughead warns Archie of a “super-villain crossing”. The Shield demands a flying villain known as Brain Emperor drop something known as a goztrark. They’re passing the Mighty Legends of Justice Museum. Yeah, I think Archie Comics is just going with superheroes operating openly in Riverdale at this point, even in “normal” continuity. Archie resumes his explanation, saying, even then, Daisy struck him as the type to hold a grudge. She always got him flustered. He adds she’s grown up to be “pretty spectacular”. Jughead asks why they’re so competitive and suggests making up and being nice. Archie says he’s got to win her respect, and the only way to do that is to beat her fair and square.

Betty and Ronnie exposit the pack is downtown and approaching Fox Forest and the “creepy” Igor Estates. Giant monsters scare some drivers out of the race. Trick and Treat (Halloween spirits that were introduced a while ago) don’t scare Daisy, who compares them unfavorably to the members of her Southside Serpents gang. Bats surround Archie’s car, but it’s equipped with “windshield vipers” (which look like ordinary windshield wipers to me). Betty exposits it’s “down to just Archie and Daisy”. Ronnie exposits they’re rounding Cobra Cave and on the home stretch. At the finish line (I guess), various people – such as Cheryl, Dilton, Midge, Ethel, Moose, Chuck, and Nancy – cheer them on. So the cover is a fucking lie. It indicated Cheryl would be racing (well, riding in a car driven by Jason), which ends up not being the case. Speaking of Jason, when’s the last time that we saw him in Classic Archieverse continuity? Anyone know? Cheryl’s pretty consistently been attending Riverdale High (save for one exception) since the old Betty and Veronica floppy title ended in 2015, but what school is Jason attending?

Anyway, Reggie doesn’t see Daisy. Archie gleefully says he lost her “in that last cloud of dust”. How is there dust? They’re driving on pavement. As they approach the finish line, Archie declares nothing can stop him now. Daisy passes him at the last second, winning the race (and somehow responding to him, even though there’s no way that she could have heard what he said).

After the race, while Daisy’s having her picture taken with her trophy, Archie says she was “nowhere in sight”. I would blame Archie for having absolutely no rearview mirrors on his car (which I’m pretty sure is illegal), but Reggie was also looking around and said he didn’t see her, so I call bullshit. Daisy explains she turned around and went back for her goggles, because she left them back at the starting line, and she caught back up again. Super bullshit! Jughead thinks Archie will have to up his game with this one. Archie declares “I smell a rematch!” Daisy winks at him. The final captions read “The End For Now!”

This story was subpar. They crammed way too many cameos and Little Archie references into such a short story. We barely got to know Daisy. So here’s some more backstory from Craig Boldman: “Daisy Thunder is a childhood friend of the Riverdale gang — or should we say frenemy? — who moved away when they were very young. Now she’s back! In the intervening years, she’s had an amazing life, owing to her father’s career as a globe-hopping professional racecar driver. He’s ready to settle down and enjoy a slower pace, but it turns out Daisy’s not wired that way.”

Report Card

Let’s do some math. I’m going to compare the number of pages of new content and the amount charged for it at this point last year to what has been released up to this point this year:

2023:

Pages: 205 / Price: $145.82

2024:

Pages: 125 / Price: $99.87

Difference:

Pages: -80 / Price: -$45.95