Archie Comics for August 2008

Archie Comics has sent Major Spoilers the cover images and solicitation information for titles shipping August 2008.

ARCHIE #588
THE FRESHMAN YEAR SAGA GETS IN FULL SWING THIS ISSUE!
“Freshman Year: “Part Two”: In the tradition of “Batman: Year One,” “Superman: The Man of Steel” and the Marvel Ultimates comes the biggest Archie Comics event since the “Love Showdown!” The first full-length issue of the “Freshman Year” saga finds Archie and his friends just starting the fall semester. Having survived a summer that saw the departure of Jughead and bickering parents, the gang arrives at high school… to find elementary school Principal Mr. Weatherbee has now become the high school Principal! But it’s not just about reunions at Riverdale High. Archie also makes a new friend in Pencilneck G., although he prefers his more laid-back buddy Jughead. He also makes some new enemies in Jared McGerk and his band of bullies! Along the way the other classic faculty members are introduced, as well as Pop Tate and his Choklit Shop! It’s the funniest first year of high school ever, courtesy of fan-favorite writer Batton Lash of “Wolff & Byrd” and “Archie Meets the Punisher” fame, along with “Scrapyard Detectives” creator and popular Archie artist/writer Bill Galvan.
SCRIPT: Batton Lash.
ART: Bill Galvan.
Shipping Date: August 13th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: August 20th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: September 2nd, 2008
32-page, full color comic
$2.25 US.

ARCHIE & FRIENDS #122
“California Dreaming, Part Two”: Last issue, the news of Archie and his friends’ worldwide, mystery-solving adventures led to a major movie contract and a trip to Tinseltown! While at a swank Hollywood party, the gang is kidnapped along with dozens of celebrity guests, and trapped in a ballroom with wall-to-wall food! That may be fine for Jughead, but the others are determined to break both themselves and their famous fellow prisoners free. The crazy climax features a thrilling “cat and costumed mouse” chase as the teens pursue the lead culprit racing through the Catalina Comic Convention! It’s one explosive finish (did we mention the fireworks?) you can’t afford to miss! SCRIPT: Alex Simmons. ART: Fernando Ruiz.
Shipping Date: August 6th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: August 13th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: August 26th, 2008
32-page, full color comic
$2.25 US.

ARCHIE DIGEST #247
“A Date to Remember”: The town newspaper offers a cash prize for the couple who goes on the most interesting “cheap date!” This is one contest wherein Archie has the advantage!
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Fernando Ruiz.
“Just Chute Me”: Archie gets away to a secluded spot where he can think about anything BUT school during his summer break… until a few familiar faces “drop in” to remind him!
SCRIPT: Mike Pellowski.
ART: Henry Scarpelli.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
Shipping Date: August 27th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: September 3rd, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: September 16th, 2008
Full color digest format
$2.49 US.

ARCHIE’S DOUBLE DIGEST #191
“A Sign of the Times”: Archie has a commercial conundrum – everywhere he turns, he sees an advertisement!
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Fernando Ruiz.
“Wet and Wild!”: A ride down a mammoth water slide becomes a slippery slope for Archie – literally!
SCRIPT: Mike Pellowski.
ART: Pat Kennedy.
“Turnabout is Foul Play”: The passing of the school budget means many improvements in extracurricular activities… but with summer vacation in full swing those activities will have to wait!
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Fernando Ruiz.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
Shipping Date: August 6th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: August 13th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: August 26th, 2008
Full color digest format
$3.69 US.

BETTY & VERONICA #237
“Welcome Back to Riverdale”: Last issue, the memory of “bad boy” Nick St. Clair was evoked by a lothario lifeguard… and lingered like the crumb of a fish sandwich Jughead left behind! This issue, Nick himself is back for sure… but for how long? The seemingly “new and improved” Nick makes sure to apologize to everyone he wronged in the popular “Bad Boy Trouble” story, but not everyone is convinced that he’s changed… Until he saves Betty from a rough gang of bikers! Will this lead to a brand-new romance for Betty?
SCRIPT: Mike Pellowski.
ART: Jeff Shultz.
Shipping Date: August 20th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: August 27th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: September 9th, 2008
32-page, full color comic
$2.25 US.

BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #187
“Bright Idea”: Betty and Veronica are content to lounge pool side, but Mrs. Lodge comes up with plenty of alternatives. Will the girls soak up the possibilities or merely continue to soak up the sun?
SCRIPT: Mike Pellowski.
ART: Bob Bolling.
“The Surfing Whirl”: Archie would love to make waves with Betty, but she keeps postponing his dates to surf the waves!
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Tim Kennedy.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
Shipping Date: August 20th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: August 27th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: September 9th, 2008
Full color digest format
$2.49 US.

JUGHEAD & FRIENDS DIGEST #29
“Action Hero Figures”: When marketing research shows teens are overscheduled and overstressed, Mr. Lodge decides what his company needs is an IN-action figure… and what better model for it than Jughead?!
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Bill Galvan.
“A Turn in Fortune”: Jughead’s reached the bottom of his pockets… and even his pockets’ holes have holes! But good fortune is around the corner, in the form of a comic shop giving away cash prizes! Guest-stars the owners and employees of Hi De Ho Comics!
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Fernando Ruiz.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
Shipping Date: August 6th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: August 13th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: August 26th, 2008
Full color digest format
$2.49 US.

JUGHEAD’S DOUBLE DIGEST #143
“Mow Money”: Jughead’s dad insists he take a job mowing a neighbor’s lawn, but Jughead just isn’t “cut” out for work!
SCRIPT AND ART: Fernando Ruiz.
“The Passionate Rival”: After an ineffectual picnic date with Jughead on the beach, Ethel decides she’d be better off dating a robot… and Dilton’s robot obliges!
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Tim Kennedy.
“The Paws that Refresh”: When Jughead enters Hot Dog in a dog surfing contest, Reggie ends up “all wet!”
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Bill Galvan.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
Shipping Date: August 20th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: August 27th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: September 9th, 2008
Full color digest format
$3.69 US.

KATY KEENE SPECIAL #1
Yes, it’s another great entry in the ARCHIE GRAPHIC NOVEL series, now with a new 6 x 9 trim size and increased page count of 112 pages! Our focus this time is that queen of chic, KATY KEENE. Since the 1940s, fashion model supreme Katy has enthralled audiences with her own self-titled series as well as KATY KEENE PIN-UP PARADE and KATY KEENE FASHION BOOK MAGAZINE. Readers have long thrilled to her adventures on the runway as well as her intriguing romances. Best of all, Katy Keene was one of the first interactive comic book series, inviting readers to send in fashion suggestions of their own that were turned into pin-ups and paper dolls that they could cut out and keep! In 2005, Katy returned in a big way in the FREE COMIC BOOK DAY entry for that year. By popular demand, Katy soon began appearing again on a regular basis in the pages of ARCHIE & FRIENDS. Her new adventures were charted by writer-artist Andrew Pepoy, and were filled with the same adventure and romance Katy fans had come to expect, served up with a modern-day twist of course. Now these popular Katy stories are collected together for the first time. This handsome, fully colored edition features not only every KATY KEENE story from ARCHIE & FRIENDS #101 through #110, it also includes an ALL-NEW story from Pepoy that charts Katy’s whirlwind career! In “Katy’s Diary,” readers will discover how a Michigan girl went from a Chicago University student to a sensational celebrity supermodel! You won’t want to miss the high fashion hijinx!
SCRIPT AND ART: Andrew Pepoy.
Shipping Date: August 13th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: August 20th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: September 2nd, 2008
112-page, full color graphic novel
$10.95 US.

PALS-N-GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #124
“The Big Prize”: An energy conservation contest energizes Riverdale’s teens, who come up with clever and creative ways to keep the town environmentally friendly. Features the return of the “Goodwill Girls” – the group spearheaded by Betty to spread goodwill to needy people and animals everywhere!
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Jeff Shultz.
“The Rivals”: Tired of competing with Adam for Betty and Reggie for Veronica, Archie befriends a new girl… and now must contend with her big “little” boyfriend!
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Pat Kennedy.
“Heads Up Play”: You know what they say: life’s a foul ball… and then you get hit by one!
SCRIPT: Mike Pellowski.
ART: Pat Kennedy.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
Shipping Date: August 13th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: August 20th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: September 2nd, 2008
Full color digest format
$3.69 US.

SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH #96
“Remebrance”: A trip back to the lagoon Sabrina discovered back in issue #90 leaves her and Llandra with flying carpets and masks that transform the wearer into different creatures! Perhaps this will come in handy for facing the monsters that are terrorizing the Magic Realm. Something must be done… the monsters are running so rampant that a mandatory curfew has been enacted. This means bad news for Sabrina, as the nightly Charm School shuts down, and Sabrina isn’t allowed to visit Batty Bartholomew for evening tutoring. She knows she could use her powerful wands to destroy the monsters that are in the realm, but she dares not – especially knowing that using that wand too much will make her evil again. As if that weren’t enough, the Magic Council has gotten wind of the new Four Blades movement and is posting signs everywhere warning people to be vigilant and urging people to report suspicious behavior… where will this all lead? It’s adventure and intrigue as only Sabrina can deliver!
SCRIPT AND ART: Tania del Rio.
Shipping Date: August 20th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: August 27th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: September 9th, 2008
32-page, full color comic
$2.25 US.

SONIC X #36
“Pet-astrophe”: If Sonic thinks he has a hard time with Eggman, wait until he sees the trouble Chris’ rival Milan Ramada dishes out! This spoiled daughter of a rich businessman could give Veronica Lodge a run for her money (literally)! Determined to win the title of “richest kid in town,” Milan travels in style in a souped-up limo made of special components her father’s company dreamt up. Eggman promptly steals those components to build a new robot, but still needs a chaos emerald to complete the task. Lucky for him, first prize in the pet show is chaos emerald-encrusted collar! Can Bokkun dressed as a cat really win the judges’ hearts in any category other than “worst in show?!”
SCRIPT: Joe Edkin.
ART: David Hutchison (pencils) and Terry Austin (inks).
“Fine furry friends” cover by Pat “I brake for fuzzy animals” Spaziante!
Shipping Date: August 20th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: August 27th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: September 9th, 2008
32-page, full color comic
$2.25 US.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #191
“Metal and Mettle, Part One”: The Council of Acorn is dragging its feet to take back Freedom HQ, and Sonic’s not the kind of guy to wait! Our hero is ready to rumble – but is he ready for King Scourge and the newest Metal Sonic? Meanwhile, Knuckles is still haunted by his time as Enerjak. Can his bond with Julie-Su take the strain? All this, plus a surprise newcomer joins the fray!
SCRIPT: Ian Flynn.
ART: Tracy Yardley! (pencils) and Jim Amash (inks).
Pulse-pounding cover by Tracy Yardley!
Shipping Date: August 6th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: August 13th, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: August 26th, 2008
32-page, full color comic
$2.25 US.

VERONICA #190
“Makeover Madness”: Veronica decides to become a fashion expert for a business class assignment… and proceeds to give everyone “the business” by giving everyone a makeover!
“Get Your Geek On”: Veronica dreads going to the comic convention with her fangirl cousin Marcy… especially since she insists that Veronica go dressed as an alien queen. But her protests don’t last long, as for every queen there is a king!
“Tech-No, Tech-YES!”: Mr. Lodge tries to institute “technology free” nights at the mansion… but finds that even “free” comes at a cost!
SCRIPTS AND ART: Dan Parent.
Shipping Date: August 27th, 2008
On Sale at Comic Specialty Shops: September 3rd, 2008
On Sale on Newsstands: September 16th, 2008
32-page, full color comic
$2.25 US.