Archie Comics is once again expanding its cast of characters that have entertained audiences for the last 80 years. Take the jump for more information on Eliza Han and Stacy Banks.
Eliza Han — a bi-racial pansexual teen with a remarkable back story as the brains behind a major corporation — makes her first appearance in June’s ARCHIE & FRIENDS: SUMMER LOVIN’ one-shot. Eliza comes to Riverdale to hang out with her new love interest, Veronica’s cousin Harper. The only problem is that Reggie thought this would be his chance to rekindle his romance with Harper. The story is by writer Tee Franklin (Bingo Love) and artist Dan Parent and is the first to reveal that Harper Lodge is bisexual.
“The best Archie characters are the ones you can drop in and have them create a little fun chaos,” Archie Comics Editor-in-Chief Mike Pellerito said in a press release. “Eliza is another character that you can fall in love with very easily — and there’s a lot more to be revealed about the character besides her sexuality.”
Then, African American teen coding savant Stacy Banks shakes things up in July’s BETTY AND VERONICA FRIENDS FOREVER: SUMMER SURF PARTY one-shot! While Dilton Doiley has long been the established genius of Riverdale, Dilton’s mechanical knowledge will now be complemented by Stacy’s digital savvy. In the story by Archie Comics Senior Director of Editorial Jamie Rotante and artist Dan Parent, Stacy invents an online word game that’s making waves — and distractions — all over town.
“STEM has become such an important field in today’s world — but it also can be incredibly fun,” Rotante said. “The possibilities of what you can do with it are nearly endless, and the doors it can open for students are invaluable. The chance to bring a STEM-focused student into the spotlight in the modern classic-style Archie titles is especially exciting!”
While Stacy and Eliza make brief introductory appearances, they are here to stay. As part of Archie’s ongoing commitment to expanding and diversifying its storytelling universe, the characters will have regular recurring roles in future issues of its many comic book and digest series.
