The Archie Comics of the 21st century is known for taking their characters in unexpected directions. What you may NOT know is that it’s not an entirely new development… Your Major Spoilers Retro Review of Explorers of the Unknown #1 awaits!

EXPLORERS OF THE UNKNOWN #1

Writer: Rich Margopoulos
Penciler: Rex Lindsey
Inker: Jon D’Agostino
Colorist: Barry Grossman
Letterer: Mindy Eisman
Editor: Scott Fulop
Publisher: Archie Comics
Cover Price: $1.00
Current Near-Mint Pricing: $3.00
Release Date: March 6, 1990

Previously in Explorers of the Unknown: This issue promises the origin of the Explorers of the Unknown, but begins with an entirely perfunctory single-panel appearance of 1990 Archie Andrews holding an “Explorers of the Unknown” book, exclaiming how much it reminds him of his Riverdale friends. Each team member is then introduced in a single-page spread: Red, the soldier of fortune (Archie)! Angel, the expert martial artist (Veronica)! Nitro, the demolitions expert (Reggie)! Wheels, the ace pilot (Betty)! Squint, the escape artist and daredevil (Jughead)! Spike, the Stuntman (Moose)! Gizmo, the inventor and tech genius (Dilton)!

Of course, as the story begins, they haven’t assembled yet. Instead, Red has come to the set of a movie adapted from one of his books, annoyed at the changes being made to his story.

As the giant robot runs out of control, Red, Nitro, and Spike unite to slow it down. As it enters the streets of Riverdale, it approaches one of the Lodge properties, where Angel and Gizmo (who was giving a science lecture) get involved, while Wheels Cooper flies in to try and help. She manages to break the automaton, but not bring it completely down. Enter the final Explorer at high speed!

The seven strangers eventually stop the rampaging robot, realizing that they meshed incredibly well in the midst of the crisis. Since Red named his autobiography “Explorer of the Unknown,” Gizmo suggests they become a team of troubleshooters. Thanks to Red’s former CIA partner, Blaze (Cheryl Blossom), they are able to establish a mountain headquarters, with Spike getting a special power suit to enhance his strength tenfold. The Explorers are suddenly called into action by the reports of another robot on the run, setting out into the streets of Riverdale.

This issue’s art is by Rex Lindsey, who is excellent at working within a house style (as seen in his other major endeavor, drawing stories of The Simpsons at Bongo Comics) but adding his own twists. The ’90s haircuts sported by Red and his Explorers are kind of hilarious, but not as hilarious as Gizmo’s Member’s Only jacket.

Unbelievably, the trail of the runaway robots seems to lead back to Angel’s father and Lodge Industries, but ~~communism~~ Hiram Lodge is only a red herring. The real culprit, however, has beef not only with Lodge, but with the Explorers themselves!

Pepperdinkle’s robots attack, forcing all the Explorers to fight them. But Spike’s strength, Angel’s kicks, Nitro’s explosives, and even the whatever-Wheels-and-Squint-are-supposed-to-do-as-vehicle-experts-in-a-melee-battle aren’t enough to overcome them. Gizmo can’t quite find the right frequency to jam the RC signals, leaving the fight to Red and his trusty lasso.

That promise by Myron proves true, as he is the villain for fifty percent of the team’s adventures. Granted, that’s only six issues worth of material, but nothing about Explorers of the Unknown #1 justifies that short of a run, as it’s a silly, retro adventure in a Jack Kirby vein, earning 4 out of 5 stars overall. If nothing else, it will remind us why the Peter Niven mustache isn’t for everyone, especially a low-down beer-bellied, bone-headed, pigeon-toed, turkey-necked, weasel-faced worthless hunk of slime like Reggie Mantle.

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