Review: Archie Meets Batman '66

 

Description:

Gotham City meets Riverdale in this crossover graphic novel that brings together some of the most iconic characters in comics and television!

Two iconic comic book characters meet up for the FIRST TIME in this historic crossover mini-series! A battle in Gotham City extends its reach into Riverdale--with Mr. Lodge becoming enemy #1 of the dynamic duo! Now it's up to Veronica to recruit some help and place a call... to the Batcave!

Collects: Archie Meets Batman '66 #1-6
Authors: Jeff Parker, Michael Moreci
Artists: Dan Parent
Published By: Archie Comics; Illustrated edition
Published When: April 16 2019
Parental Rating: Teen

Review:

In one of Comicdom's stranger crossovers, the campy 1960s-era Batman meets Archie and friends to try and stop Joker, Riddler, Penguin, Catwoman and other classic Batman rogues in their nefarious plot.

For strangeness, this is up there with the DC-Hanna Barbera books, or the Supergirl and Scooby-Doo cross-over. However, if Archie and the Riverdale gang are going to meet any incarnation of Batman, the Adam West TV version seem the most appropriate.

The result is a bit uneven, in both story and art, but like both Archie Comics and the Batman 1960s TV series, such flaws are easily overlooked due to the sheer fun.

The graphics are drawn largely in the Archie Comics style, with large features on the characters, a set suite of body postures and shapes, and clean and simple inks and colors. TPB collections often add value to the collection with some extras at the end, and this one provides a positively delightful gallery of alternate covers, whose different artists throw the unusual combination of characters into some enjoyable covers, many of which should really be turned into posters.

Despite the cartoony limitations of the Archie Comics style, the art team, led by longtime Archie artist Dan Parent, does a great job of portraying the human faces of the actors who played in the TV show. Almost too good a job - the drawings of the little moustache Cesar Romero wore under his Joker makeup in the show looks every bit as repulsive on the page as it did on the screen.

Of course, Batman cannot save the day alone, not even with Robin and Batgirl infiltrating the teen-scene of Riverdale. He needs Archie and friends to don their own super-suits, chase off the villains and thwart their best-laid plans.

This is a blast from the past, sixties-Batman and forever-fifties Riverdale teaming up to save the day. For the joy, pleasure and nostalgia it oozes and brings, give it 4 capes.

ISBN-10: 1682558479
ISBN-13: 978-1682558478
Language: English
Pages: 144 pages