Did they just imply what I think they implied...

[kamino_neko]

Well, there's a preview from Afterlife With Archie #2 (due out next week) out.




... Well, they're certainly doubling down on the 'not for kids' part of the book, ain't they?

I'm thinking Cersei and Jaime Lannister would have been a better costume idea for them than Raggedy Ann and Andy.

Comments

[darkknightjrk]

...Huh. Like, I heard of this title before, but I didn't realize that it was actually going to be "mature" or whatever. What else has the book pulled so far?

[kamino_neko]

They're a little more (intentionally) sexually suggestive, and there's the obvious violence (since it's a zombie story), and Sabrina's aunts after she breaks the taboo and accidentally creates the zombie apocalypse are pretty nightmare-inducing.

But nothing quite on the level of implications of incest.

[sadoeuphemist]

This honestly seems about right for Cheryl and Jason Blossom. Have you read their first appearance? Betty and Veronica are hanging out on the beach when the Blossoms show up. Cheryl is in a skimpy bikini and immediately tries to go topless, Jason pulls out a beer and tries to get them drunk. My first thought was, wow, are these two supposed to be a brother-sister sexual predator team??

[michaelhealy]

I would like to point out that introducing a gay character got protests but over all no one seems to care about this at all.

[kamino_neko]

It should be noted, of course, that Archie announced the addition of Kevin, as a major character to the kid-friendly main line, with a press release.

This is a non-explicit offhand remark by the Blossoms in the not-kid-friendly side-universe.

[silverzeo]

... true, but with Harley Quin blowing up buildings (with kids) in an issue that was published on 9/11 seem to have boiled little backlash compared to the art contest to draw her attempt of suicide naked...

[sadoeuphemist]

What kind of comparison is that? Harley didn't set out to blow up buildings, she passed out exploding gameboys or whatever to kids. And a bunch of the kids were in buildings when they blew up. It's ridiculous to suggest that portraying people dying in explosions has any relevance to 9/11.

[captainbellman]

The implication wasn't that it was directly referencing 9/11 but that whatever the motivations were, it's a little insensitive to put out a comic with one of your most beloved characters impassively blowing up buildings with kids in them *on* 9/11.

[sadoeuphemist]

I'm saying no it's not insensitive at all. If Superman has a super-fight and gets smashed into a building and knocks it over on a comic published on 9/11, is that insensitive? How about on April 19 (Oklahoma City bombing)? Or on March 15 (Hotel New World collapse?) Buildings exploding are such a ridiculously common sight in comic books / action movies that trying to tie them in to 9/11 absent of any other iconography is ridiculous.

Also I really can't agree with the description of Harley Quinn as "one of [DC's] most beloved characters."

[jlroberson]

Well, but this isn't marketed to kids, nor could anyone looking at it even vaguely mistake it for another Archie book, so...

[writeofway]

Okay, we get it, guys. "This ain't your average Archie story!" You were doing fine with the zombie Jughead and the color scheme and artwork. Was adding incest subtext really necessary?

[icon_uk]

Given their intent is to create a dark and disturbing filled version of Riverdale, with Stephen King levels of horror and implied social unpleasantness, it might not be necessary, but it's certainly effective, and in keeping with the tone of the project.

[silverhammerman]

I'm kind of conflicted about this book, I mean, I like Francavilla's art a ton and it's kind of neat to see a more adult version of the Archie universe, but at the same time it feels kind of.... mean spirited, I guess? Like, there's something kind of inherently wrong about doing this in the eternally innocent and idealistic Archie universe. It's like brutally killing Mickey Mouse, just kind of gross and unpleasant in a way.

[nightauditguy]

Ultimate Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver did it first.

[espanolbot]

Quasi-Captain and Mary Marvel in the novel Superfolks did it firster (the Black Adam analogue was their son).

[kamino_neko]

Buttloads of mythology did it firstest. >_>

Sticking to superheroes, Superfolks may be the first, though.

[silverzeo]

Not sure if the this is the mandatory "ick" factor horror tales go for, or just a chance to poke fun of how most couples do tend to dress up a pair of siblings in most mediums...

[thezmage]

It's really no more explicit or creepier than High School Musical.

[icon_uk]

Which was actually pretty creepy...

[janegray]

Maybe I'm naive or something, but I don't understand why all obsessively creepy relationships between siblings get the "OMG THEY MUST BE HAVING SEX!" reaction. You can be creepily obsessed with somebody without wanting to fuck them.

[icon_uk]

True, but siblings tend to live together and it's easier to imagine (if such be your pleasure) them having opportunities for such a thing, and subverting platonic sibling affection into something more sexually charged is easy to do.

[violetclm.livejournal.com]

Doesn't Jason have a thing for Betty? He shouldn't be so dead-set against showing up at this party.

[junipepper]

Huh. You know, I'm pretty sure my Raggedy Ann doll did not have fishnet stockings...

[bruinsfan]

The ones I've seen didn't have skull facepaint either...

[cainofdreaming]

Fishnets, facepaint... after Rag Doll in Starman all those dolls are creepy by default to me.

[junipepper]

Fair point.

[psylynce]

You reminded me of Rag Doll in Secret Six, another creepy doll based pervert!

[cainofdreaming]

Ragdoll, of Secret Six, is actually the son of the Rag Doll I mentioned. Creepy doesn't just run in that family, it practically gallops.

[selke]

....nope.

[yvonmukluk]

On the one hand...ick.

On the other, I find it hilarious that as soon as that guy comes out and mentions people biting each other, the Blossoms decide 'fuck it, let's get out of here'.