By Lloyd Poast

Archie comics have always been a symbol of the simpler pleasures in life. Nearly every household in the seventies and eighties had a dog-eared Archie digest laying around where the adventures of Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica, and the rest of the gang could be picked up and read for a quick smile.

Last year, Archie Comics surprised readers by placing those same loveable teenagers from Riverdale into the pages of a zombie apocalypse called Afterlife with Archie. The very mature and dark series was both a critical and commercial success which proved that Archie could pull off horror as well as comedy.

This October, the company continued to capitalize on their newfound notoriety and reinvented everyone’s favorite teenage witch, Sabrina, releasing their newest entry in the horror field entitled Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. If the rest of the series is anything like the debut issue, Archie Comic Publications has monster on their hands. Sabrina is amazing.

Born of a mortal woman and a warlock father, Sabrina is raised by her two aunts and the first issue follows her from birth until her early teens. Along the way, we also meet her familiar, a talking cat named Salem, and her warlock cousin, Ambrose. With superb writing by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and art by Robert Hack, the creative team have developed an atmospheric supernatural thriller that blends the classic chills of Rosemary’s Baby with the youthful cool of The Lost Boys. While there may not be long haired teenage vampires cavorting about a large Jim Morrison poster, Robert Hack’s artwork is appropriately creepy with a slight retro feel that is a perfect complement to Aguirre-Sacasa’s story. His images seem to creep out of the panels and stick in your subconscious, preying on many of the universal fears everyone has. The introduction of Madame Satan is especially well done.

In addition to the new monthly story, each issue of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina will also reprint a classic Sabrina tale, adding even more value to an already impressive package.

The series is a must have for horror fans and now is the perfect time to jump on board with Issue #2 about to be released. After the startling conclusion of the first issue, Sabrina’s teenage crush, Harvey Kinkle, doesn’t seem to be himself. In fact, he doesn’t seem human. When the Witches’ Council refuses to help her, Sabrina turns to Madame Satan for comfort. Will Sabrina save Harvey or succumb to Madame Satan’s ol’ black magic? Find out when Sabrina #2 is released on November 5^th.