Vampironica

Last updated
Vampironica
Vampironica.jpeg
Cover of Vampironica #1 (March 2018).
Art by Greg Smallwood.
Publication information
Publisher Archie Horror
ScheduleIrregular
Format Ongoing series
Genre
Publication dateMarch 2018 – present
No. of issues5
Main character(s) Veronica Lodge
Creative team
Created byMeg Smallwood
Greg Smallwood
Written byGreg Smallwood
Meg Smallwood
Artist(s)Greg Smallwood
Greg Scott
Letterer(s) Jack Morelli
Colorist(s) Matt Herms
Editor(s) Victor Gorelick
Alex Segura
Jamie L. Rotante
Stephen Oswald
Vincent Lovallo

Vampironica is an American comic book miniseries published by Archie Horror, an imprint of Archie Comics, beginning in 2018. The story, which takes place outside of the main Archie Comics continuity, focuses on Veronica Lodge as she navigates life after becoming a vampiress. It is written by Greg and Meg Smallwood, with the former also serving as an artist.

Contents

In 2019, the series crossed over with fellow Archie Horror staple, Jughead: The Hunger , in the limited-run comic book series, Jughead: The Hunger vs. Vampironica .

Publication history

In March 2015, Archie Comics announced that a new title was in the works for the imprint featuring a significant female character from Archie's past. [1] Written by Megan Smallwood, with art by co-writer Greg Smallwood and lettering by Jack Morelli, Vampironica was announced in December 2017. [2] The series debuted on March 14, 2018. [3]

The title originates from Betty and Veronica #261 (August 2012) by Dan Parent, which debuted the first version of the Vampirella-inspired Vampironica. [4] [5] The name is also mentioned in the first issue of fellow Archie Horror series Afterlife with Archie . In the flagship series, Betty Cooper refers to Veronica Lodge as "Vampironica" in regards to the latter's Vampirella costume. [6]

In October 2018, a crossover miniseries with fellow Archie Horror staple Jughead: The Hunger was announced. The limited series, titled Jughead: The Hunger vs. Vampironica, was written by Frank Tieri and illustrated by Pat & Tim Kennedy. [7] Discussing the story and means of the crossover, Tieri said, "There are no vampires in Jughead: The Hunger. Vampironica, on the other hand, has no werewolves. Now, why is that? What happened in their respective worlds to cause an entire race to be wiped out? Jughead: The Hunger vs. Vampironica answers that question as well as what happens when these elements are reintroduced once again." [8] The first issue was released on April 24, 2019. [9]

Story arcs

Volume 1: First Blood (Issues 1–5)

Riverdale’s resident rich girl Veronica Lodge is turned into a vampiress by another blood sucker hundreds of years her senior. Forced to contend with this new, radical transformation, Veronica must deal with the prospect of feeding on her own small-town cohorts. [10] [2] [11]

Jughead: The Hunger vs. Vampironica

Following her triumph against Ivan and his master, Veronica has to learn to her dismay that she, as well as her parents, were vampires all along. But as she confronts her parents, she and other vampires are whisked away into a parallel world which is dominated by werewolves and where vampires are extinct since the days of the French and Indian War. Veronica joins her friends in that world to combat the rogue vampires. [12]

Vampironica: New Blood

In September 2019 the publication of a new Vampironica mini-series, entitled New Blood, was announced for December the same year. [13] A direct follow-up on the events of Jughead: The Hunger vs. Vampironica, the story follows Veronica's investigation of her newly-revealed ancestor Sir Francis Lodge, the tyrannical vampire who founded her American family line, while at the same time dealing with a new vampiric infestation in her native Riverdale.

Characters

Main characters

Other characters

Reception

The series has received positive reviews. Justin Partridge of Newsarama said of the debut that it "fully commits to its own wild concept, while still keeping the Archie cast’s core characteristics intact." [22] The series holds an average critic rating of 8.1/10 on the review aggregator Comic Book Roundup, based on 43 reviews. [23]

Collected editions

Trade paperbacks

VolumeTitleISBNRelease DateCollected MaterialIssues PublishedRef
1Vampironica: First Blood 9781682558331 March 13, 2019Vampironica #1–5March 2018 – December 2018 [24]
2 Jughead: The Hunger vs. Vampironica 978-1645769736 March 5, 2020Jughead: The Hunger vs. Vampironica #1-5April 2019 - October 2019
3Vampironica: New Blood 978-1645769521 October 15, 2020Vampironica New Blood #1-5December 2019 - June 2020

Notes

  1. The terms "strigoi" and "moroi" are applied in a different manner in the series than described in Romanian folklore. "Moroi" is used here to name undead vampires, who rise from the grave after having been killed and drained by another vampire, while "strigoi" refers to humans who are infected by vampirism while still alive, and who can exercise mastery over moroi vampires. (Vampironica #2, May 2018)

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References

  1. Arrant, Chris (March 19, 2015). "ARCHIE COMICS Announces New Horror Imprint". Newsarama . Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  2. 1 2 Staley, Brandon (December 8, 2017). "Veronica is a Blood Sucker in Archie's New Vampironica Series". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  3. C., Ron (March 12, 2018). "Vampironica is here! Preview the new Archie Comics releases for 3/14/18!". Archie Comics . Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  4. Betty and Veronica #261, August 2012.
  5. Sims, Chris (August 21, 2012). "Betty And Veronica Go Full-On Batty In 'Vamp It Up'". ComicsAlliance .
  6. Afterlife with Archie #1, October 2013.
  7. McMillan, Graeme (October 4, 2018). "Archie Unveils 2 Horror Miniseries Based on Classic Characters". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  8. Long, Christian (January 16, 2019). "EXCLUSIVE: ARCHIE COMICS PREVIEWS 4 CREEPY COVERS FOR JUGHEAD: THE HUNGER VS VAMPIRONICA". SyfyWire . Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  9. "Get A First-Look Preview At Archie Horror's Jughead: The Hunger Vs. Vampironica #1". Flickering Myth. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  10. Vampironica #1-3, March-September 2018.
  11. Marnell, Blair (August 17, 2018). "VAMPIRONICA #3 Sends Veronica Home to Face Her Nightmare (Exclusive Preview)". Nerdist.
  12. Jughead: The Hunger vs. Vampironica #1-2
  13. C., Ron (September 17, 2019). "Veronica returns for a second bite in VAMPIRONICA: NEW BLOOD". Archie Comics.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Vampironica #1, March 2018.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Vampironica #2, May 2018.
  16. 1 2 3 Jughead: The Hunger vs. Vampironica #1, April 2019.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Vampironica #3, September 2018.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Vampironica #4, October 2018.
  19. Vampironica #5, December 2018.
  20. 1 2 Vampironica: New Blood #3
  21. Jughead: The Hunger vs. Vampironica #4-5
  22. Partridge, Justin (March 14, 2018). "Best Shots Review: VAMPIRONICA #1 'a Gore-geous Debut' (8/10)". Newsarama . Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  23. "VAMPIRONICA". Comic Book Roundup. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  24. "ARCHIE COMICS March 2019 Solicitations". Newsarama . December 18, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2019.