Archie x The Army of Darkness #4
Writer: Erik Burnham
Artist: Bill Galvan
Colorist: Ellie Wright
Cover Artist: Francesco Francavilla
We shouldn’t be surprised by how great of a “Doomsday Prepper” that Ash Williams has turned out to be. With everything he’s gone through over the year, even a perennial screw-up like him would have to be good at something. Plus it still ties back to his primary talent of “killing Deadites.”
The Blackest of Fridays
I would not accuse the pacing of Archie x The Army of Darkness of being slow up to this point, but issue #4 puts the pedal to the metal nonetheless. Ash gets to show just how good he’s gotten at fighting the forces of darkness, and most of the Riverdale gang get to show they’re no slouches either. Just not Reggie. He’s pretty useless here.
With a little assistance from Ash, Archie reads from the Necronomicon again. You see, apparently, the rules say that in order to reverse the incantation, the perpetual teenager only has to read part of, you have to actually read the whole thing first. Which would, of course, fully summon the titular Army of Darkness. Only after you’ve unleashed ultimate evil into our world can you read the incantation that sends them back where they came from.
Hey, I don’t make the rules, sweetheart.
Here’s where Ash’s prepper skills come into play, as he filled the S-Mart store with weapons and explosives (in a school zone?!) to help even the odds. Betty, Veronica, and even Jughead all prove surprisingly capable in a fight, and the whole gang turns out to be handy with a quip in the face of terror. The final incantation needs to be read in a place of peace and good memories, so you guessed it—we’re making our last stand at Pop’s diner.
No One Ever Looks Up
This book is just so much fun.
If you’ve ever seen one of the Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell Evil Dead films, you know they are a near-perfect mixture of horror and camp. This comic captures that same feeling perfectly. Archie and the Riverdale gang fit in so well, you’d think they’re meant to be here.
As you’d expect, Ash gets most of the best lines, but he doesn’t hog all of them. Even Reggie gets in a punchline or two, which may be his only useful contribution to the whole thing. Actually, that’s pretty on-brand for him, isn’t it?
The idea that Ash had been prepping the store for an inevitable return of the forces of darkness, to the extent that he made it part of Archie’s employee orientation, is utterly hilarious. Even more so since the always-oblivious teen completely missed it.
So far I’m not sure why the Army of Darkness is being led by Bad Ash specifically, since his counterpart had nothing to do with summoning him this time, but it’s probably a branding thing. Recognizable partially blown-off face and all.
The action level is way up this issue, as is the amount of blood and gore. It’s fitting, given the escalation of events in the story itself. I think we’re going to be in for one heck of a bloodbath at Pop’s in the finale.
Employee Orientation
Of course, our heroes wouldn’t be quick with a kill or a quip without the regular creative team of Erik Burnham and Bill Galvan. They’re the beating heart of this crossover.
Burnham’s scripting has been solid throughout the whole series, but he really hits another level here. Now that all the players are together and the incantation has been fully read, the pacing has gotten noticeably faster. He manages to keep that increased pace and still fill it with character moments and hilarious one-liners without making any of it feel rushed. The clown car carrying Ash and the Riverdale gang is careening towards the finish line, but it never feels like things are out of control.
Galvan’s artwork continues to capture the disparate worlds of Archie and Ash while making them appear as if they’ve always belonged in the same world. The Chosen One stands out from the rest of the Riverdale folk, but not so much that he doesn’t fit right in if you squint enough. With more action and gore in this issue, Galvan gets a chance to really shine, with some creative kills and great reactions.
Coloring is once again handled by Ellie Wright, and she continues to expertly blend the darkness of the Deadites with Riverdale’s relentlessly sunny atmosphere. Plenty of red is splashed across the pages in this issue, and she keeps it from getting repetitive by mixing up shades and tones.
In short, this creative team is working like a cohesive unit—the same way Ash and the gang are learning to do.
Milkshakes and Maulings
Archie x The Army of Darkness #4 pushes the pedal to the floor and doesn’t let up, giving us bloody kills and sharp one-liners in equal measure. The Deadites have fully invaded Riverdale now, and our heroes have one chance to save the day. Of course, there’s really no question whether they’ll pull it off, but will they all survive in the end?
I’m betting Reggie doesn’t.