Jughead: The Hunger Review: You ARE The Menu In This Supernatural Tale


This is the official cover for Jughead: The Hunger. It's okay, if slightly generic. The faces look slightly more realistic than usual, adding to the menacing tone of the story. Personally, my favorite cover for the special is this variant by Robert Hack.


I think it's amazing. I love the way that it's designed to mimic the style of an old-school horror movie poster. Every time you look at it, some new detail pops out. I especially love the fading at the edges. It really helps to sell the feeling that you're looking at a classic poster. Most of all, it has an aura of menace and danger, showing the contrast between Jughead's serene face and the slavering, monstrous werewolf.

Make no mistake, this story is not your happy, go-lucky Archie's Weird Mysteries story. The story won't reset at the end. This story has deadly consequences. Essentially, it's paced like a movie, complete with a suitably gory cold opening. Poor Mrs. Grundy. It seems like she gets killed in a lot of alternate universe stories, including Riverdale, Life With Archie: The Married Life, and Afterlife With Archie.

The art is amazing. Michael Walsh is able to project a creepy aura into even the most innocuous of images. Even a simple drawing of Jughead chowing down on a burger is filled with disturbing foreshadowing. The small flecks of blood that dot several panels are tiny, but effective. The little touches also help to set the mood, along with the main visuals.

The fish isn't as out of place as you might think. It's an all-you-can-eat buffet.
I also like the twist that Betty Cooper is actually an undercover werewolf hunter. It added a fun Buffy-esque tone to the story, which I find especially amusing because some reunion photos from the show were just released today. I do wish that we had more time to focus on that plot in the story. I want to see more of Archie's reaction to the revelation that one of his closest friends initially came to town to kill his other closest friend. The comic went by so quickly. I'm interested in seeing more of this universe. I think it has the potential to be Archie Comics, Inc.'s equivalent to Marvel's Marvel Zombies or Deadpool Killogy comics.

In every generation, there comes a new slayer. This summer on The CW, it's Betty The Werewolf Slayer.
In an interview, Frank Tieri said that he could picture this being expanded into a series of some sort. I certainly hope that one is given the go-ahead. I want to know more. (Spoilers- move to the final paragraph to avoid them.) At the end, Jughead left town after brutally slaughtering Reggie. Why did the wolfs-bane seemingly not work on him? Given that he seemed angry with Reggie earlier, could he just control the transformation by then? How do Jughead's parents, if they are alive in this world, feel about this? Will Jellybean become a werewolf?

Jughead: The Hunger is written by Frank Tieri, drawn by Michael Walsh, lettered by Jack Morelli, and colored by Michael Walsh and Dee Cunniffe. You can find it at your local comic book shop.

Zachary Krishef is an evil genius. Do not question his knowledge of Saturday Night Live trivia or Harry Potter books.