Josie And The Pussycats #8 Review: Guest-Starring The Archies!

The newest issue of Josie And The Pussycats shows just how the creative team has gloriously reinvented the characters. The original series had a very similar style to the main Archie comics, to put it charitably. Even before the band was integrated in 1969, the series generally featured the same 'wacky teens' stories, right down to the love triangle. Even when the band officially began, it also stuck with the love triangle and slowly phased out some of the weirder aspects. For example, Alexandra had magical powers.

If you don't count the temporary manga-influenced run in the back of Archie & Friends, then the "New Riverdale" imprint acts as the first drastically different interpretation of the characters. The foundation still exists, but the creative team puts a new spin on the characters and plots. Cameron and Marguerite have taken various aspects of the franchise from the original comics, the 2001 film, and even the various animated series and distilled them into a series that feels both familiar and brand new. It's the DC Rebirth of the "New Riverdale" universe in that way.

Just like the series itself, the title characters also have a more mature feel to them. They're no longer in the same vague high school age as the Archie crew, instead being somewhere in or post-college. I like seeing the Pussycats act as mentors to them. It allows the reader to see how they mesh as characters, both in terms of similarities and differences.

In fact, my only real issue with the comic would be the revelation that it's the penultimate installment of the comic. To be fair, I knew that it hadn't been seen in the solicitations, but the Archie Comics, Inc. series have gone on hiatus before. Maybe I should have been clued in based on the solicitation's mention of a finale, but the wording was just ambiguous enough to make me believe that it was an ending for the current arc.

Josie And The Pussycats #8 is written by Cameron DeOrdio and Marguerite Bennett, drawn by Audrey Mok and Kelsey Shannon, colored by Kelly Fitzpatrick and Matt Herms, and lettered by Jack Morelli. 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.

Josie And The Pussycats #7 Review: Arbitrary Honorifics Vs Charity

Josie And The Pussycats #7 focuses on the price of fame. Is it better to go to a fancy event and perform for a crowd of celebrities or attend a charity benefit and promote a good cause? Also, is it possible for Melody to transform into more superheroes? So far, I've compared her to Deadpool and she's blatantly referenced Sailor Moon. Considering that this issue has her using drumsticks as a facsimile of Wolverine's claws, I'd say it's definitely possible.

But, the issue is still relevant. Josie, Valerie, and Melody have to make a choice. Sure, the award ceremony is important, but it's also an event made almost exclusively for patting yourself on the back. Conversely, going to a charity benefit shows that fame hasn't made you too good to help other people, and you get to put on a show. Trophies or seeing the smiles on the faces of disadvantaged children, the eternal conflict.

I recently starting listening to an audiobook of Christopher Moore's Lamb: The Gospel As According To Christ's Childhood Pal, Biff. I hope that doesn't start affecting me.

The art is especially good in this issue. There's a particular scene where the group is performing on stage alongside a background video image. The shading is absolutely beautiful. Kelly Fitzpatrick and Audrey Mok did an excellent job of contrasting the screen with the physical characters. The screen itself is colored in a grainy style where you can see almost every individual dot of color. It's very impressive and I hope that future issues incorporate that style.

Along with the aforementioned moral dilemma, the story also features more crime-busting, this time involving a group of crooked backup dancers dressed as robots. It is precisely as funny and pun-filled as you can imagine. It's always great when a comic can teach you valuable lessons about helping out for charity, but also include scenes where musical instruments are used as weapons of war.

Josie And The Pussycats #7 is written by Cameron DeOrdio and Marguerite Bennett, drawn by Audrey Mok, colored by Kelly Fitzpatrick,  and lettered by Jack Morelli. 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.

Josie And The Pussycats #6 Review: In Which Alexander Cabot Acts Like Doctor Doom

Last issue, Josie and the Pussycats were taken to a secret fortress by Alexander Cabot, to be put on trial for Josies's alleged crime of stealing her songs from Alexandra. No, really. This is why I love comic books, anything can happen. In this case, because the Archie lineup is only slightly more realistic than, say, a superhero offering, it makes the really weird plots even better. It's a sovereign nation in Antarctica called Cabotopia, and polar bears reside there, geographic fallacies be darned.

Every issue of the comic features a large dose of pop culture references, and this one is no exception. From Frozen to The Golden Compass, it delivers a flurry (heh) of obligatory cold-themed jokes. There isn't a Mr. Freeze reference, sadly, but I'll just attribute that to the property not being owned by DC Comics. (Hey, why not do a crossover? You did one with Marvel, two if you count the Ninja Turtles special. Like I said, comics are weird.)

I, too, am sick of that song.

As much as the issue makes Alexander Cabot out to be a coldhearted villain, he actually does have some warmth in his heart. Everything that he does is to help his sister. Sure, she doesn't need his help and outright tells him so, but he did legitimately want to try to cheer her up. Even in the most chilling of situations, Marguerite and Cameron can still embed the crook of the week with nuance and I respect that.

Josie And The Pussycats #6 is written by Cameron DeOrdio and Marguerite Bennett, drawn by Audrey Mok, colored by Kelly Fitzpatrick, and lettered by Jack Morelli. 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.

Josie And The Pussycats #5 Review: Legal Under Parody Law

This month's installment of Josie And The Pussycats focuses on Josie's attempts to get over Alan's betrayal and a state county fair. It starts off with a lot of fun jokes, including a meta joke about not being allowed to name the state because they're "surprisingly litigious about their depictions." I wonder if Marguerite and Cameron were speaking from experience.

I also don't understand why they made up a fake name for Carrie Underwood but they were allowed to name-drop Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton.

The fourth-wall breaking doesn't stop there. It pervades the entire issue, from wacky references to the fourth wall itself to characters interrupting dramatic moments to gush about character development and emotional arcs. Alongside that, it also has some sweet moments about being happy and doing what's right for others. It's the end of the first arc, so almost everything that was introduced in the previous four issues appears again. Also, this happens.

I definitely recommend the issue. It can serve as a great jumping-on point for new readers. Even if you haven't read the other stories, they're summed up, in a fashion. Plus, it continues having delightful feminist moments!

Josie And The Pussycats #5 is written by Marguerite Bennett and Cameron Deordio, drawn by Audrey Mok, colored by Kelly Fitzpatrick, and lettered by Jack Morelli. 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.

Josie And The Pussycats #4 Review: Like A Diamond In The Sky

Once again, the creative team behind Josie And The Pussycats produced a wonderful comic. It manages to simultaneously be serious while also incredibly weird. Seriously, Melody might actually be a superhero. Even with my minuscule knowledge of Sailor Moon, I still managed to pick up on the reference. It didn't hurt that I'm slowly working my way through Calluna's restrospective on the show. It's still in progress, but it's thorough and wonderful. I recommend it.

Anyway, there's even a small joke where Melody hints at a possible DC crossover after a Dawn of Justice insult. Hey, there was a cartoon adaptation on Hannah-Barbara and DC has a special series of crossovers with that branch coming out next month, so you never know. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. If Josie, Melody, and Valerie can stop a diamond heist, I'm pretty sure they could be honorary Green Lanterns.

To be entirely honest, I wasn't as engaged in the Josie-Alan plot. I just wasn't as interested in it as I was in the diamond portion of the story. However, it was very well-written and I do feel sorry for Josie. Romances are complicated and it stinks that Alan had a different view of their relationship.

Overall, the comic is great and I recommend it. On a side note, the opening pages tease a potential trip to outer space in the future. I would like to take this moment to say that if any upcoming solicitations reveal that Josie and the Pussycats will go to space, then I will stop making fun of an actual cartoon where that happened. By the way, this is a different adaptation than the one I mentioned earlier.  I'll even try to watch the first episode and give my honest opinion on the star-studded adventure.

Josie And The Pussycats #4 is written by Marguerite Bennett and Cameron DeOrdio, drawn by Audrey Mok, colored by Kelly Fitzpatrick, and lettered by Jack Morelli. 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.

Josie And The Pussycats #3: The Inherent Moral Ambiguity In Society (And A Beach Party!)

The issue starts off with a now-standard scenario. Josie, Alexandra, and Melody are successfully performing, this time on a beach. It looks to be going very well. They have a decent-sized crowd and the gig appears to be for a special event. It's definitely a step up from solo performances in a coffee shop. Alan is even there, much to Josie's delight. In between performing for the crowd, she can be seen happily flirting with Alan. Unfortunately, Alexandra arrives to ruin it. Melody sums her newest scheme up succinctly.

Melody's secret ambitions? Teaching a college Economics course.

This time, Alexandra's incredibly ostentatious plan to upstage Josie involves hoverboards, live animals wearing t-shirts promoting herself, and other free merchandise. And, yes, the flame from the hoverboards can turn sand to glass. Comic book science returns! However, that's where the formula changes. Alan and Josie abandom the rest of the group to go off and chat. Josie reveals the backstory for why Alexandra hates her so much, or, at least, her version of it. After an incident with a t-shirt cannon, she swims off to confront her nemesis, and that's where the other side of the story comes into play.

'Frog on a unicycle' is my new favorite insult and I resolve to use it whenever possible.

You see, Alexandra may be a huge jerk, but she's a Shakespeare-quoting jerk and she's generally honest. She reveals that Josie isn't as squeaky-clean as you might believe. She uses people, discarding them when they can no longer benefit her, citing Josie's earlier abandonment of Valerie and Melody as an example.

In a way, it does make sense. I do like the expanded character development for Josie and Alexandra, showing how not everything in life is simple and clear-cut. It's really impressive and a testament to the comic's quality that it can get so subsversive so early in the series. The sudden emotional ambiguity and darkness is even commented on in the issue itself with a Bojack Horseman reference.

BoJosie And The Horsie-cats, coming to Netflix this fall. Mr. Peanutbutter is the mascot.

Josie And The Pussycats #3 is written by Marguerite Bennett and Cameron Deordio and drawn by Audrey Mok. 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.

Josie And The Pussycats #2: Don't Join A Dangerous Biker Gang, Read This Instead!

Pick up Josie And The Pussycats. Don’t bother reading the rest of my review, just run and grab all two issues before they’re gone. It’s a hilarious series. My fears were completely unfounded, the second issue is as good as the first one. Where else can you see panels like these?!

Meta joke or was he just being an idiot at one of Josie's performances? You make the call!

I'm pretty sure this is a reference to the film adaptation, which I need to see at some point.

Never mind, it's definitely a reference/

This comic is entirely written, drawn, and produced by the power of pure snark and awesomeness. It’s just a huge bundle of fun that knows to not take itself too serious at some moments, and other instances where a little less levity is needed. This is not one of those moments.

I really hope that Neil somehow appears in a future issue. It's not entirely unwarranted, as the company has a fair amount of crossovers. Maybe he would appear as a judge in a science fair and Dilton wants to get his autograph.

Also, I’ve never seen Mad Max: Fury Road, but I’ve read about it, and I’m pretty sure that they definitely worked in a homage to that scene. VALERIE IS THE DOOF WARRIOR! Seriously, I can’t think of anything else to say. It works in a moral without it seeming contrived, the fourth-wall breakage almost outdoes a standard issue of Deadpool, and every scene is just spectacular.

I am so happy that Marguerite Bennett and Cameron Deordio are working on the comic. It just radiates pure joy and playfulness, just like Parks And Recreation. The writing is stellar and the art pops off of the page. I can’t wait for the next issue!

Josie And The Pussycats #2 is written by Marguerite Bennett and Cameron Deordio and drawn by Audrey Mok. 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.

Josie And The Pussycats #1: Adorable Animals, Evil Machinations, And An Origin!

Josie And The Pussycats #1 reboots the world famous pop trio for a new generation. Being slightly more realistic than the original series, it doesn’t immediately start off with the band already being famous. Instead, Josie has a struggling solo act. She’s already friends and roommates with Melody. It’s implied that they are somewhere around college-age, unlike the very early original stories, where high school was briefly mentioned.

Already, I can tell that Melody is going to be my favorite character. She’s funny, an animal lover, and I’m ninety percent sure that she knows that she’s a comic book character.

Valerie is introduced as an animal shelter employee, agreeing to help Josie and Melody after they hear her heavenly singing voice. Seriously, Josie asks her multiple times if she’s a celestial being.

I don’t want to ruin the rest of the first issue, so I’m going to discuss the backup story. I don’t usually reference the classic stories in the back of the “New Riverdale” issues, but this one is really interesting. It’s a retelling of the Josie And The Pussycats origin, reprinted from an issue in the late sixties. It’s funny to see how different it is from the newer version. Alexandra still has magical powers (yes, that happened), the band actually wears the cat costumes, and Alexandra’s brother is in the story. Time will tell if Alex and the classic costumes will appear in the series. Also, keep an eye out for a certain beanie-wearing Archie character at the animal hospital.

Josie And The Pussycats #1 is a fantastic first issue, cleverly introducing all of the characters and setting up future plots. Already, I’m engaged in the plot and I want to see more of Alexandra and Josie’s rivalry. I would recommend it to fans of the classic comics and new readers. Be warned, however. The comic is slightly raunchier than the other new universe series. Younger readers might want to wait, depending on their maturity level.

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

Time To Dance, Josie And The Pussycats Are Coming Back!

Get out your guitar and start making some leopard-themed headbands, the Pussycats are making a comeback! Not only will they have a special one-off issue dedicated to them in Afterlife With Archie and roles in the dubious Riverdale adaptation, but Archie Comics just announced a reboot of the series!

Penned by Marguerite Bennett and Cameron DeOrdio, the series will reportedly feature Josie reuniting the band so they can get their big break. Classic nemesis Alexandra Cabot will be lurking nearby, trying to stop them. Alexandra is the daughter of the Pussycats’ manager, and time will tell if her brother, Jason, will make an appearance.

I’m pretty excited for the series to arrive in September. The previous reboots have been successful and I’m interested in seeing how Bennett and DeOrdio can revamp Josie, Melody, and Valerie. Judging from the announcement, the gang isn’t quite famous, just fairly well-known. I hope that the series will take a compelling look at what it means to be famous and dealing with fame in the Internet age.

If it goes well, then I predict a movie will be made about the characters. Unfortunately, it will be completely different than the source material, feature an overabundance of stock footage from the Internet, and end up getting yanked out of theaters after two weeks.

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