With the rosy reception Riverdale has been receiving, it’s stands to reason that Warner Bros would be interested in mining some more of Archie Comics‘ properties for series adaptations. News recently broke that the studio had signed a development deal with the comic publisher to bring more of their titles and characters to TV screens, which is a huge for comic book company that isn’t named Marvel or DC. In an era in which everybody is paying attention to big-budget superhero shows and movies, a sleeper hit like Riverdale was not only unexpected, it came from the last publisher anyone could have predicted.
This development may lead you to ask, “But what else is there?” It’s Archie Comics, right? They just do Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead. What else could there be to make a TV show out of?
Archie Comics may be best known for Archie and co., but they also have some other great titles and characters that would translate perfectly to the TV screen. They hav ea line of horror titles that includes Afterlife with Archie and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Their semi-superhero imprint Dark Circle Comics is filled with cool characters ready for adaptation. Even within the standard Archie Universe, there’s room to explore with new takes on characters like Josie and the Pussycats. They have adventure titles like The Fox and glorious villains with names like Madam Satan.
In other words, Archie Comics has lots more to offer than just Riverdale. Their characters are malleable, too, much more so than other publishers. They can be changed in radical ways or presented as they appear in a the comics. A Life with Archie show would look nothing like an Afterlife with Archie show, despite featuring the same cast of characters.
With that in mind, here’s a few Archie Comics TV shows we’d love to see.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
A new adaptation of Sabrina the Teenage Witch would be an easy win, especially if they went the route of the recent horror title Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. It’s dark, twisted stuff that would easily transite to screen and capitalize on the prevailing sense of dread that seems to be filling our everyday lives. Some Lovecraftain witchcraft would be a welcome escape from the horrors of the real world, right?
The Black Hood
In keeping with the dark and depressing, there’s The Black Hood, a brilliant vigilante series about addiction, violence, and redemption. It’s one of the best comics being published right now and could easily be a TV series in the vein of Marvel’s recent works on Netflix. It’s brutal stuff, for sure, and incredibly well-written by the always amazing Duane Swierzynski.
The Hangman
If you read any of this series, you know it’s filled to the brim with twisted, violent, and sadistic horror. So what about taking all that and spinning out a devilish black comedy soap opera, or a sinister series in the vein of The Santa Clarita Diet? It’s hard enough being a suburban dad, but a suburban dad who has to kill in order to appease the devil? That’s Hell! Feel free to use that tagline, WB.
Josie and The Pussycats
Yes, these characters are already in Riverdale, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have mileage beyond that. The Pussycats are almost always portrayed as a pop group that explodes into superstardom, which has worked fine in the past. To put a new spin on things, a modern day Josie and The Pussycats show could follow a crusty grindcore band as they travel across the backroads of America. Young punks who are all escaping something and finding unity through vicious blast beats and savage riffing.
The Shield
Superheroes are getting grimmer and grittier by the day. In a world where Superman is snapping necks and killing people, wouldn’t a bright, genuine hero be just what the doctor ordered (assuming your doctor prescribes you superheroes)? The Shield has had a lot of different incarnations over the decades, but an adventure story starring the latest character to take up the mantle, Victoria Adams, would be a recipe for success. She’s the spirit of America, a hero who always fights for what’s right. Skew this thing to an all-ages audience and you can go ahead and take my money right now. Think, Incredibles meets Captain America. Who wouldn’t want to watch that?
If Archie Comics has proved anything as of late, it’s that they know how to tell a great story and that is the key to good comics and good television. Riverdale is fantastic fun and if it paves the way for more awesome Archie Comics’ TV shows, then all the better. There’s definitely lots of potential in the publisher’s current lineup, so we’re excited to see what comes next.
As far as I’m concerned, this is one step closer to the Madam Satan show I have always dreamed of. Make it happen, WB and Archie!
Images: Archie Comics
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