Afterlife with Archie kicked off an Archie renaissance, placing Riverdale‘s famous residents in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. The comics house continued its horror line with the supernaturally charged Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and Jughead’s turn as a werewolf in Jughead: The Hunger. Now, it’s Veronica’s turn to step into the supernatural spotlight—and she’s going full blood-sucker!
Archie Comics’ latest horror title is Vampironica, which follows the adventures of Veronica Lodge after she encounters an ancient vampire who transforms her into a member of the undead. But dead or alive, Veronica is still Veronica, according to co-writers Greg and Megan Smallwood. If anything, this should finally give Veronica the permanent edge over her perennial frenemy, Betty Cooper.
While Veronica will almost certainly use her new powers and abilities for her own purposes, the Smallwood siblings hint that becoming a vampire may actually make her a better person in the long run. “Greg and I were both very interested in exploring the concept of a vampire Veronica without getting rid of what makes Veronica such a special character,” explained Megan Smallwood. “Ironically, Vampironica humanizes Veronica in a way that only horror can. Becoming a vampire is a humbling experience for her and she’s forced to open up and expose a little vulnerability.”
Greg Smallwood will also be the artist on this title, which will feature a number of variant covers from the first issue. We particularly like this cover by Afterlife with Archie artist Francesco Francavilla, which features Vampironica striking a very Vampirella-like pose. Now there’s a crossover that’s begging to happen.
Vampironica #1 will be unleashed on March 14, 2018.
Are you intrigued by Veronica’s vampire makeover? Take a bite out of this concept in the comment section below!
Catch Up on the Rest of Archie Comics’ Horror Happenings:
- Did you know the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is heading to Netflix?
- The Riverdale gang also met the lead singer of Chvrches in a new installment.
- And finally, read about Jughead the werewolf.
Images: Archie Comics
