Dan Parent knows Riverdale better than almost anyone. He’s been crafting stories for Archie and his pals for decades. He gets what makes them tic and what has made them resonate with readers for generations. Now, Parent has partnered with writer Ty Templeton to craft Your Pal, Archie, a series that maintains that classic Archie heart while modernizing the look of Riverdale to appeal to the modern comics fan. In preparation for the first issue’s release tomorrow, Parent sat down with the Comics Beat to discuss the series.
ALL-NEW CLASSIC ARCHIE: YOUR PAL, ARCHIE! #1
Classic-style Archie makes his return in this ALL-NEW, ALL-AGES comic from Ty Templeton and Dan Parent! Issue 1 features one of five connecting variant covers by Les McClaine. Collect them all to create one giant image of Pop’s Chock’lit Shop!
Script: Ty Templeton
Art: Dan Parent, Ty Templeton, Andre Szymanowicz, Jack Morelli
Cover: Dan Parent
Connecting Variant Cover: Les McClaineStadium Comics Exclusive Retailer Variant Cover: Marco D’Alfonso
On Sale Date: 7/26
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.
Comics Beat: Dan, you’ve been working on Archie for several decades now. What is it about the people and places of Riverdale that keep you coming back to them again and again?
Dan Parent: Well, first and foremost, I’m an Archie Comics fan! And I know more than anyone the versatility and strength of these characters. They work in so many formats and so many situations!
Comics Beat: In Your Pal, Archie, we get to see these classic-feeling Archie stories told in a more modern setting with a new style to match. What was your thought process when you were developing the visual look and feel of the modern Riverdale?
Parent: When I was working on this new style, I basically thought of it as a makeover, sort of like when I tweaked the B&V Spectacular book a decade ago. Some of the look is inspired by the Riverdale show, but when you read it you’ll still feel it’s classic Archie!
Comics Beat: In what ways do you think your art breaks most with the classic Archie style? Is there anything specifically that you tried to keep constant between the new stories and the old?
Parent: The main difference is probably the change in inking and coloring. Ty Templeton does a beautiful job on inks, giving a thinner ink line to my work than past inkers. And Andre’s nice color palettes are more in style with the modern books, which is another nice change.
Comics Beat: While the CW Riverdale show is pretty far away in tone from Your Pal, Archie, did you take inspiration from the television series for this comic?
Parent: I took inspiration with the very attractive cast, which makes you want to make your drawings hopefully look half as good as they do!
Comics Beat: In this series, you’re working with another longtime comics veteran, Ty Templeton. As far as I’ve been able to tell, this is Ty’s first Archie story! What was your collaborative process with him like? Did you have the opportunity to play a mentoring role to him as he found his way around Riverdale for the first time?
Parent: Ty is a legend in the business, so there was no mentoring needed. He grasped the characters very quickly, and his inks were spot on from day one! He’s so easy to work with, I hang out with him at comic conventions, and he’s receptive to the characters I want to draw! Like, I’ll say, “More Kevin!” And he’ll say “Okay!”
Comics Beat: What is it that you think makes this classic version of Archie timeless?
Parent: These stories follow the classic framework of funny Archie stories, and you can never go wrong there!
Your Pal Archie #1 hits shelves tomorrow!
