Archie Will Die Taking A Bullet Meant For Gay Friend

[Rutskarn]

Man, holy shit. I am the Social Justice Warriorest of Social Justice Warriors, to the point where reading these forums sends me into conniptions half the time, and even to me this comes across like they're trying to get a Fox News headline.

Not that there should be anything particularly wrong or notable about a character sacrificing himself for another character, who just happens to be gay, who just happens to be anti-gun-control. Not that there's anything wrong with this storyline, even...but let's not pretend they don't know what they're doing.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

I like how comic book authors always advertise the big plot twist before you even open the book. Another reason I never understood comics. That said, feels tacky to me. It all feels so setup and stilted.

 

[Lightknight]

Is it in any way significant that his friend is gay? Kind of a weird thing to specify. Or is this just how we refer to Archie characters now? "That's the gay one, that's the black one, etc." Maybe next time he'll take a bullet for his Hungarian friend?

Well uh.. Spoilers..?

I don't actually think I can even get this around where I live anyhow, so no.

I'm still shocked people read this. It's like learning that someone still plays with a stick and wheel ring.

 

[faefrost]

So sales of Archie comics are that bad? eh? So bad that it has come to this?

(And honestly? Isn't this a scene and sordid poor cash grab that the actual comics buying and reading members of the public have become numb to? I mean the pics shown look exactly like how they offed 16 year old Ultimate Peter Parker a few years back. At this point having Archie hunt, kill and eat Jughead would have generated better buzz.)

 

[bdcjacko]

Spoiler warning, Jughead was the gun man.

 

[Tsaba]

You know, I look forward to the day we as a society don't "need" to praise or give attention every time we hear the word gay in a sentence, can we just agree he takes a bullet for a friend, because, that it is the noble thing to do... and a good way to kill off a comic that has no reason to live anymore.

 

[disgruntledgamer]

Something tells me they're still going to make Archie comics and Archie won't be dead in them......

 

[Something Amyss]

I considered it, but I opted not to mark this as having spoilers because the information contained in this article is from the marketing materials for the issue in question. The company itself is revealing the information prior to publication.

Not only that, but I'm pretty sure most of these details were already talked about back when they first announced it. I think the "gay friend" is the only thing I didn't see in the last wave of news.

Man, holy shit. I am the Social Justice Warriorest of Social Justice Warriors, to the point where reading these forums sends me into conniptions half the time, and even to me this comes across like they're trying to get a Fox News headline.

Not that there should be anything particularly wrong or notable about a character sacrificing himself for another character, who just happens to be gay, who just happens to be anti-gun-control. Not that there's anything wrong with this storyline, even...but let's not pretend they don't know what they're doing.

They know the outcome. I'm not sure it's a given they intended for the specifics, though.

Then again, I'm not sure I care. If this does catch Fox News' attention, the outcry will be glorious.

I'm still shocked people read this. It's like learning that someone still plays with a stick and wheel ring.

NO, this is like finding out hoop and stick is still a major seller in the toy aisle.

So sales of Archie comics are that bad? eh? So bad that it has come to this?

Well, no. I mean, Archie still has head-scratchingly good sales in general. It's also worth noting that while Life With Archie is ending, the routine Archie series will continue unmolested.

Though I have trouble seeing how killing the main character as an end to the series is a "cash grab." Ideally, "cash grabs" aren't designed to end your income.

 

[Something Amyss]

Something tells me they're still going to make Archie comics and Archie won't be dead in them......

Would that "something" be the publisher, who has made it clear? Or the fact that there's like four other comics[footnote]Four being the number that specifically name Archie. There are several others which involve Archie and his cast[/footnote], none of which have anything to do with this specific one?

I mean, this is literally one of those places where there's no doubt.

 

[Mangod]

"The way in which Archie dies is everything that you would expect of Archie," Archie Comics publisher and co-CEO Jon Goldwater said in a press statement. "He dies heroically. He dies selflessly. He dies in the manner that epitomizes not only the best of Riverdale but the best of all of us. It's what Archie has come to represent over the past almost 75 years."

I think the Comics Curmudgeon would like to have a word with you about that.

http://joshreads.com/

 

[truckspond]

That's about all I have to say about this reveal. Now that I know what is going to happen I actually have no interest in buying that comic at all. However had it remained a mystery then I might still have bought it

 

[Heartsib]

Man, holy shit. I am the Social Justice Warriorest of Social Justice Warriors, to the point where reading these forums sends me into conniptions half the time, and even to me this comes across like they're trying to get a Fox News headline.

Not that there should be anything particularly wrong or notable about a character sacrificing himself for another character, who just happens to be gay, who just happens to be anti-gun-control. Not that there's anything wrong with this storyline, even...but let's not pretend they don't know what they're doing.

Wouldn't surprise me. The Million Moms outrage over Kevin Keller's wedding meant that book sold out almost as soon as it hit the stands. But if Archie Comics wants to give the far right apoplexy while subverting tropes and boosting their bottom line, I'm not gonna tsk too loudly.

What has been surprising is how well the comics have handled some of their recent "mature" stories, tbh. Even Afterlife With Archie was creepy in a good way; not exactly innovative, but well executed nonetheless. So I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on this one and wait to see how the issue goes down.

 

[RelexCryo]

So Kevin Keller became a public spokesperson for reductions of civil liberties that do nothing to reduce crime? Is he going to campaign against video games too?

 

[Baresark]

Is he going to take a bullet for a gay friend, or for a friend who happens to be gay? There is a subtle but important difference. In one, the fact that he is gay is the primary it's happening. In the other, it is done because he is the guys friend, but the friend happens to be gay. I hate when someone puts an agenda behind things like this, is all. Is it somehow a more worthy and noble death since the guy is gay? I don't think it's any more or any less heroic. Also, it will be interesting to see if this turns into another attack on gun ownership.

That said: A character like Archie, in the event that they are married to the idea of killing him, should die a heroic death. He is an icon and if it happened in a normal B&E, it would certainly carry much less weight.

 

[Ferisar]

Is he going to take a bullet for a gay friend, or for a friend who happens to be gay? There is a subtle but important difference. In one, the fact that he is gay is the primary it's happening. In the other, it is done because he is the guys friend, but the friend happens to be gay. I hate when someone puts an agenda behind things like this, is all. Is it somehow a more worthy and noble death since the guy is gay? I don't think it's any more or any less heroic. Also, it will be interesting to see if this turns into another attack on gun ownership.

That said: A character like Archie, in the event that they are married to the idea of killing him, should die a heroic death. He is an icon and if it happened in a normal B&E, it would certainly carry much less weight.

I'm kind of confused, because it really depends on the way they're writing this comic. Why is he taking a bullet for a friend who happens to be gay, or rather, why is that important headline news? Are they a person? If yes, their sexuality is secondary unless written otherwise, but I'm guessing the friend is to get shot based on his homosexuality, so the whole "he is gay" takes center-stage regardless of what else might be there. A person that happens to be a woman, or a person that happens to be black is also very different to someone putting that particular characteristic under the microscope in their writing.

Reeeeally depends on how it's written, but neither intent is inherently bad. I'd argue that doing the whole "happens to be" thing downplays the encounter in a lot of ways, especially if this is just headline-spinning and the whole situation has nothing to do with the dude's sexual preferences.

God forbid someone makes an attack on gun ownership What'll they ever defend themselves with!

captcha: i'm blessed
calm down christcha.

 

[Baresark]

Is he going to take a bullet for a gay friend, or for a friend who happens to be gay? There is a subtle but important difference. In one, the fact that he is gay is the primary it's happening. In the other, it is done because he is the guys friend, but the friend happens to be gay. I hate when someone puts an agenda behind things like this, is all. Is it somehow a more worthy and noble death since the guy is gay? I don't think it's any more or any less heroic. Also, it will be interesting to see if this turns into another attack on gun ownership.

That said: A character like Archie, in the event that they are married to the idea of killing him, should die a heroic death. He is an icon and if it happened in a normal B&E, it would certainly carry much less weight.

I'm kind of confused, because it really depends on the way they're writing this comic. Why is he taking a bullet for a friend who happens to be gay, or rather, why is that important headline news? Are they a person? If yes, their sexuality is secondary unless written otherwise, but I'm guessing the friend is to get shot based on his homosexuality, so the whole "he is gay" takes center-stage regardless of what else might be there. A person that happens to be a woman, or a person that happens to be black is also very different to someone putting that particular characteristic under the microscope in their writing.

Reeeeally depends on how it's written, but neither intent is inherently bad. I'd argue that doing the whole "happens to be" thing downplays the encounter in a lot of ways, especially if this is just headline-spinning and the whole situation has nothing to do with the dude's sexual preferences.

God forbid someone makes an attack on gun ownership What'll they ever defend themselves with!

captcha: i'm blessed
calm down christcha.

Eh, I can see that. If part of the story is that he gets attacked because he's gay, then so be it. It's not like people don't get attacked for that very thing sometimes.

My issue with attacks on gun ownership in general is that they are extremely knee jerk and essentially punishes people who have not done anything wrong. Punish the crazies, take their guns, lock them away. I'm all for that. But it's not realistic to think everyone who owns a gun is someone who is going to shoot up a school. Those are fringe events and should be treated as such.

Edit: Also, he could be targeted because of the stance against guns, which means that the fact he is gay doesn't mean anything.

 

[Something Amyss]

I'm kind of confused, because it really depends on the way they're writing this comic. Why is he taking a bullet for a friend who happens to be gay, or rather, why is that important headline news?

It looks like he's taking a bullet over political issues, specifically ones revolving around gun control. At that point, it may or may not be a tangent. God knows gun control advocates get called "faggots" enough to make the real world sound like a CoD lobby.

At the end, his sexuality could still be a factor in the shooting, but it looks like it shouldn't be part of the headline at this point. Interview points are more towards this being a lesson on violence, and specifically gun violence.

God forbid someone makes an attack on gun ownership What'll they ever defend themselves with!

I'm going to say...Kind, well-chosen words?

 

[Vault101]

The fact that they spoil this (for Archie fans anyway, I could care less) tells me this is a stupid politically correct PR stunt. Lame. Expected in this day and age... but lame.

politically correct? wut?

OT: I didn't know archie still "ran"

 

[strumbore]

You can be sure they're not concerned with storytelling for how Archie goes out. I've cringed at those dopey Archie comics covers in the grocery checkout since I was 5 yrs old. For a 50 yr old comic, ida thought they might want to say somthing more about Archie's relationship with the people he loves, or people in general.

The spoiler-heavy press release THAT he is dead, from taking a bullet for a GAAAAAAY friend--no, wait POLITICIAN--who is ANTI-FIREARM (or "pro gun control", however you want to spin it)...says much more about Archie Comics' watercooler politics than it does Archie the character.

Who the heck throws themselves *in front* of a person (even a "friend" they only recently met) unless they think their own life is worth less? A real person of character and *confidence* would try to push the victim out of the way before they were shot. That's what makes the premise behind the iconic (but still uninteresting) Archie's death feel insincere, more a product of [mostly rightfully] changing public attitudes than an organic end to a character whose creative team is invested in him. I do take serious issue with the wording of the press release:

He dies heroically. He dies selflessly. He dies in the manner that epitomizes not only the best of Riverdale but the best of all of us. It's what Archie has come to represent over the past almost 75 years.

I'd say a death like that is pretty twisted to put up on a pedestal. He didn't know the guy that well and his act renounced the value of his own life--*THAT'S* the Archie Comics ideal?

Not heroic.
Sacrificial--
--*Artificial*.