First, I should note that Johanna has already posted an excellent review, here:
http://comicsworthreading.com/2009/01/24/archie-comics-for-january-2009/
And I basically agree with what she’s said.  Next, I should say that this issue is likely circulating off the newsstands now, so get it while you can, if you’re interested.


Why did I buy this?

Sabrina and Josie and Pussycats were in it.


What’s good?

Veronica in “Forgive & Forget?”  Is she really into Archie because of the red hair?

Betty & Veronica in “The Snow Must Go On.”  It’s good to see Ronnie not taking Betty’s friendship for granted. 

Josie and the Pussycats in “Give it a Rest-aurant!”  I dig the updated look on the girls.  That opening shot of Melody on the couch was appealing enough to sell the book to me. 

Sabrina in “Snow Problem.”  Little Sabrina?  Grade School Sabrina?  Not sure about the nomenclature.  This was the highlight of the volume.  Great art and a good script.  I didn’t have exposure to this version of the (pre) teenage witch until now.  Still works for me. 


Disappointing?

Betty & Veronica in “Bedtime Story.”  The pajama party featured far too little of said pajamas.    Actually this needs to be a crossover epic.  B&V having the slumber party in their own titles, while in Archie and Jughead, for some reason, the boys are trying to crash the party.  (Would a panty raid be unacceptable?) 


Clunkers?

Betty & Veronica in “Dress Warmly.”  There was no story.

Betty & Veronica & Kumi in “Coming to the USA!”  I’m not going to bother trying to deconstruct this, other than to say that there wasn’t a story and nationality alone doesn’t make for a new character.  The concept of a recurring character in Riverdale that is a foreign exchange student is just too good to let die like this.  I’ll try to help here and pitch an idea below.  Anybody else, feel free to pitch in, too.     

Overall?

I’m not sure I can recommend this, but I’ll always be a sucker for the Pussycats.


Pitch for a Kumi story

Okay, she seems to be interested in having an American boyfriend.  We’ll start with that.  Who’s the worst possible choice for a prospective boyfriend?  I’m going with Jughead.  Kumi invites him to her house for dinner.  Jughead is, of course, about to turn her down, when Betty, Veronica, and Archie pull him aside.  They tell him that she’s a sweet girl in a foreign land and he has to be neighborly.  He’s not convinced.  Archie tells him, that if he doesn’t that there could be international repercussions!  Who knows what may start because of this little snub?  This is how wars start.

Jughead: “You’re right, Arch.  I’ve got to do this.  For world peace and the good old USA!”  He turns around and salutes the Flag.  They return and Jughead, gulp, accepts the invitation.  He tells her that he’s always had an interest in Japanese culture.

Kumi arrives home in a panic, “Mom!  Dad!  Sis!  My new boyfriend is coming over and he wants to see Japanese!”  Quickly she forces everyone into kimonos, has her dad ready some haiku, has her sister get the tea service ready, and has mom prepare sushi.

Jughead arrives, in a suit and tie, no less.  (He cleans up nice.)  He is taken aback by the wardrobe, the tea, and the poetry, but draws the line at the raw fish.  When asked what he does like, Jughead is all about American food, you know, burgers.

Kumi gathers the family in the kitchen, “Okay, too much Japanese.  We’ll show him we can do American, instead.”  “Honey, why don’t we just be ourselves?”  “No, no, no, no, you’ll ruin this for me by being yourselves.  We’ve got to make a good impression.” 

A short time later, out walks the family, bearing burgers and dressed in alternating cowboy outfits and 50’s wardrobe.  Jughead, in spite of hunger, cannot resist busting out in laughter.  Kumi runs off crying. 

A little later, Jughead knocks on her bedroom door, eating a burger, and is invited in.

Jughead: “Your mom makes a mean teriyaki burger.”
Kumi (face buried in a pillow): “Thank you.”

Jughead notices some Japanese video games in her room, stuff he’s never seen before.  All the captions and dialogue are in Japanese, so Kumi translates, and the two bond.
           
The next day, Jughead and Kumi approach the gang.

Archie: “How was the date?”
Jughead: “Kumi’s okay for a girl, I guess.  Her mom can grill burgers on a hibachi.  She’s very good with the soy sauce.”
Betty: “Kumi?  What did you think?”
Kumi: “Jughead is not an average American boy is he?
Archie, Betty, Veronica together: “No.”

Suddenly an angry Ethyl shows up.  She’s heard that her Juggy was off dating somebody.

Jughead (terrified): “Okay Kumi, your next lesson in surviving America is how to deal with the jilted, obsessive other woman.”
Kumi (more terrified): “We have those in Japan, too.  But not that big!  What do we do?”

In the last panel, they’re running for their lives.
Jughead: “Maybe you can show me how to live in Japan!”

The end.

Loved that fan-fic on your website.  If you've got any Kumi ideas, pitch them here.  Save Kumi!

I know I probably shouldn't ask a musician this, but as long as there's an Australian here, what do you think of The Veronicas?

Bonus question:  Any love for Aussie NASCAR driver, Marcos Ambrose?

Ambrose is a good guy and good racer.  Obviously, I'm smitten with the Veronicas (thank you Archie comics for introducing them to me).  These people are fine ambassadors for Australia as far as I'm concerned.

I am interested in how an Australian heavy metal musician would be an Archie comics fan.