Comic Review: Archie: 1941 #2

Archie: 1941 #2

Archie Comics

Writers: Brian Augustyn & Mark Waid

Artist: Peter Krause

Here we are. The second issue of Archie: 1941 is here, and it doesn’t disappoint. Issue #1 set up the realistic world of Riverdale in 1941 when the US was on the brink of World War II. This is not your typical Archie comic book. This is very close to what small-town America was doing during this time. If you were the age of Archie and his friends, then you had these same dilemmas. If you were the age of Archie’s parents, you were dealing with a different set of problems. This issue focuses on those.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor has occurred, and the people of Riverdale must face the truth about where America is going. In the previous issue, Archie was having a hard time deciding where he fit into all of this. The Army is recruiting heavily at this time, and American men at his age are facing tough choices. In this issue, Archie’s Dad, Frank, must think about what his son should do. Fred is a typical father in the 40s. When the conversation gets real with his son, he can’t articulate his feelings and leaves to meet his bowling league. This is where we get to see the Jughead’s Dad, F.P., and Betty’s Dad, Hal. All of these men are having to wrestle with the fact that they could lose their sons. The issue talks about the legitimate fears that all fathers had during this time. You want your son to brave and do the right thing, but at what cost? In the end, Archie makes his decision, and the aftereffect will be seen in the next issue.

Brian Augustyn & Mark Waid are phenomenal on this series so far. They are writing about genuine problems that faced the United States and just applying them to Riverdale. The idea is simple but implemented so well here that you wonder why it took so long. Of course Riverdale would be affected but this; they were a model of the American town. This is where people were upset the most. Augustyn and Waid are looking at it from all sides: teenagers enlisting, girls worried about their loves, and parents watching it all happen.

Peter Krause’s artwork is doing the job. At times it reminds me of Norman Rockwell, who oddly enough was painting during this time. Archie never seemed like a something out of The Saturday Evening Post back when he came around, but now we look at him like something from a bygone era. With Archie: 1941 you can’t help but wonder if we can really call these “simpler times.”

Archie: 1941 isn’t for everybody. It is not even for all Archie fans. It is for people who want to see an authentic look at these times with characters established decades ago. It is but a snapshot of what was happening in America in late 1941 when the nation was in a very precarious position. I would still recommend people pick this up because it is an amazing comic book and a must-have in my opinion.