Tag Archives: chilling adventure presents pops chocklit shoppe of horrors

Pop Tate serves a second helping of horror with more Chock’lit Shoppe of Horrors: Fresh Meat

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Pop Tate, the small-town restaurateur of Archie Comics lore, has some sinister secrets that were revealed in a chilling Archie Horror one-shot anthology earlier this year. The not-so wholesome food-themed horror continues in Chilling Adventures Presents… Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe of Horrors: Fresh Meat, on-sale in March!

While the first Chock’lit Shoppe of Horrors comic revealed the nefarious goings on at the famous Riverdale diner after hours, Fresh Meat will explore how Pop and his dark establishment came to be in three new stories by the original creative team. The collection includes “Lord of the Fries” by Amy Chase and Federico Sabbatini, “Feed Me, Jughead” by Eisner nominee Jordan Morris and Liana Kangas, and “Free Market, Free Range” by Ryan Cady and Chris Panda.

As a new entry in the “Chilling Adventures” anthology series and a follow-up to a fan-favorite installment, Fresh Meat is a warm welcome for genre fans who may be new to the Archie Horror-verse and a second helping for longtime readers who wanted more after the first bite.

Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe of Horrors: Fresh Meat, with a cover by Adam Gorham, an open-to-order variant cover by Aaron Lea, colors by Ellie Wright and lettering by Jack Morelli, releases March 20 in comic shops. 

Mini Reviews: Chock’Lit Shoppes and Strange Doctors

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Pop's Chock'Lit Shoppe of Horrors

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Pop’s Chock’Lit Shoppe of Horrors (Archie) – This gruesome Archie horror one-shot peers into the secret, disgusting things that go on at Riverdale’s one and only restaurant/late night food spot. It’s anchored by an ever-escalating frame story of two teens forced to clean the shop after they skip out on their check by Amy Chase and Federico Sabbatini and discover new monstrosities in the nooks and crannies of this retro diner. The first story by Ryan Cady and Chris Panda has Sandman “24 Hours” vibes as Kevin Keller learns who he’ll be serving at the Pop’s night shift. Panda’s art is quirky, yet freaky, and he puts a new spin on zombies that’s different from the previous Archie zombie takes while also taking the “customer is always right” to its logical conclusion. Actually, the whole comic is wonderfully vindictive for anyone who’s worked a customer-facing job, especially food service, as it has to get old to watch Jughead put burger after burger on his tab. The final story in the one-shot by Jordan Morris and Liana Kangas has Eyes Wide Shut meets Soylent Green energy, and it’s darkly humorous to see Pop’s turned into a cannibalistic, fine dining establishment with Betty Cooper running around trying to set everything to rights. All in all, Pop’s Chock’Lit Shoppes of Horror continues to show that there is a rich vein of horror, anxiety, satire, and yes, humor to be mined from these classic all-American characters. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Brett

Doctor Strange #1 (Marvel) – After being dead, Stephen Strange is back. I have no clue how and it really doesn’t matter in this new volume of the series. We’re given the general gist of where things stand as Strange sees a new role for him in the Marvel Universe. While he’s still there to protect Earth from magical threats, he’s also there to help his fellow heroes. Think of it as a magical private investigator. That allows readers to enjoy some quick hits as we see Stephen having to solve rather fun and funny issues his fellow heroes run into. It’s all cute and interesting but it’s the appetizer to the main course. Magical beings are making Earth their home and in one case there’s been a murder. Who did it? Well that’s kind of the point of at least the first arc of the series. The art is pretty solid and fits a horror with a wink and a nod take of the series. There’s a back-up story featuring Wong who is now part of WAND, a magical SHIELD. That too is also clearly leading to something but unlike the main story, the art feels a bit off. Wong just looks weird to me. Overall, it’s a debut issue that’s fun but also doesn’t quite excite me to go all in. I’ll check out the second issue to see where the murder mystery goes but it feels like a story we’ve seen elsewhere mixed with a comic that entertains but doesn’t hook you. Overall: 7.4 Verdict: Read

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

Preview: Chilling Adventers Presents… Pop’s Chock’Lit Shoppe of Horrors

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Chilling Adventers Presents… Pop’s Chock’Lit Shoppe of Horrors

Script: Amy Chase, Jordan Morris, Ryan Cady
Art: Federico Sabbatini, Liana Kangas, Chris Panda
Colors: Matt Herms
Letters: Jack Morelli
Cover: Adam Gorham
Variant Cover: Francesco Francavilla
On Sale Date: 3/22
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.

Pop Tate is the glue holding Riverdale together, whether everyone realizes or not. His Chock’lit Shoppe is the beating heart of the city, where everyone can stop in for a delicious bite and some safe haven—even the worst sorts. And not just the run-of-the-mill rapscallions who recently broke the jukebox. When a young Riverdale couple (Nick St. Clair and Sherry Thyme) attempt to dine and dash on the humble small business owner, they quickly discover the fryer grease isn’t the only heart-stopping thing about the Chock’lit Shoppe. From tales of mystery meat to the unnatural visitors that dine late at night, this anthology tells stories about the horrors that happen at Riverdale’s beloved malt shop—and how Pop Tate is at the center of it all, the most powerful figure in Riverdale providing haven to all sorts of terrors and underhanded villainy.

Chilling Adventers Presents… Pop's Chock'Lit Shoppe of Horrors

Pop Tate serves up fresh terror in all-new one-shot!

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Archie Comics mainstay Pop Tate, proprietor of Riverdale’s world famous burgers-and-milkshakes diner, has some sinister secrets! The horrors hidden beneath this wholesome small town hot spot will be revealed in Chilling Adventures Presents… Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe of Horrors, a one-shot anthology from the Archie Horror imprint, on-sale in March!

In a trio of new terror tales, a dark side of Pop is revealed as he exacts revenge on ne’er-do-wells when most of Riverdale is asleep and safe at home. The collection includes “Night Shift” by Ryan Cady and Chris Panda, “Soylent Teen” by Eisner nominee Jordan Morris and Liana Kangas, and “Die-and-Dash” by Amy Chase and Federico Sabbatini.

The new one-shot hints at a fascinating continuity with earlier Archie Horror comics, and that Pop may have something to do with the terrible events plaguing this version of Riverdale since the zombie invasion detailed in Afterlife with Archie nearly ten years ago. The writers contributing to Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe of Horrors all spoke to the imprint’s legacy in the horror genre.

Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe of Horrors, with an open-to-order variant cover by Francesco Francavilla, colors by Matt Herms and lettering by Jack Morelli, releases March 22 in comic shops.