When a teenage John Connor enrolls at Riverdale High, Archie and the gang soon find themselves in the crosshairs of a Terminator! Archie vs. The Terminator #1 is a fantastic start delivering a debut that mixes Archie’s wholesomeness with the world of the Terminator.

When it comes to crossovers, Archie has pulled off some of the craziest but also some of the best. Archie has met the Punisher, Predator, Evil Dead, and now the Terminator. And, it works and works really well. Written by Rory McConville, Archie vs. The Terminator #1 keeps things rather simple. John Connor and his mother have moved to Riverdale to hide out while using alternate names. It’s an attempt at a simpler and safer life, where a Terminator can’t find them… but of course one will.

Where McConville’s debut issue really works is that it keeps it an Archie comic. There’s a wholesomeness about each moment and it doesn’t try to change things up or change up John Connor. That’s part of what makes the comic great. John and his mother Sarah make observations about how disconnected from reality Riverdale is, with no idea the danger that’s out there and they don’t mean Terminators. The Connors point out that Riverdale’s issues are quaint. It’s about mundane and small things that really have no major impact in one’s life. Compare that to not what the Connors are going through, but the world as a whole. It’s a small observation that doesn’t make fun of Archie and the gang but points out how disconnected from reality they are.

The art by Steven Butler and Lily Butler with lettering by Jack Morelli is solid. The comic keeps the Archie look and attempts to make John, Sarah, and the eventual Terminator more like Archie’s world than have them stand out. It’d be easy to go moody with John but the comic’s style feels like it takes his T2 style but dials it down a little to work in Archie’s world. The comic also doesn’t censor itself with a gun making its way into the story, showing this is one that could get rather violent. Add in an opening that teases the fate of some of Riverdale and you have a comic that’s both set in Archie’s visual style but not letting that wholesomeness hold it back.

Archie vs. The Terminator #1 does rely a bit on knowledge of the Terminator. It doesn’t take time to explain who John or Sarah Connor are, so those new to that franchise might be a bit lost. There’s clear history there that you might need to know to really enjoy the first issue. But, overall, it’s another solid crossover from a franchise that is known for it’s strange crossovers that work.

Story: Rory McConville Art: Steven Butler, Lily Butler Letters: Jack Morelli
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Dynamite Entertainment provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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