Enjoying Netflix’s ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina?’ It’s Time You Check Out the Rest of the Archie Horror Universe

Today, Netflix’s “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” has returned for its second season, and while many people may still think of the show as a darker, sexier, play on the 90’s “Sabrina The Teenage Witch” series it’s roots actually stem from a series of comics. Something I highlighted in a previous post about why you shouldn’t compare the 90’s sitcom with the Netflix Originals series. But beyond “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” Archie Comics has been developing an entire world of horror-themed comics that take their historically wholesome, vanilla, characters and plunge them into a much darker world, much like the one depicted in “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.” If you’re unfamiliar with Archie Horror, here’s what you may be missing!

Afterlife With Archie

The one that started it all, “Afterlife With Archie,” launched in October of 2013 and was written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. If that name rings a bell, its because its the same Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa who helped develop Netflix’s “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.” The series was the first horror title to be released by Archie Comics and the first series to be rated TEEN+ under the Archie Comics brand.

Ironically, our beloved Sabrina Spellman is at the heart of “Afterlife With Archie” as well. In “Afterlife With Archie” Jughead’s dog is killed in a hit and run and he turns to Sabrina to reanimate his canine companion, but as we learned in season one of Netflix’s “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” there are consequences when you mess with necromancy and consequences, there are. Jughead’s dog returns and he brings with him something from beyond the grave that quickly turns Riverdale into ground-zero of a zombie apocalypse.

The first five issues of Afterlife With Archie have been collected into the “Afterlife With Archie: Escape From Riverdale” graphic novel, with issues 6-10 to be collected into “Afterlife With Archie: Betty R.I.P.” this fall.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Following the success of “Afterlife With Archie” and positive fan reception around the Sabrina Spellman character that appeared in issue #6 of “Afterlife With Archie,” Archie Comics began developing “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.” The second series to be developed under what would later be known as the Archie Horror imprint, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” was released in October of 2014. If you’re watching Netflix’s “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” you already have the gist of what the comic series is about, as with any adaptation there are deviation’s from the original source material, but the foundations of the “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” comic exist in the series.

The first five issues of “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” have been collected into a single volume that is now themed to the Netflix series. The final three issues in the series were just released this week in a new “Monster Sized” 3-in-1 comic.

Jughead: The Hunger

“Jughead: The Hunger” concluded this past week with the release of its its thirteenth issue. Started in 2017 with a successful one-shot comic, “Jughead: The Hunger” follows the story of Jughead Jones, who in this universe happens to be a werewolf. Hunted, and unable to escape his family’s dark legacy, Jughead struggles to find a balance between his normal life and that of his werewolf alter ego.

“Jughead: The Hunger” has been collected into two volumes thus far, with a third to be released this August. “Jughead: The Hunger” Volume 1 collects the original one-shot and first three issues of the series, Volume 2 collects issues four through eight, and Volume 3 will likely house the final five issues of the series.

Vampironica

You don’t know struggle until you have to balance being the richest, most popular girl in town, who also so happens to have just been turned into a vampire. I shared the news of “Vampironica” back in 2017, the series follows the story of Riverdale’s resident rich girl Veronica Lodge is forced to contend with the struggles of being turned into a vampire while keeping up with her social status.

All five issues of “Vampironica” have been compiled into a single volume that is now available for purchase.

Jughead: The Hunger vs Vampironica

Though all of the Archie Horror comics technically live independently of one another, the worlds of Jughead and Veronica will collide later this month with the release of “Jughead: The Hunger vs Vampironica.”

In their previous series‘ the competing faction of monsters was eradicated as part of the great war. In “Jughead: The Hunger” the werewolves were victorious, in “Vampironica” it was the vampires, but in this new limited series these two realities somehow collide and there is a risk of another werewolf/vampire war unless something or someone can fix things.

The first issue of the five part “Jughead: The Hunger vs Vampironica” hits stores on April 24, 2019.

Blossoms 666

The latest in the Archie Horror universe, “Blossoms 666” is just two issues in and debuted in late January. The five part limited series, much like “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” revolves around Satanic themes, but rather than being a tale of witches its a tale of twins Cheryl and Jason Blossom and their battle for the title of Anti-christ.

The third issue in the series is due to be released on April 17, 2019 with the previous two issues still available at many comic shops as well as through the Archie Comics website.

Sabrina The Teenage Witch

For those of you who love both the new “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” series, but have a soft spot for the classic “Sabrina The Teenage Witch” series the re-imagined “Sabrina The Teenage Witch” comic that hit comic shops last week might be right up your alley. Though not under the Archie Horror banner, I still feel its worth the mention.

From “Captain Marvel” and “Jessica Jones” writer Kelly Thompson the new “Sabrina The Teenage Witch” feels to me like the perfect balance between a more mature “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” and the classic Sabrina comics fare.

The artwork from Veronica and Andy Fish looks less cartoony and though it’s independent of the Netflix series, the characters and locations in the comic feel familiar. For those of you who were upset that Salem doesn’t talk in the Netflix series, he gets his voice back in the new comic and in the third cell he’s drawn into, he’s talking about “cat butt.” How’s that for a selling point?

With the success of The CW’s “Riverdale” and Netflix’s “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” there is a lot of great, more mature content being created in the Archie Comics universe and with the success of these shows Archie Comics seems to be doing a good job at making these comics more accessible to the fans. With new collections being dropped regularly, its never been easier to dive into the Archie Horror universe.

I was first introduced to the Archie Horror universe when I picked up a copy of “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” at Halloween Comicfest 2017. I then proceeded to buy the first volume of the Sabrina comics, followed by “Afterlife With Archie,” and then I’ve purchased every Archie Horror comic that’s come out sense. If you pick up one of these books after reading this, I’d love to hear what you think.