Archie vs. Sharknado #1

By Anthony C Ferrante, Dan Parent, Rich Koslowski, Andre Szymanowicz, Casey Silver

This week is the premiere of Sharknado 3, but there’s not anywhere near as much buzz as there was for the first two. It’s probably safe to say that Sharknado’s 15 minutes of fame are up. It’s no longer funny and at this point, it’s just sad. In fact, the only bright spot of Sharknado 3 is that Archie is putting out a crossover comic to coincide with the film.

Lucky for us, Archie vs. Sharknado is much more entertaining than the movies. It has all of the silliness and campiness, without the terrible plot, characters and dialogue. Archie has a long list of great characters that can be thrown into any story, which they typically take to the extreme.

The story takes place in the same universe as the films, so there are plenty of references and cheeky jokes made at the expense of the franchise. There’s even a Tara Reid/Josie and The Pussycats meta-joke sprinkled throughout the issue that will only be funny to pop culture gluttons.

The story is nothing to write home about, but it’s enough to get the ball rolling and get the jokes started. A bunch of storms start on the East coast and pick up some sharks. Now the sharknados are ripping through Washington DC and will soon be on Riverdale’s doorstep. As the storm begins, Betty and Veronica happen to be in DC. After hopping from monument to monument in a shark-infested tornado, they must make their way to Riverdale and warn their friends.

What follows is a violent, yet fun adventure starring many Archie favorites. Ferrante (the director of the films) displays a clever comedic style that the films lack. Considering how bad the movies can be, it’s quite a shock that the director can write such a great story.

The art is also worth mentioning. Parent is no stranger to Archie titles and this particular issue might be his best yet. Each panel has plenty of detail. He could have easily skimped out on the Washington Monuments, but he chose to go the extra mile and give each one authenticity. The violence, while bloody, is colored well and thrown around in a manner that makes it humorous instead of horrifying. It’s a fantastic job by all.

If you’re looking for a Sharknado story that isn’t terrible, this is the comic for you. The concept is still ridiculous, but it’s nothing that clever writing and Archie can’t fix. You owe it to yourself to pick this up and have a few laughs.