As a publisher that exists since 1939, it’s understandable that once in a while, the people at Archie Comics feel the need to go out of their comfort zone to expand their audience and modernize their image. It’s what happened in 2010, with Afterlife with Archie.
It’s the early 2010s, when we are in a full-blown Zombie renaissance, thanks to successful zombie comedies (like Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland, and more). So, what would happen if a zombie apocalypse happened in Riverdale? It gave us Afterlife with Archie, the first title in the company not to be aimed at children, containing graphic horror scenes and moderate language.
The successes of Afterlife with Archie and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina lead to the creation of the imprint Archie Horror in 2015, with Afterlife #8 the first to feature the company’s Archie Horror logo.
Soon they published other titles, each taking place in their own alternate universe existing independently of each other, full of zombies, evil witches or werewolves. They all exist independently of each other, with one exception to that rule–the crossover story between Jughead and Vampironica.
Archie Horror Reading Order
Afterlife with Archie
A horrific accident sets off a series of grim events and Sabrina the Teenage Witch must try to repair the unspeakable evil her spell has unleashed. Gasp in horror as Riverdale faces an impending zombie Arch-pocalypse! Created by writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and artist Francesco Francavilla, the series is incomplete. Due to massive delays in publication and other occupations, the team didn’t finish the story (the sales are not to blame as it was a success). There were supposed to be 12 issues, but the last two have never been published.
- Afterlife with Archie, Vol. 1: Escape From Riverdale
Collects Afterlife with Archie #1–5 - Afterlife with Archie #6-10
Not collected to my knowledge
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Inspired by Sabrina’s appearances in Afterlife, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina reimagines Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s origin. On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, the young sorceress finds herself at a crossroads, having to choose between an unearthly destiny and her mortal boyfriend, Harvey. But a foe from her family’s past has arrived in Greendale, Madame Satan, and she has her own deadly agenda.
It is written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, with art by Robert Hack, and like Archie with Afterlife, suffered big publication delays. Thankfully, issue 9 has recently been published (four years after issue #8).
- Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol. 1: The Crucible
Collects Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #1-5 - Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #6-9
Should be collected at some point as Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol. 2: Witch-War
Jughead: The Hunger
Jughead Jones has always had an insatiable appetite… but what if his hunger came from a sinister place? When a murderous menace is on the prowl, taking the lives of some of the most well-known and esteemed inhabitants of Riverdale, Jughead and his family’s dark legacy comes to light in this horrifying series created by writer Frank Tieri and artist Michael Walsh.
- Jughead: The Hunger, Vol. 1 – Run Like a Wolf
Collects Jughead: The Hunger one-shot, Jughead: The Hunger #1-3 - Jughead: The Hunger, Vol. 2 – Welcome Home, Jughead Jones
Collects Jughead: The Hunger #4–8 - Jughead: The Hunger, Vol. 3 – FrankenMoose Meets the Wolf Jug!
Collects Jughead: The Hunger #9–13
Vampironica
Written by Greg and Meg Smallwood, with Art by Greg Smallwood and Greg Scott, Veronica becomes a vampire! Her thirst for blood threatens to turn Riverdale into a haven for the undead. Will she put an end to the vampire threat or give in to her blood lust?
After her first storyline, Veronica is whisked away into a parallel world dominated by werewolves for a crossover with Jughead: The Hunger. Her second miniseries, New Blood, takes place after the events of the crossover.
- Vampironica: First Blood
Collects Vampironica #1-5 - Jughead: The Hunger vs. Vampironica
Collects Jughead: The Hunger vs. Vampironica #1-5 - Vampironica New Blood
Collects Vampironica New Blood #1-5
Blossoms 666
Written by Cullen Bunn, with art by Laura Braga, this five-part series centered on Cheryl and Jason Blossom, a pair of seemingly normal kids in Riverdale. They’re wealthy, popular and likable—but they also harbor a deep, dark secret—one of the Blossom Twins is the Anti-Christ. Both want the title, and no one in Riverdale is safe.
- Blossoms 666
Collects Blossoms 666 #1-5
From the world of the Sabrina Netflix series
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina inspired the Netflix series of the same title, and now, we have comic books taking place in the Netflix series universe.
- Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Presents: Madam Satan
One-Shot - The Occult World of Sabrina (Coming Soon)
A continuation of the Netflix hit Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, taking place after the conclusion
What to read after Archie Horror?
Not all Archie horror stories are part of the imprint, as we can see with:
- the four-issue limited series Archie vs. Predator, a Dark Horse Comics/Archie Comics crossover, and its sequel, Archie vs. Predator II.
- The one-shot Archie vs. Sharknado, a tie-in to the third Sharknado movie written by director Anthony C. Ferrante.
- And with the oldie Chilling Adventures in Sorcery, an anthology of classic stories presented by Sabrina/a reprint of the issues first published in 1972.