ARCHIE VS. PREDATOR II #5

“Escape Velocity”
Writer: Alex de Campi
Artist: Robert Hack

Archie lies on the gym floor begging for help. The Predator-Archie is getting his ass kicked by his fellow Predators. In space new Betty and Jughead are flying in the captured Predator ship. They talk about their feelings and Jughead names the Predator dog Bratwurst. Jason and Cheryl are locked in the gym basement with the gas leaking. A Predator comes in and Cheryl loses it. She attacks and the Predator shoots. This causes the whole gym to explode.

At the football field the classic Betty and Veronica are sitting with the devil. They are joined by the Predator-Archie which survived. There is some more talking about feelings. The devil turns out to be a really cool guy and puts everything back to normal. At the end the classic Betty and Veronica are sitting in an outdoor café in New York. Predator-Archie is with them. The end.

Well this was a disappointing ending. So they go through all this and the devil just sets thing back to normal. Betty and Veronica get tattoos and lesbian power haircuts. Everything is just hunky dory. Wow what an anti-climatic ending. Just a really disappointing ending. This whole series both the first and second should have been called Betty and Veronica vs. the Predator. Archie was for the most part a minor character that didn’t have any real relevance in the plot. I don’t mind that since I do think the girls are more interesting than Archie. The first series I enjoyed and loved the weird ending. This one well it started with some potential but the lazy writing and the dumb ending just ruined it for me. Can’t see any reason to make a third series. If you want a really cool crossover check out the Batman vs. Predator. Now that was awesome. Someday I will do those on this site.

ARCHIE VS. PREDATOR II #4

“Dance of Death”
Writer: Alex de Campi
Artist: Robert Hack

The Axis of Evil lead by Cheryl has a plan to destroy the Predators. She starts a gas leak in the basement to blow up the gym. That it will probably kill everyone else is of little importance. Reggie decides to do the right thing and locks her in the basement so she can’t carry out her plan. He goes and helps the survivors in the gym who are battling the Predators. Kevin, Toni and Archie are the only survivors. The Predator-Archie has just been impaled with a pennant. Jughead and new Betty have made it to the Predator’s ship. Jughead manages to win over the loyalty of one of the Predator dogs by giving him hamburgers. Betty accidentally hits a button and they take off. Classic Betty and Veronica invoke a ritual that summons Mr. Inferno.

Well you can’t say that this issue wasn’t fast paced. The action is going strong. Now I’m not familiar with the Archie characters so I don’t really have any type of connection to them. Still the story moves along at a quick pace and I do find it interesting. So now they have I guess the Devil come to help them. I wonder how that works out.

ARCHIE VS. PREDATOR II #3

“A Kiss Before Dying”
Writer: Alex de Campi
Artist: Robert Hack

Archie, Predator Archie and old Betty and Veronica confront the Predators in the high school gym. Archie tries to be nice but the Predators open fire. Predator Archie manages to take Archie to the safety of the rafters. Yet Archie can’t stand to see the Predators continue to take out their anger on his friends. So he throws his smart phone which attracts them. So the Predator Archie gets into the fight. New Veronica dies while leading the students in a charge. New Betty and Jughead decide to take over the Predator spaceship and sneak out. The Predators see and sic their dogs on them. Old Betty and Veronica sneak out so they can call the Devil for help. They hide out in the showers where the hot water conceals them from the Predators thermal sight. They then decide they love each other and start to kiss.

So Betty and Veronica are now lesbians. Well why the Hell not? Seems everyone is a lesbian these days. Actually it is pretty hot. I guess you can’t leave women in the showers without them going lesbian. So besides the hot lesbian action there isn’t much to this issue. A lot of people talking about their feelings. Which I guess is a typical Archie comic. Throw in some Predator head/spine tear outs and you got a typical Predator story. I love the retro Sidaris cover. So hopefully with the Devil in the mix we might get the plot moving forward.

ARCHIE VS. PREDATOR II #2

“Pleased to Meet Me”
Writer: Alex de Campi
Artist: Robert Hack

Betty, Veronica and Predator-Archie have met the gang from the alternate universe. They find out that the two universes have some major difference. The new Betty and Veronica are not interested in Archie. They also don’t have flip phones like the old universe has. Anyway they don’t have time for much since Archie-Predator is reverting to his predator form. Also his friends are coming. At the high school a Halloween party is starting. The predators land and start to take heads at the party. Archie-Predator with the original Betty, Veronica and new Archie go to confront them in the gym.

Well this was kind of a wild issue. De Campi seems to have some fun at poking fun at the original Archie. Betty and Veronica are shocked that their counterparts have no interest in their Archie. They have never used Voodoo or Satanism or magic love potions. In fact this new Riverdale is pretty dull and normal. Of course the predators are coming to do what they do best. Shoot laser holes in people and tear their heads and spines out of their bodies. A strange series so far but also interesting.

ARCHIE VS. PREDATOR II #1

“The Darkness at the End of the Lane”
Writer: Alex de Campi
Artist: Robert Hack

Betty, Veronica and Predator-Archie are wandering the streets of a destroyed Riverdale. Everybody is dead. Betty is narrating to the audience what happened. They decide to go down Memory Lane which should restore everything. Only Memory Lane is gone. Veronica worries that the series has been cancelled. The group decides to head out and hot wires a sport car. They drive out only to find themselves back in Riverdale.

Meanwhile in an alternate reality Dilton has bought a Predator helmet on e-bay for his Halloween costume. He activates it which I guess somehow transports Betty, Veronica and Predator-Archie to this new Riverdale. They are only mildly surprised to meet alternate version of themselves. Also the Predators have traced the helmet and are about to land in Riverdale.

So they decided to do a sequel to the first crossover. So far the same writer has decided to do a sort of existential story. We have the main characters very conscious of them being comic characters. They are also a bit worried that their series seems to be cancelled. Not really explained well how these two realities have crossed. A very weird story but I do admit I have some interest to continue reading and finding out where its going.

ARCHIE VS. PREDATOR #4

“Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”
Writer: Alex de Campi
Artist: Fernando Ruiz

The Predator has mortally wounded Archie. Betty and Veronica are cowering in fear. Yet the Predator after tearing off the skin on his Dilton trophy just leaves the Jaguar blade and leaves them alone. Betty passes out and wakes in the bedroom of Veronica. Veronica has a nice dress on and gives one to Betty. She says “if I’m going to die, you can bet it’s going to be in couture.” She than has Betty help them bring Archie into the panic room. First she sets the self destruct. Than they put Archie in some medical healing machine. Only Veronica sets it to way too high and it alters Archie into a super steroid muscleman.

Veronica than arms herself with a Uzi and waits for the Predator. She doesn’t have long to wait. Veronica attacks but just makes the Predator mad. Betty trips and knocks her out of the way at the last minute. Than muscle Archie comes to the rescue. Only Archie is still no match and gets his head chopped off. Betty and Veronica attack the Predator with the Jaguar knife and a mace. Only now the house is about to explode so they drag themselves into the panic room. The wounded Predator drags himself along. Appears he was in love with the girls. At the end the girls are using the medical machine to turn the Predator into a version of Archie. After all he was devoted to them.

“Josie and the Pussycats meet Finder”
Writer: Alex de Campi
Artist: Carla Speed McNeil

The Pussycats are at a station out in the middle of a desert going to a festival. Some hunky guy directs them to some spa. A story that really made no sense to me.

So the end comes. This should have been called Betty & Veronica vs. Predator since they were the main characters. Archie just was a supporting character. This was fine since they were way more interesting than Archie. I mean the guy is so white bread he probably can’t hang around a supermarket for fear someone will mistake him for a loaf of Wonder Bread and buy him. Also this cover was my favorite. These two girls are so hot. Also inside with their dresses torn and them kicking ass which was a real turn on. I can’t understand what these two see in such a doofus as Archie. Anyway this was real a hot issue.

I enjoyed this series. It was just plain goofy which is what you would expect in such a series. The Predator was apparently in love with either Betty, Veronica or both. You almost feel sorry for him. He has such a sad look when the girls are trying to kill him. Plus the whole kooky ending with them turning him into the perfect Archie. That’s just nuts. They decided to do a sequel years later and we look at how that turned out.

ARCHIE VS. PREDATOR #3

“Full Metal Varsity Jacket”
Writer: Alex de Campi
Artist: Fernando Ruiz

Jughead comes back the sole survivor of the attempted ambush of the Predator. He finds the gang hiding out in Riverdale High. Some of the other girls decide to run away since the Predator is after Veronica. Dilton the geeky kid says he has the answer in the A.V. room. So they go there but Jughead stops at the candy vending machine. He uses the Jaguar knife which attracts the Predator who than kills him. Archie goes looking for his friend and trip on Jughead’s intestines on the floor. The Predator has mounted Jughead’s head in the candy machine. This pisses off Archie who vows to kill it.

Anyway after some humorous comments about Jughead they reach the A.V. room. Dilton has been upset he can’t get any girls so build a giant Archie robot. Only the robot goes on the fritz and starts attacking everyone. The Predator shows up and wounds Archie. Dilton in the robot manages to pin the Predator with a net. With encouragement from Betty he brings the robot under control. Yet after opening his helmet another Predator comes and tears off his head. Now Betty, Veronica and a wounded Archie are at the mercy of a Predator.

“Jughead Meets Mind MGMT “S” is for Sleeper”
Writer: Alex de Campi
Artist: Matt Kindt

Uncle Henry takes Jughead to the top of a cliff. He than pushes him off. Jughead survives and finds out his uncle is part of clandestine group that uses mind-powered agents to manipulate world events for the common good. Jughead is the last, hungriest immortal. He will be a perfect sleeper agent.

Well this is getting very weird. The gang find some nerdy geek has built a killer robot of Archie. It seems to defeat the Predator but not good enough. Poor Jughead and his hunger get the better of him. In spite of being terrified they can still crack some jokes at Jughead’s situation. A crazy story that has the Archie gang and their clean wholesome comic confront buckets of gore and violence. I love it.

ARCHIE VS. PREDATOR #2

“To Live and Die in a Small Town”
Writer: Alex de Campi
Artist: Fernando Ruiz

The gang is having lunch at Pop’s talking about their recent vacation. Someone comes in with news that Cheryl and Jason were killed by some animal. Soon after that Pop’s comes with a cake for the group when the Predator lasers his head off. The gang panic and lock themselves in the kitchen until the police arrive. Betty is convinced she is to blame. She inadvertently cursed Veronica with the Jaguar Blade. So they have to go to Greendale and visit Sabrina since she knows about voodoo.

They get to Sabrina and she agrees to help. She starts a ceremony with some goat head mask when the Predator bursts in and kills her. He than takes her skull and spine as a trophy and blasts Salem the cat. Veronica takes one of Sabrina’s dresses to replace her ruined one and the two have the boys meet them at the school gym. They get there and Moose has brought a bunch of guns and his father who is an army general. The general explains what the Predators are and the rules they operate by. The boys with their guns plan an ambush and dress Jughead up as Veronica to use as bait. Only the Predator ambushes the ambushers.

“Little Mask and his Pals”
Writer: Alex de Campi
Artist: Art-Chie Baltazar

A one page comic. Little Archie and the gang are upset about fireworks being cancelled. Archie finds a green mask and turns into the Mask. He starts his own fireworks but Betty hits him over the head with a broom. The mask falls off and Archie wonders what happened.

So the story continues. I just love how Veronica and Betty are so self absorbed they seem oblivious to the danger they are in. So now we have the guys have some guns and the father general gives them some insight into the Predator. Still don’t know why the Predator is interested in the girls. Also the Jaguar Blade was shattered in the attack on Sabrina. Yet it put itself together and found its way into Veronica’s purse which Jughead was carrying at the end. So there is some link to the blade and the Predator. So far an enjoyable satiric take on the Predator.

ARCHIE VS. PREDATOR #1

“When You Wish Upon A Star”
Writer: Alex de Campi
Artist: Fernando Ruiz

It is Spring Break in Riverdale and the gang wants to do something new. The rich snobs Cheryl and Jason come to taunt them of their wonderful vacation in the Caribbean. Luckily Jughead wins a vacation to a resort from his bag of chips. So the gang goes off to Los Perdidos. (Wow this contest is generous. He like brings along a dozen people.) One the guys is worried about getting his yearbook stuff done. Archie suggests a contest to find the best dressed girl. Veronica seems sure to win. Betty is upset but gets help from the evil Cheryl who with her brother has come around to lord it over the plebes. She loans Betty a Chanil which helps her win.

So this sets off Veronica and a catfight ensues. Betty gets her nose broken but worse Archie tries to stop the fight and ends up falling on Veronica. She kisses him and Betty runs off into the jungle crying. She thinks Archie doesn’t car about her. She wanders to a jaguar temple and inadvertently steals a knife. She gets back and Veronica makes up with her. They decide to go back home early. Oh and the Predator has landed and harvested Cheryl and Jason as trophies. He also has for some reason developed a fixation on Betty and Veronica.

“Sabrina Meets Hellboy”
Writer: Alex de Campi
Artist: Robert Hack

A short one page backup story. Eight year old Sabrina is left alone with her cat Salem. Hellboy comes to visit the cat for some reason. The cat introduces the future King of Hell to the future Queen of the witches. Sabrina wants to play Legos.

When this first came out everyone thought this was a joke but this was a real thing. Another one of those wacky crossovers. Now I do have to wonder what the Hell would a Predator be interested in the gang from Riverdale. I mean they don’t seem the challenge that these aliens seek. So far the issue has been a very Archie-centric story. Most of it has the crazy teenage shenanigans that you would expect in an Archie comic. All the drama with the rivalry between Betty and Veronica for the love of Archie.(Never really understood that.) Jughead eating everything in sight. The snobby rich kids.

At the same time the Predator who has little screen time does still show that he is also in character. Namely skinning people and pulling out their skulls and spine. Both have very two different styles which really makes this two worlds colliding. Interesting to see what the hell the Predator wants with them. Definitely a kooky idea.