I’m a little late this week, but it’s still Fan Fiction Friday and this week we have Page 17 of my Afterlife With Archie #1 fan fiction. This one is titled “One Punch Moose!”
Did you write off Moose after last week’s episode? Well this week, Moose strikes back! Will Reggie still get the last laugh? I’d say “Check back next week” but in our next episode, we hop back over to Dilton’s lab to see how thing’s are going with Archie and Betty. Remember! When last we saw them, Archie had really “stepped” in it! What’s lurking beneath Dilton’s lab? Find out next week!
As for the usual Director’s Cut Commentary… Once again, with all of the slaughter and action, there’s not much room for Easter eggs, but there are a couple of little details worth noting in the big zombie fest going on in Panel Three. In the foreground of that panel, we see another cheerleader zombie dressed in the “official” Riverdale High cheerleader uniform. The uniform was based upon designs I was given when I was drawing for Archie Comics. I was told that this would be the official Riverdale High cheerleaders uniform going forward. Here is the actual reference I was given. I don’t know who drew this. Clearly there’s a bit of a manga influence.
I thought the designs were fine… if a bit conservative. I always liked to push the “cheesecake factor” on the girls as much as I could get away with so my preferences leaned slightly racier. Regardless, I thought the design was fine and I used it from that point onward whenever I had to draw the girls in their cheerleader outfits. Here is the very first instance where I actually used this look for the girls. It’s the cover to Betty & Veronica #259:
In true Archie Comics fashion, this artwork has been “repurposed” for a few other books since this issue. I have no idea if this uniform was used by any other artist or if this is still the “official” look for Riverdale High’s cheerleaders. This was a very rare case in that I didn’t often draw covers for the Betty & Veronica books. I think I’ve only drawn a handful if that.
In Panel Three, we also see a female zombie in the background wearing pussycat ears and a Josie & The Pussycats t-shirt. This is a Rachel Leigh Cooke zombie. Rachel, of course, played Josie in the Josie & The Pussycats movie of the late 90’s. That movie gets a bad wrap. It’s certainly better than I expected and undeniably, it’s got a great soundtrack that still holds up.
Towards the bottom of Panel Four, we see the body of the decapitated zombie whom Moose relieved of his head in that shot. The boy is wearing a Riverdale High letterman’s jacket featuring the official mascot of Riverdale High, the Bulldog, which is the official name of the school football team. I believe they use this on the Riverdale TV show too.
In Panel Seven, we get the first hint of any actual dialogue on these pages. I tried to resist but I really thought it added something to the scene. No. There are no plans to have this project scripted and lettered. This is still only a labor of love for me so the budget is zero! There is however another instance of lettering coming up early in the upcoming Afterlife With Archie #2 where I’ll scribble in some essential letters myself! Don’t miss it!
That’s it for the behind-the-scenes commentary for this one other than to say that I always enjoy digging in and drawing lots of action. I hope the fun I had drawing this page shows. Please let me know in the Comments below!
Don’t miss Secret Origin Saturday tomorrow. I still have to wrap that one up but it should be posted later tonight or tomorrow afternoon at the latest. I think most people have figured out the subject of this upcoming page from the popular preview panel that I posted earlier this week:
More on this one tomorrow! Don’t miss it, Everybody! It should be… magical!
