Jughead: The Hunger #11 Review

Writer: Frank Tieri
Artist: Joe Eisma
Colorist: Matt Herms
Letterer: Jack Morelli
Publisher: Archie Comics

Once again, Jughead: The Hunger pays tribute to many classic horror stories while blending them together with our favorite Riverdale gang. The story has been a werewolf story up until now and despite that, I believe that Frankenmoose was a fantastic addition.

Frank Tieri is a great writer and has done a great job at keeping this story exciting and fun through eleven issues. With this eleventh issue, it seems like he is taking a slightly different approach by adding more monsters and enemies that the team of Archie, WolfJug, and werewolf hunter Betty have to face. It feels like this is what is going to help give the series the longevity it needs to keep it’s momentum.

The simple fact that this series has continued to be released monthly unlike every other Archie Horror series is impressive enough. I really love those other Archie Horror series, but Jughead: The Hunger has shown us that even eleven issues in that it plans to keep hitting us with a lot of action consistently.

The addition of “Dr. FrankenMilton,” Frankenmoose, and the rest of his creations has added layers to the story that I enjoy. While writing this review, I thought about how some readers may feel like this is adding too many monsters to this werewolf story. I can see why someone might think that, but I am convinced that this is addition will prove to help strengthen an already strong series.

One of my absolute favorite things about every Archie Horror series is how the writers have created these very horrific scenarios and stories involving the citizens of Riverdale and staying true to all of their personalities. For example, despite what terrible thing is happening, Jughead still always has funny one-liners, Archie is still always trying to be a loyal friend, Reggie is always an asshole, Mr. Lodge is always evil in some way, and so on. I didn’t love Vampironica, but to it’s credit, the writers of that series embraced this style well.

Frank Tieri may be my favorite writer when it comes to this style of writing the Riverdale characters. I think I enjoy his take so much because he finds a way to stay true to the classic characters while also somehow completely changing some of them. The best example is how we see Betty in Jughead: The Hunger. Betty has always been the nice friend to the group, she’s always been humble and kind of motherly. Tieri has taken that sweet Betty and turned her into a badass that was using that kindness as a way to stay close to werewolves that she can kill.

Though Tieri may have shaken up her character in this way, I never really feel like I’m not reading about Betty Cooper, the Archie Comics character that I have always loved and admired since I was young. I think that this is because Tieri shows us that yes, she’s a badass werewolf hunter and yes, she pretended to be friends with a group so that she could stay close to a family of werewolves, but she is still caring and still kind of motherly. I explained all of that because of how much Betty’s two small panels of advice to Jughead when he was considering giving his life up for his victims hit me very hard emotionally. Betty has stuck by these two guys and has helped them, and now she is also being the most rational and wise character of the series. The way that Tieri writes her character to be so similar to classic Betty but so different is very impressive.

Artist Joe Eisma along with colorist Matt Herms have also once again helped established Jughead: The Hunger as a dark and thrilling horror comic book series. Eisma’s artwork in this issue is as amazing as I expect his artwork to be. The scenes with a lot of fighting and action are all illustrated with so much detail that not only is it very easy to follow, but it pulls you into the action. But this series isn’t just about the action, it is also beautifully emotional. Amazingly, Eisma captures the emotions that these characters and this also pulls you right in to the story, which makes me experience those same emotions. Matt Herms keeps the colors of the issue consistent to the colors that have come to characterize the series for me. I love the pale blue tint that he uses to create the tone of the story and I love his shocking addition of red to some panels to give it extra emotion.

Jughead: The Hunger #11 fulfills my own hunger for more of this story and Frank Tieri’s take on these characters by delivering a visually beautiful issue that both excites and stirs emotions.