Posted in: Comics | Tagged: archie comics, Comics, denver comic con, HRL, life tih archie

Highlights From The 'Life With Archie' Panel At Denver Comic Con

Published Sat, 15 Jul 2017 10:00:18 -0500

Ashleigh Jay writes:

Denver Comic Con, held on June 30th–July 2nd, hosted four creators working for Archie Comics. A Life With Archie panel hosted by Hannah Means-Shannon featured creators Fernando Ruiz, Dan Parent, Erica Henderson, and Ian Flynn. Fernando Ruiz and Dan Parent have both written and penciled multiple Archie comics. Erica Henderson currently does the pencils for the Jughead reboot. Ian Flynn writes Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man.

Some highlights of the panel:

Fernando Ruiz and Dan Parent went to the Kubert Art School. They claim that when they first started with Archie Comics, they were told to draw like Dan DeCarlo in order to follow the Archie "house style." They said that this was both good and bad. It was good to learn from such a skilled artist as DeCarlo, but it somewhat limited their creative freedom.
Ian Flynn said his favorite story to write was the Sonic/Mega Man crossover.
Flynn also mentioned how hard he thought it was to write an Archie comic. He explained how you have to be funny yet stay true to the story and the characters at the same time.
In regards to the Riverdale television show, Ruiz and Parent had seen it, but Erica Henderson has not watched it yet. Parent said you should take it as its own thing separate from the comics. All of the panelists agreed that there were many changes from the comics and that the one change that they disliked the most was that the show was having Jughead date other characters.
Henderson mentioned how she had always been a fan of Jughead. She was excited to receive the call to work on the new series; particularly when she learned she would be working with Chip Zdarsky.
Parent has been working for Archie for 30 years, and Ruiz has been working for Archie for 22 years.
Both continue to enjoy their work.
Ruiz said that his favorite Archie comic that he has worked on was Archie Meets Predator.
Dan Parent is currently working on a limited series called Your Pal Archie. His style has changed somewhat to reflect the Riverdale television show, but that is mainly in the hairstyles of the characters. Archie will have his hair spiked in the front. The series is written by Ty Templeton. The first issue will feature a story about Archie teaching Jughead how to drive, which Parent did not believe had been shown in the comics before. The first issue will be out later this month.
Ruiz and Parent are now working on a comic together called Die Kitty Die, which they first began as a Kickstarter.