The iconic comic character is getting killed off in his own series, "Life With Archie."
The comic series, "Life With Archie," a story of the familiar characters in Riverdale after high school and college, will be ending with Archie's death in issue #36. The series will conclude with issue #37.
According to Archie Comics Publisher/Co-CEO Jon Goldwater, Archie's death on the upcoming "Life With Archie" issue "came out organically," while they figured out how to close the series. "It seemed fitting to end a series titled "Life with Archie" with the main characters death - and he dies as he lived, helping his friends and honorably. It's really a fitting end to a great series and a potential ending to one of the most iconic characters in comics," he said in an interview with Newsarama.
Goldwater is well aware that killing off Archie in the series might cause a negative reaction from comic fans but told Newsarama that they are "ready for the entire range of emotion" from readers. "We expect some level of shock, outrage and surprise -- followed by understanding. As a company, we are not afraid to take risks. We're not scared to shake things up to draw attention to the great stories we're building here at Archie," he said in an interview with CNN.
Although readers of the iconic comic character might frown with his death in "Life With Archie," they will still be able to enjoy the high schooler in other series titles. "If you only want to read his high school adventures, those exist. If you want something grittier, there's 'Afterlife With Archie.' If you want super heroics, we have 'Red Circle'," he told Newsarama.
"Life With Archie" #36 will be out July 16, followed by #37 which will be released a week after and will end the said series. Issue #37 will reportedly fast forward to a year after Archie's death and will show how his friends have moved on after his unexpected passing, says Goldwater.