This May, the Archie Comics Premium event Archie Is Mr. Justice comes to a close with a no-holds-barred battle between a super-powered Reggie Mantle and Archie Andrews in Archie Is Mr. Justice #4. And Comic Book Club has your first, exclusive look at the covers to the issue, including a wild The Killing Joke homage by Matt Talbot.
In the issue written by Blake Howard with art by Federico Sabbatini, colors by Glenn Whitmore, and letters by Jack Morelli, Reggie takes on the villainous identity of Kid Wicked… And we find out just what happened to Archie’s Mr. Justice.
Along for the ride are a main cover by Reiko Murakami, and variants by Wilfredo Torres & Matt Herms, and Matt Talbot.
“For our epic finale, we’re finally diving into how Reggie became Archie’s biggest and most brutal villain, Kid Wicked!” said Archie Comics art director Vincent Lovallo, in a statement provided to Comic Book Club. “Where Jughead, Betty, and Veronica find hope in Archie’s role as Mr. Justice, Reggie finds only pain and jealousy. We wanted to emphasize a sensation of danger and hate when developing the cover art.”
Continued Lovallo on the covers, “Main cover artist Reiko Murakami worked up a fantastic composition that shows how Archie and Reggie are two sides of the same coin. Even though Archie is the one bloodied and defiant, it’s Reggie’s icy cold smile and stare that really sends a shiver up your spine. Further displaying the sense of intimidation Reggie exudes is Wilfredo Torres’ variant cover with gorgeous colors by Matt Herms. The use of hot and cold colors coupled with bold line work make this a standout piece cementing the long-running rivalry.
“Finally, Matt Talbot returns for a final homage cover, this time referencing the historic Batman: The Killing Joke cover by Brian Bolland. This stunning cover places Reggie in the place of Joker, donning a reporter’s jacket over his Kid Wicked costume, alluding to his villainous intent as he shoots Archie as Mr. Justice. We’re so proud of how these covers came together, and even more excited for readers to finally see how the story wraps up this May!”
Senior Director of Editorial Jamie L. Rotante also is psyched about the covers (and the issue), adding, “One of the things I’ve loved most about this series is it’s not just reliant on big action sequences and heroic battles; there’s a human element prevalent in each issue. And that is even the case for Archie’s supervillain, Kid Wicked, because Kid Wicked isn’t just a villain–he’s Archie’s longtime friend-turned-nemesis Reggie Mantle. In this final issue, we get the story from Reggie’s perspective, with a unique glimpse into the making of a monster.
“As such, we wanted to make sure the covers gave us the clearest idea of how sinister Kid Wicked is–and thanks to the fantastic work of Art Director Vincent Lovallo, we have just that. These covers from Reiko Murakami, Wilfredo Torres with Matt Herms, and our continuing series of homage art by Matt Talbot not only showcase Reggie’s evil side, but we see it juxtaposed with the good that lies within Archie/Mr. Justice. This is an incredibly special conclusion to an incredibly special miniseries.”
And wrapping up our cavalcade of quotes, the issue’s artist, Federico Sabbatini, said, “I’m a big fan of what-if stories and how our characters have to move in completely different contexts from their own. Mr. Justice is all about that, moving from an ordinary world to the extraordinary world of superheroes. Having had the opportunity to work on this comic fills me with joy, and creating superhero-style pages was fun. Of course, in my company was writer Blake Howard who made this beautiful story intriguing from beginning to end.”
You can check out the covers (click for larger versions), and the solicit info for Archie is Mr. Justice #4, below.
ARCHIE IS MR. JUSTICE #4 (of 4)
BRAND NEW 4-PART ARCHIE PREMIUM EVENT LIMITED SERIES! This is it—the heart-wrenching conclusion to the epic four-part series is here. We finally get the perspective of Archie’s lifelong friend-turned-enemy Reggie Mantle. What went wrong that sent these two young men on such different paths? And can the power of jealousy, resentment, and fear be the most destructive of all?
Script: Blake Howard
Art: Federico Sabbatini
Colors: Glenn Whitmore
Letters: Jack Morelli
Main Cover: Reiko Murakami
Variant Covers: Wilfredo Torres & Matt Herms, Matt Talbot
On Sale Date: 5/21
32-page, full color comic
$4.99 U.S.
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