Comics Review: "JOSIE Annual Spectacular #1" is Rockin' the Monster Suburbs

JOSIE ANNUAL SPECTACULAR, NO. 1

ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.

STORY: Ian Flynn, Holly G!

PENCILS: Steven Butler; Dan DeCarlo; Holly G!

INKS: Lily Butler; Jim DeCarlo; John Costanza

COLORS: Glenn Whitmore; Bill Yoshida

LETTERS: Jack Morelli; Bill Yoshida

EDITORS: Jamie Lee Rotante; Vincent Lovallo; Stephen Oswald

EiC: Mike Pellerito

COVER: Steven Butler and Lily Butler with Rosario “Tito” Peña

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2024); on-sale November 6, 2024

Rating: All-Ages

Josie and the Pussycats in “Encore No More!”

In December 1962, Archie Comics introduced the character, Josie Jones, in Archie's Pals 'n' Gals #23 (cover dated: Winter 1962-1963).  Created by Dan DeCarlo, Josie Jones would become “Josie McCoy,” and she would join her friends, Melody and Valerie, in the band, “Josie and the Pussycats.”

Archie is releasing a trio of “annual spectaculars” that involve the machinations of a new character, “Mother Striga.”  She made her debut in Sabrina Annual Spectacular, No. 1.  Her story continued in the Archie Halloween Spectacular.  Striga's debut arc concludes in Josie Annual Spectacular, No. 1 (November 6, 2024).

Josie Annual Spectacular, No. 1 includes one new story and two reprint stories with the second reprint being a two-part tale.  The new story, the Mother Striga tale, is entitled “Encore No More!”  It is written by Ian Flynn; drawn by Steven Butler (pencils) and Lily Butler (inks); colored by Glenn Whitmore; and lettered by the great Jack Morelli.

Josie and the Pussycats in “Encore No More!”:

Alexandra Cabot makes an emergency call to her friend, Sabrina the Teenage Witch.  Apparently, Mother Striga has bewitched Josie and the Pussycats, and their concert at Eyegore Estates has turned into a real monsters ball.  Their music is brainwashing the monster-people.  Luckily, Sabrina believes that this state of affairs can play in her favor in ending the threat of Mother Striga.  But she'll need Alexandra's help to do it.

Meanwhile, Sabrina's cat, Salem Saberhagen, and Alexandra's cat, Sebastian, are reunited.  Now, it is up to them to do their part to free Josie and the Pussycats.

THE LOWDOWN:  I have been a fan of the Josie and the Pussycats franchise since I was a small child.  I am crazy about classic Josie comic books that were published from the 1960s to the early 1980s, and I still love the two 1970s animated television series based on the comics.

Josie Annual Spectacular No. 1 brings an end to the Mother Striga introductory story arc.  I imagine that the character will make a return, likely in an “Archie Horror” one-shot.  Writer Ian Flynn does good work getting a lot out of what amounts to a 15-page story that is serialized over three issues.  Honestly, he offers enough subplots and ideas for three full issues, but he ends this arc on a nice and unusual note.  I must mention that while “Encore No More!” is ostensibly a Josie and the Pussycats tale, Josie supporting character, Alexandra Cabot, and Sabrina are the leads.

I am really impressed with the art throughout this arc.  The team of Steven Butler (pencils) and Lily Butler (inks) deliver some really good-looking art.  Their compositions are like an homage to Josie and the Pussycats legend Dan DeCarlo, but with a stylish modern sensibility.  It really is eye candy.  The colors by Glenn Whitmore add a surreal touch to the art and to the story, while also giving the narrative a kind of low wattage occult edginess.  The lettering by the great Jack Morelli gives voice to the spicy dialogue which closes this story on a winning note... and a note of warning.

In these reviews, I always warn readers that I will always recommend classic-style Archie Comics titles.  Josie Annual Spectacular No. 1 is kinda new because it is classic-style Archie Comics with an eye towards reinvigorating it.  I recommend this entire “Mother Striga” line.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of classic-style Archie Comics and of Josie and the Pussycats will definitely want to get a copy of Josie Annual Spectacular No. 1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

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