Comics Review: "ARCHIE Valentine's Spectacular No. 1" is the Official Comic of Valentine's Day

ARCHIE VALENTINE'S SPECTACULAR #1 (2025)

ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.

STORY: Jamie Lee Rotante; Daniel Kibblesmith; Craig Boldman; George Gladir

PENCILS: Holly G!; Dan DeCarlo; Rex Lindsey

INKS: Jim Amash; Rex Lindsey; Rich Koslowski, Dan DeCarlo

COLORS: Glenn Whitmore; Barry Grossman

LETTERS: Jack Morelli; Rex Lindsey; Bill Yoshida; Vickie Williams

EDITORS: Jamie Lee Rotante; Vincent Lovallo; Stephen Oswald

EiC: Mike Pellerito

COVER: Dan Parent with Rosario “Tito” Peña

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (April 2025) – On-sale February 5, 2025

Rating: All-Ages

“Riverdale is Where the Heart Is!”

Eternal high school student and teenage boy, Archie Andrews, and his friends made their debut in M.L.J. Magazines' Pep Comics #22 (cover dated: December 1941), and before long, Archie was the publisher's headliner character.  In 1946, the company changed its named to Archie Comic Publications, also known as “Archie Comics.”

Archie Comics frequently publishes themed one-shot comic books featuring Archie's characters (sometimes referred to as “the Archie Gang”).  One of them is the annual Archie Valentine's Spectacular No. 1.  The 2025 edition of this comic book has one new story and three reprint stories, with one of the reprints being a two-parter.  Entitled “Riverdale is Where the Heart Is!,” the new story is written by Jamie Lee Rotante; drawn by Holly G! (pencils) and Jim Amash (inks); colored by Glenn Whitmore; and lettered by the great Jack Morelli.

Archie and the Gang – featuring Hearts, Flowers, & Candy: “Riverdale is Where the Heart Is!”:

As the story opens, the Spirits of Valentine's Day:  “Flowers, Hearts, & Candy,” have come to Riverdale, which they believe is “a place where love grows.”  Their tour of this romance capital of the world will allow them to witness love in all its glory – from loving friends and to romantic couples.  Their tour will take them from the brightest and most familiar spots to the gloomiest and most supernatural locales in Riverdale.  But even in Riverdale, does everyone get a Valentine.

THE LOWDOWN:  Archie Comics has been sending me PDF review copies of their titles for several years.  Archie Valentine's Spectacular No.1 is the latest.

“Riverdale is Where the Heart Is!” isn't a great story so much as it is a nice story just in time for Valentine's Day.  It is warm and sweet like cocoa, and its sentimental emphasis on everyone getting a treat for Valentine's Day can pull on the heartstrings.  The creative team of Rotante, Holly G!, Amash, Whitmore, and Morelli deliver a charming love letter to readers.

As a bonus, one of the reprint stories is a “Betty and Veronica” tale drawn by Archie Comics' legend, the late Dan DeCarlo.  Entitled, “The Trophy,” it offers a classic scenario Betty and Veronica fighting a girl (Cheryl Blossom) for Archie's attentions.

If you are like me and love classic-style Archie Comics, you will love these stories.  And Archie Valentine's Spectacular is certainly for you, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of classic-style Archie Comics will want to find a copy of Archie Valentine's Spectacular No. 1.

[This comic book includes “Editor's Notebook” by Mike Pellerito, featuring art by Vincent Lavallo and Holly G!]

B

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

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