Man, have I been a sucker for these Archie crossover comics. As more and more come across my desk, my theory of Riverdale being the nexus of the entire comic multiverse continues to grow. These aren’t just fun crossovers, but well-penned stories that all make some sort of sense, this includes Archie vs. Terminator, the next in the world of Archie crossovers. Writer Rory McConville and artist Steven Butler craft a tale that somehow feels like it belongs in Riverdale, while also brings the vibes of a Terminator story.
The crossover no one saw coming is here! When a teenage John Connor enrolls at Riverdale High, Archie and the gang soon find themselves in the crosshairs of a Terminator!
Like most of the Archie crossover events, they don’t always make perfect sense on the surface, but once you dive into the first issue, the creative team seems to know exactly how to handle said story. While Terminator going to battle with Archie might not make any sense whatsoever at first glance, the debut issue is honestly one of the least jarring of recent Riverdale crossovers. I full expect things to go utterly crazy in future issues, the first issue laid the foundation and introduced Archie and friends to Max, aka John Conners, setting up the story in a way that made sense in the end.
Some of the other crazy crossovers have felt a little odd, but Archie vs. Terminator had the vibe of an Archie comic with Terminator characters dropped into the story. We have our familiar faces in Riverdale and the antics, comedy, and high school life we’ve come to expect, but there is a new kid at school and he may not be exactly who he says he is. In typical Riverdale fashion, invite the new kid to a party and make sure he feels at home, but again something is just not right. Things are not that crazy for most of this debut, but ratchets up to 11 by the time we hit the end.
The blending of two iconic franchises like this, in this way, makes for stories that will scratch the itch of both Archie and Terminator fans. Seeing our favorite Riverdale High Schoolers interact with the rough and tumble characters such as John Connors lends itself to the thought that truly anything can happen and just about anyone can appear in Riverdale. Setting a Terminator story in this iconic town just gives the action-packed story a familiar backdrop that no one was asking for, but never knew we needed.
Going hand-in-hand with the overall vibe of an Archie story, Butler’s artwork just adds to this overall feeling. The line work, colors and appearance of most of the story makes you feel right at home in Riverdale and an Archie story, but with glimpses of Terminator makes you know something is different here. Rooting the style in Riverdale made for the story to feel all that more special, but also feels right at home at the same time.
Archie vs. Terminator is another Riverdale crossover that no one was asking for, but now that it’s here, can’t live without. Writer Rory McConville and artist Steven Butler have crafted a truly unique and exciting story that blends action-packed characters from Terminator and our fun-loving teens from Riverdale into an amazing crossover that makes no sense, but somehow does at the same time.
Archie vs. Terminator #1 hits local comic shops on October 14, 2026 from Dynamite Entertainment.
Archie vs. Terminator #1 Preview
