One of the best things about Archie Comics over the years is how Archie can fit into nearly any genre, including horror. So it is fitting that one of the first three series to kick-off the new line of Archie stories at Oni Press would be Archie in Hell. Add to the mix Eisner-nominated horror creator Patrick Horvath and acclaimed horror artist Tyler Crook and you have the makings for a stellar horror comic featuring Archie Andrews and his pals from Riverdale.
They say that every small town has a secret. Well, in the case of Riverdale, it’s one heck of a humdinger: An ancient order of cultists has infiltrated its townspeople, bent on using human sacrifice to usher a demon lord into our mortal plane. And they’ve finally identified the final target they need to bring a century’s worth of planning to fruition: hometown football champion and all-around good guy Archie Andrews. But this secret cabal never dreamed that actual witches walk Riverdale’s streets… and when cult and coven clash in the final stages of Archie’s secret ritual sacrifice, the consequences will be cosmic… and young Archie Andrews will find himself damned to something far worse than Hell’s inner circle.
Let’s be honest, out of the first three Archie titles coming to Oni Press I knew I was going to enjoy Archie in Hell the most. My love for not only the genre, but also the creators behind the story. Two of my favorite series in recent years are Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (and its sequel) as well as Harrow County, featuring Horvath (former) and Crook (the latter). So these two teaming up on a horror comic in Riverdale has to be worth my time…and my god it was.
Archie in Hell is proof that Horvath knows how to craft a horror story based with a playful twist. Archie is a comic that tends to be lighthearted and playful, so turning that on its head and adding a gruesome horror element is right up Patrick’s alley. His ability to make the playful, terrifying is really unmatched. Archie in Hell is a fast-paced, a vibe I get from most Archie Comics, and a blend of lightheartedness and dark horror.
Horvath lays the foundation of a good deeds and a sense of overall cheer while adding just enough background to let the horrors sink in a bit heavier when they ultimately hit. The premiere issue builds tension, while setting up the horrors, but leaves us highly anticipating what comes next in the series. The way Horvath is able to lay the groundwork in this issue is perfect and makes the horrors we see hit all the more harder.
This is a horror story, but the horrors hit a bit more graphic than I expected. Which with Crook at the pencil, I guess I shouldn’t have been all that surprised. Crook balances the lighthearted and kind moments at the start with the gruesome and brutal moments towards the end. Tyler knows horror art and this issue is more proof of that.
Archie in Hell is a wildly fun, wickedly gruesome trip to Riverdale that proves once again that Archie and horror are a match made in hell. Writer Patrick Horvath and artist Tyler Crook bring their horror expertise to the pages of an Archie story, delivering new story that is somehow lighthearted and terrifying at the same time. Archie in Hell is the odd one out in the first three new Oni Press Archie titles, but also the most fun.
Archie in Hell #1 hits local comic shops on November 4, 2026 (FOC: September 28) from Oni Press.
Archie in Hell #1 Preview
