School Library Journal Review
Gr 7 Up-Archie Andrews's best friend gets his own revamped series in this collection of the first six issues of the Jughead comics. The asexual teen who loves all things burgers and video games rallies his friends against the sinister Principal Strange, who has taken over Riverdale High by usurping Principal Weatherbee's position and replacing the faculty with his own army of incredibly strict teachers. The usually apathetic Jughead is spurred into action when the cafeteria's offerings of lasagna and burgers are replaced with a tasteless and healthy gruel. Filled with the madcap imaginings of the title character, including superhero and secret spy vignettes, an Archie-esque Game of Thrones sequence, and lots of visits to Pop's Diner, this volume presents one madcap adventure after another. Zdarsky captures the spirit of the well-known cast while injecting modern sensibilities through dialogue and attitude. Henderson's energetic and dynamic art connects brilliantly with the humor and pace of each chapter. The far-fetched plot befits Jughead's personality, complete with robots, pirates, and lots of food. This installment's back matter also includes variant covers, characters sketches, excerpts of the creators' original scripts, and a sneak peek of Archie Vol. 2. VERDICT Another winning entry in the reimagined Archie comics world.-Shelley M. Diaz, School Library Journal © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
As part of a revamp of the durable Riverdale teens in a more realistic style, Archie's best pal, Jughead, now stars in his own ongoing series. Zdarsky (Howard the Duck) lends his absurdist wit to Juggy's adventures in hilarious fashion: between alternate-universe dream sequences (Jughead's Time Police is only the beginning) and desperate ploys for free milkshakes, Jughead (who, in a surprising but welcome move, is now a confirmed asexual) must rally his friends to stop Riverdale High's new principal from turning the school into a spy-training camp-if he can convince them it's actually happening. Henderson (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl) is perfectly suited for Zdarsky's madcap scripts, imbuing each character with a vibrancy and expressiveness that evokes classic Archie while staying true to her own personal style. Together, the team crafts a gag-packed tale that's easily the most exciting (and relatable) Jughead story ever. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
When a Mr. Stranger replaces the Bee as principal at Riverdale High, he implements military-like rules, which include replacing the cafeteria food with high-nutrition gruel. Outraged, chowhound Jughead Jones rebels by skating through loopholes in the new establishment, making the increasingly fishy Stranger his enemy. Although touching on edgy topics such as weapons in school and sexual identity (Kevin Keller, who is gay, refers to Jughead as asexual), needle-nose's first solo graphic novel preserves his oddball brand and antics, highlighted by Henderson's cartooning. A long, narrow panel stretches the awkward silence between Jughead and Mr. Flutesnoot as they realize they've both fallen asleep during detention. The beanpole's animated silhouette moves across a page of panels while his friends listen, bored and unmoving, in the background. When Jughead slips into daydreams, some of which pay homage to classic Archie spinoffs, the art adjusts to each tone. Most important, good ol' Jug carries the story with his active imagination, lethargic disobedience, and covert passion for fighting for what's right.--Hyzy, Biz Copyright 2016 Booklist
