Archie Andrews has landed in the crosshairs of The Punisher, taken on the Predator, talked politics with Barack Obama, played with The Ramones and fended off a zombie apocalypse. So what’s next? The answer to that came last month with the announcement of Archie Meets Batman ’66, the first-ever meeting between two of the comic book industry’s longest-running characters — specifically the campy version of the Caped Crusader that Adam West made famous on TV from 1966 to 1968.
While the miniseries isn’t set to debut until July, CBR has the first look at a variant cover by Batman vet and Your Pal Archie writer Ty Templeton, featuring Batman and Robin about to drag race against Archie and Jughead — though it’s unlikely Archie stands a chance against the Batmobile’s powerful atomic batteries and speedy turbines.
RELATED: Batman ’66 to Meet Archie Andrews in New Crossover
Archie Meets Batman ’66 #1 variant cover by Ty Templeton
Archie Meets Batman ’66 is co-written by Batman ’66 mainstay Jeff Parker and Michael Moreci, penciled by Archie Comics legend Dan Parent, inked by J. Bone, colored by Kelly Fitzpatrick and lettered by Jack Morelli.
“Look, we all want to know what Jughead and The Joker make of each other and we want to see the romance dynamics of Riverdale High thrown completely out of gear by bringing in Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon,” Parker said in Archie’s original announcement. “It’s very cool to work with a heavy hitting team of top talent. Michael and I synched up immediately with plotting, and Dan and J. Bone are the exact right cartoonists to make a mash-up like this really work.”
While this marks the first meeting or Archie and Batman, it’s not the first Archie Comics/DC crossover — Harley & Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica debuted in Oct. 2017 and wrapped last month.
Additionally, CBR has the first look at each cover for Archie Meets Batman ’66 in full trade dress, along with a look at the solicitation text for the issue. Archie Comics’ full July 2018 solicitations will debut online later this month.
ARCHIE MEETS BATMAN ‘66 #1
- Two iconic comic book characters meet up for the FIRST TIME in this historic crossover mini-series! A battle in Gotham City extends its reach into Riverdale—with Mr. Lodge becoming enemy #1 of the dynamic duo! Now it’s up to Veronica to recruit some help and place a call… to the Batcave!
- Script: Jeff Parker, Michael Moreci
- Art: Dan Parent, J. Bone, Kelly Fitzpatrick, Jack Morelli
- Cover: Michael Allred with Laura Allred
- Variant Covers: Derek Charm (B), Francesco Francavilla (C), Sandy Jarrell with Kelly Fitzpatrick (D), Dan Parent with J. Bone and Rosario “Tito” Peña (E), Ty Templeton (F)
- On Sale Date: 7/18
- 32-page, full color comic
- $3.99 U.S.