Archie Halloween Spectacular 2023

My Rating

“Monster Mash-Up”

Groovy! Old man Lodge is opening up Eyegor Manor for this year’s Halloween Spectacular. Can Archie and the gang get the old death trap decorated in time for the big ball? Not if Trick and Treat have anything to say about it.

Look out Archie and Jughead, Treat has been boning-up on Silver Age Archie comic books, so prepare yourself for some vintage scare tactics. No, Jughead, you can eat later! The haunted house isn’t going to decorate itself. Just don’t look in the closets upstairs.

Will Trick and Treat pull off the ultimate scare job? Can Sabrina Spellman hold sway over the realm of Ghosts and goblins? Is there really an indoor pool in the Eyegor house?

“Cemetery Situation”

Come on Betty and Veronica, less talkie and more walkie! Archie and his friends have just met up with Shrill and her inner circle in front of the Riverdale Cemetery. The big Halloween dance will be over before they can reach the party on foot. It’s time to take a shortcut! But do they risk walking through the graveyard on the nights of all nights? It’s the only logical step.

No worries, Raj Patel brought his video camera to document their trip on Snaptalk. Is Betty seeing ghosts in the live feed again, or is that a ghost filter? It’s gotta be Reggie and his sidekick Prankenstien playing a trick on them. Hey, who released the Bats? Run!

Will Betty and Veronica get to the Halloween bash before they start collecting their social security? Why does Raj always carry that camcorder with him wherever he goes? What creatures stalk the Riverdale Cemetery on all Hallows Eve?

“Man’s Best Friend”

Archie and Jughead decided to take another crack at ghost hunting. Where’s the best spot in town to see a potential ghost? You guest it, back to the Riverdale Cemetery they go. How lucky for them a weird looking old man is willing to help them take the tour. Why is he wearing that black cape, Archie? Old people need to get with the time.

Maybe they will find evidence of the supernatural in the old Grimm mansion on the hill? Why doesn’t Archie’s camera work on the helpful Stanger? Was old man Grimm really a cheapskate?

“Frightful Faceoff!”

Sabrina Spellman has faced many challenges over the years, but her recent battle with Amber Nightstone has left her a little on edge. While walking to Veronica Lodge’s Halloween super bash she seems to see traces of her new nemesis everywhere she looks. Aaah, Amber’s firey hair is on the other side of a shrub! No silly, it’s just a lit tiki torch. Wait, is that Nightstone’s snake?! Salem the cat chuckles at Sabrina. It’s just a garden hose.

Sabrina promises to chill-lax until they step inside the Lodge’s mansion. Amber is here in the flesh. Ah, hah! But how does a teenage witch battle her sworn enemy without exposing Riverdale to the world of witchcraft? All Veronica Lodge knows she’s getting this all on camera for Snaptalk!

Reviewer Notes

I have to admit, for a comic book set in the primary Archie universe, the production team knocked it out of the park. This is the second Halloween Spectacular released for the all ages crowd, and features the Halloween characters Trick and Treat. The opening story finds Treat digging through the Archie comic book archives to summon several monsters from the gold and silver age years. I love those classic Universal creature knockoffs, even if they scare the hell out of Archie and his friends.

I know you will call me crazy, but I’m giving this issue five out of five stars. Each story was simple, but tied together bringing the reader to a climax at Veronica’s big Halloween bash. All the old Archie tropes are included, along with several of the newer characters.

My favorite part however, was the three page layout displaying several of the old Archie monster covers. I have a few of them, but there were some I’ve never seen before. If you are an Archie collector I would recommend this one. Archie’s Halloween Spectacular 2023 is way better than the Madam Satan comic released the same week. Happy Halloween everyone.