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Ahead ofRiverdales premiere, Archie Comics CEO Jon Goldwater spoke with EW about the long journey to modernize Archie.
Do you considerRiverdalethe culmination of this relaunch process?
Credit: Diyah Pera/The CW
I seeRiverdaleas the culmination for the company, to be frank.
It’s what we started working toward when I took over.
We’re on the cusp of that now, and the publishing feeds the other channels.
Twin Peaksis often cited as an influence by theRiverdalecreators.
Together with [Archie spinoffs]Afterlife with ArchieandArchie vs.
Predator, what do you like about introducing supernatural/creepy elements to the Archie universe?
For decades, Archie was a comedy that was about a very idyllic place in Riverdale.
When I came in, that nostalgia factor had been ramped uptoohigh.
People thought the comics were telling stories set in the past.
Now, Archie isn’t about being retro, it’s about being entertaining and daring.
That, to me, is the biggest achievement that’s come during my time running this company.
Archie is relevant and vibrant, not a fossil.
What are you most excited about fromRiverdale?
What differentiates it from past Archie shows likeArchie’s Weird Mysteries?
Riverdale is a whole other level, apart from the company’s previous attempts at media or live action.
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa loves these characters.
He lives and breathes Riverdale.
So, this is for him and for me a dream come true.
Will we see anything like that with Riverdale and Archie Comics?
What, for you, is the central idea of Archie that remains true throughout these reboots and adaptations?
To me, Archie is the best of us.
It’s also a big part ofRiverdale.
