Dark Circle Comics#Red Circle Comics

{{redirect-distinguish|Red Circle Comics|Red Circle (publishing)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2012}}

{{Infobox publisher

| image = Dark Circle Comics logo.png

| parent = Archie Comic Publications, Inc.

| status =

| founded = 1978 (first incarnation)
2015 (current incarnation)

| founder =

| successor =

| predecessor = {{unbulleted list | Archie Adventure Series | Mighty Comics Group/Radio Comics | Red Circle Comics}}

| country = United States

| headquarters = Pelham, New York

| distribution =

| keypeople = Alex Segura (Senior Vice President of Publicity and Marketing)

| publications = Comics

| topics =

| genre = Superhero fiction

| imprints =

| revenue =

| numemployees =

| nasdaq =

| url = {{URL|darkcirclecomics.com}}

}}

Dark Circle Comics is an imprint of Archie Comic Publications, Inc. Under its previous name, Red Circle Comics, it published non-humor characters, particularly superheroes in the 1970s and 1980s.

It was a digital imprint from 2012 to 2014, and in 2015, it was converted back to a print imprint and was completely revamped as Dark Circle Comics, featuring darker and more mature content than previous incarnations of Archie's superhero line.

The term "Red Circle characters" is also used to refer to Archie Comics' superheroes,{{cite news|last=Arrant|first=Chris|title=Completing the Red Circle: Talking to JMS|url=http://www.newsarama.com/2773-completing-the-red-circle-talking-to-jms.html|access-date=August 15, 2011|publisher=Newsarama|date=April 29, 2009}} including such characters as the Black Hood, The Shield, the Wizard, the Hangman, The Fly, Flygirl, The Comet, The Web, Jaguar, and the Fox.

These characters were previously published when Archie Comics was MLJ Magazines, then published under various Archie imprints: Archie Adventure Series, Radio Comics/Mighty Comics Group, Red Circle Comics and the Red Circle Comics digital imprint (2012).

Archie licensed their Red Circle characters to DC Comics in the early 1990s under the DC imprint Impact Comics, and then again from 2007 to 2011, when DC attempted to integrate them into the DC Universe. When this failed, the characters reverted to Archie Comics, which launched the imprint digitally. The company retired this in late 2014; the line was relaunched as the Dark Circle Comics imprint in 2015.

Publication history

=MLJ Magazines=

MLJ's first comic book published in November 1939 was Blue Ribbon Comics, with the first half of the magazine in full color and the second half in red and white tints.

In January 1940, Pep Comics debuted with the Shield, created by writer and managing editor Harry Shorten and artist Irv Novick. The Shield was one of the first superheroes with a costume based upon United States patriotic iconography, first appearing 14 months earlier than Joe Simon and Jack Kirby's Captain America.{{cite journal|last=Offenberger|first=Rik|title=Publisher Profile: Archie Comics|journal=Borderline|date=March 1, 2003|issue=19|url=http://www.mightycrusaders.net/history.htm|access-date=19 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028070716/http://www.mightycrusaders.net/history.htm|archive-date=October 28, 2016|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=The Shield|url=http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/s/shield.htm|work=An International Catalogue of Superheroes|publisher=internationalhero.co.uk|access-date=19 April 2013}}

MLJ's Golden Age heroes also included the Black Hood, who also appeared in pulp magazines[http://www.mightycrusaders.net/pulp.htm Pulps] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522132646/http://www.mightycrusaders.net/pulp.htm |date=May 22, 2013 }}. The Mighty Crusaders Network.[http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/b/blakhod1.htm The Black Hood]. International Catalogue of Superheroes and a radio show;[http://www.mightycrusaders.net/radio.htm Radio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518074803/http://www.mightycrusaders.net/radio.htm |date=May 18, 2013 }}. The Mighty Crusaders Network. and The Wizard, who shared a title with the Shield.[http://www.mightycrusaders.net/wizard.htm Shield-Wizard Comics] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140613023759/http://www.mightycrusaders.net/wizard.htm |date=June 13, 2014 }}. The Mighty Crusaders Network. Top-Notch Comics (featuring, among others, The Wizard, Black Hood, and

The Firefly) was launched in December 1941.

The Archie character soon dominated MLJ publications, pushing out the superheroes. For instance, at first, the cover feature of Pep Comics was The Shield; he and The Hangman shared the cover with Archie in Pep Comics #36 (February, 1943). Archie increasingly was given the cover until issue #51 (August, 1944), when he took over the cover permanently.Donald D. Markstein. [http://www.toonopedia.com/shield1.htm The Shield — G-Man Extraordinary]. [http://www.toonopedia.com Toonopedia]. Retrieved on May 6, 2013. The company was later (in 1946)[http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/archie-comics-publications-inc-history/ "Archie Comics Publications, Inc. History,"] Funding Universe. Accessed March 4, 2018. renamed after the character.

== MLJ superhero titles ==

  • Blue Ribbon Comics (November 1939 – March 1942) – 22 issues; also known as Blue Ribbon Mystery Comics[https://www.comics.org/series/124/ Blue Ribbon Comics entry], Grand Comics Database. Accessed March 3, 2018.
  • Hangman (Spring 1942 – Fall 1943) – 7 issues
  • Pep Comics (Jan. 1940 – Oct. 1947) – 64 issues; becomes all-humor after issue #65
  • Shield-Wizard Comics (Summer 1940 – Spring 1944) – 13 issues
  • Top Notch Comics (December 1939 – May 1942) – 27 issues
  • Zip Comics (February 1940 – Summer 1944) – 47 issues; became mostly humor after issue #35

=Archie Adventure Series=

Archie's Silver Age relaunch of its superheroes under the Archie Adventure Series line featured two new characters, The Jaguar and The Fly, as well as a new version of the Shield, inspired by DC's revivals of their 1940s characters.{{cite web|last=Markstein|first=Don|title=ARCHIE (MLJ) COMICS |url=http://www.toonopedia.com/mlj_arch.htm|work=Toonopedia.com|publisher=Don Markstein|access-date=18 April 2013}}Donald D. Markstein. [http://www.toonopedia.com/shield2.htm The Shield]. [http://www.toonopedia.com Toonopedia]. The Archie Adventure Series line debuted with the June 1959 release of The Double Life of Private Strong #1, by creators Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, which also introduced The Fly, also by Simon and Kirby. DC Comics' lawyers, citing similarity to Superman, forced Archie Comics to stop publishing Private Strong after two issues. Adventures of The Fly appeared two months after Private Strong #1 and ran for 30 issues under that title, until October, 1964.{{cite journal|last1=Mougin|first1=Lou|title=The Back-Seat Super Heroes, Pt. IV: The Mighty Heroes, or Send Your Super-Hero to Camp!|journal=The Comic Reader|date=April 1982|issue=200|pages=32–49}} The Adventures of the Jaguar began in September 1961 and ran for 15 issues until November 1963. During this time, Archie Comics licensed the 1930s pulp character The Shadow, whom they portrayed first as a spy in a James Bond mode, before turning him into a costumed superhero. Archie's version of The Shadow ran for eight issues (Aug. 1964 – Sept. 1965). In addition, the Jaguar, The Fly, and his partner Flygirl appeared in issues of Pep Comics and Laugh Comics between 1961 and 1963. Much of the output during the Adventure Series period after the departure of Simon and Kirby was by writer Robert Bernstein and artists John Rosenberger and John Giunta.

=Mighty Comics / Radio Comics =

The Mighty Comics Group imprint (alternately known as Radio Comics)Fagan, Bryan D. and Jody Condit Fagan. Comic Book Collections for Libraries (ABC-CLIO, 2011), p. 43. took over the Adventure titles in the mid-1960s as general imitation of Marvel Comics and the Batman TV show camp; Superman creator Jerry Siegel was brought in to be the imprint's main writer, along with Marvel Comics artist Paul Reinman. The shift to the Mighty imprint (which first appeared on covers dated January 1966) included changing the title Adventures of The Fly into Fly Man.{{cite book |last1=Wells |first1=John |title=American Comic Book Chronicles: 1965-1969 |date=2014 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |isbn=978-1605490557 |page=63}}

The first issue of Fly Man, #31, brought the company its first super hero team (similar to Marvel's Avengers), The Mighty Crusaders, made up of Fly Man, a newly revived version of The Shield, The Black Hood (who had appeared occasionally in Adventures of The Fly), and a newly revived version of The Comet (who had appeared a few months before in the final issue of Adventures of The Fly). The Mighty Crusaders spun off into their own title after three Fly Man appearances. The Wizard and the Hangman, who had been heroes during their MLJ publication, became recurring villains. In The Mighty Crusaders #4, many of the old MLJ heroes made cameo appearances. In November 1966, with issue 40, Fly Man changed its name again to Mighty Comics, which featured various Mighty super-heroes (The Shield, The Web, The Hangman, Steel Sterling, Mister Justice) in rotating solo adventures until its cancellation ten issues later. Similarly, the final issue of Mighty Crusaders was taken over by a solo adventure of Steel Sterling. The Mighty Comics Group line was cancelled in late 1967.Donald D. Markstein. [http://www.toonopedia.com/mightycr.htm Mighty Crusaders]. [http://www.toonopedia.com Toonopedia]. Several stories from this period were published in the mass-market paperback High Camp Super-Heroes by Belmont Books in 1966 (Belmont was owned by the same company that owned Archie),Hyfler, Richard. [https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardhyfler/2010/09/15/books-for-bus-terminals/#4676658849ce "Books For Bus Terminals: Whatever Happened to Belmont Productions?"] Forbes.com (SEP 15, 2010). which featured an introduction by Siegel, as well as in a 1966 deluxe special, Super Heroes Versus Super Villains.

=Red Circle Comics=

Red Circle Comics was launched in the early 1970s as a fantasy/horror imprint, but switched over to superheroes in the 1980s.

The line was first used to publish Chilling Adventures in Sorcery in October 1973, which for its first two issues was called Chilling Adventures in Sorcery as Told by Sabrina. With the third issue, the title was renamed and published under Red Circle Comics.Donald D. Markstein. [http://toonopedia.com/sabrina.htm Sabrina the Teenage Witch]. [http://www.toonopedia.com Toonopedia]. The name "Red Circle" was based on the previous business that Michael Silberkleit's father had with Martin Goodman, with Gray Morrow as editor.{{cite book |last1=Sacks |first1=Jason |last2=Dallas |first2=Keith |title=American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1970s |date=2014 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |isbn=978-1605490564 |page=149}} With issue number 6 Chilling Adventures was renamed Red Circle Sorcery and lasted until issue number 11 (Feb. 1975).

Red Circle published one issue of The Super Cops (based on the movie of the same name) in July 1974. Shortly thereafter, Mad House (a re-title of Mad House Glads) was published under the Red Circle Comics line starting with issue number 95 (Sept. 1974). This ended after number 97 (January 1975), when the title reverted to being a standard Archie humor title.Gilbert, Jonathan A. [http://www.mightycrusaders.net/thegroovyage.html The Groovy Age: Mystery Days at Riverdale High]. The Groovy Age. Reposted at Mighty Crusader Network. Accessed May 22, 2013.

In 1978 and 1979, Archie published two digests collecting their superhero materials from the 1960s. The first was titled Archie's Super Hero Special. The second issue was titled Archie's Super Hero Comic Digest Magazine, and is notable for publishing the previously unpublished revamp of the Black Hood done by Gray Morrow and Neal Adams. There was nothing on their covers to indicate they were Red Circle titles; only the interior indicia indicated the publisher.

In the 1980s, Archie made a concerted effort to reuse its superheroes. The first appearance was in JC Comics's JCP Features #1 (Dec. 1981), which reprinted the new Black Hood materials that appeared in Archie Super Hero Comic Digest Magazine #2.{{Cite web|title = GCD :: Issue :: JCP Features [JCP Features the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents] #1|url = http://www.comics.org/issue/35872/#212275|website = www.comics.org|access-date = 2015-09-07}} In March 1983, the Red Circle brand was resurrected with first issue of a new volume of Mighty Crusaders.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}} That title lasted 13 issues and led to many new titles under the Red Circle Comics banner, including The Fly (nine issues, May 1983-October, 1984), Black Hood (three issues, June–October, 1983), Lancelot Strong, The Shield (two issues, June–August, 1983, before becoming Shield – Steel Sterling for issue #3 [Dec. 1983] and finally Steel Sterling for issues #4–7 [Jan.-July, 1984]), The Original Shield (four issues, April–Oct., 1984), Blue Ribbon (14 issues, including new material and reprints of older material; Nov. 1983-Dec. 1984) and The Comet (two issues of a three-issue miniseries, October–December, 1983).See [http://www.comics.org/brand/338/] and [http://www.comics.org/brand/1407/] Though this 1980s incarnation featured Rich Buckler's work prominently, it also featured contributions from others, including artists Jim Steranko, Alex Toth, Steve Ditko, Rudy Nebres, Alan Weiss, Carmine Infantino, Dick Ayers, John Severin and Pat Boyette.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}

= Archie Adventure Series revival =

With the February 1984 issues, the Red Circle line was renamed the Archie Adventure Series, reviving the name from the company's superhero line of the early 1960s. During this period, the company published, as either Red Circle or Archie Adventure, a comic-book tie-in to Remco's ManTech Robot Warriors toy line (two issues, Sept.-Dec. 1984), a Katy Keene Special (Sept. 1983), and an issue of Thunder Bunny (Jan. 1984). By September 1985, the entire line that originated with Red Circle had been cancelled.

In 1988, however, with Archie's acquisition of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles license, the Archie Adventure Series returned as the imprint behind Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures, which ran 72 issues until October 1995. In the late 1980s, Archie Adventure Series published The Adventures of Bayou Billy, based on a popular video game, and in the early 1990s the imprint published Mighty Mutanimals, a superhero team comic spun off from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

=Spectrum Comics=

{{About|the Archie Comics imprint|the comics publisher based in Bristol, Connecticut|Spectrum Comics}}

Archie planned to begin publishing superheroes again in the late 1980s with an imprint called Spectrum Comics, featuring a number of high-profile talents, including Steve Englehart, Jim Valentino, Marv Wolfman, Michael Bair, Kelley Jones, and Rob Liefeld. Planned Spectrum titles included The Fly, The Fox, Hangman, Jaguar, Mister Justice, and The Shield. Ultimately, Archie cancelled Spectrum Comics before publishing a single issue.{{cite journal|title=Archie Comics Scraps Spectrum Comics Imprint|journal=The Comics Journal|date=September 1989|issue=131|pages=5–7}}

=DC Comics licensing=

==Impact Comics==

DC Comics licensed the Red Circle characters and revamped them for publishing under the Impact Comics imprint from 1991 to 1992. This attempt also included a super team, called simply "The Crusaders". The stories in the line were set their own shared universe, unrelated to previous incarnations of the characters or to DC's own fictional universe.{{cite news|last1=Renaud|first1=Jeffrey|title=JMS Circles the DC Universe in Red|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=21346|access-date=March 7, 2015|work=Comic Book Resources|date=March 26, 2009}}

==Red Circle line==

File:9.8.12NewCrusadersByLuigiNovi5.jpg, Alitha Martinez and Ryan Jampole at a September 8, 2012 signing for New Crusaders No. 1 at Midtown Comics in Manhattan.]]

DC was granted the license to the Red Circle characters in 2008. DC planned to inject the characters into the DC Universe and tapped writer J. Michael Straczynski.{{cite news|last=Armitage|first=Hugh|title=DC integrates 'Red Circle' heroes|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/comics/news/a173602/dc-integrates-red-circle-heroes.html|access-date=June 8, 2013|newspaper=Digital Spy|date=August 25, 2009}} The line folded in late 2010.{{cite news|last=Rogers|first=Vaneta|title=Closing the RED CIRCLE: Bidding Adieu To MIGHTY CRUSADERS|url=http://www.newsarama.com/6678-closing-the-red-circle-bidding-adieu-to-mighty-crusaders.html|access-date=June 11, 2013|newspaper=Newsarama|date=December 15, 2010 }} In July 2011, it was revealed that DC no longer had the rights to them.{{cite news|last=Langshaw|first=Mark|title='Red Circle' rights no longer held by DC|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/comics/news/a330848/red-circle-rights-no-longer-held-by-dc.html|access-date=August 15, 2011|publisher=Digital Spy|date=July 20, 2011}}

=Red Circle digital imprint=

File:Red Circle Comics logo.png

Archie Comics announced at the New York Comic Con in October 2011 that its superhero line will return as an all-digital line under a subscription model with back issues archive access.{{cite news|last=Gustines|first=George Gene|title=For Archie Comics, a Return to Superheroes|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/10/business/media/for-archie-comics-a-return-to-superheroes.html?_r=3&src=tp&smid=fb-share|access-date=October 10, 2011|newspaper=New York Times|date=October 10, 2011|page=B5}} This was announced as the Red Circle line starting with the New Crusader comic in 2012.{{cite news|last=Phegley|first=Kiel|title=Inside the Red Circle with Archie's "New Crusaders"|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=34874|access-date=18 April 2013|newspaper=comicbookresources.com|date=October 12, 2011}} The Red Circle Comics app provides readers access to a new chapter of the New Crusaders comic, as well as the Red Circle library of comics from the previous 70 years for a 99 cent weekly subscription price.Keily, Karl (July 25, 2012). [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=40057 "CCI: 'New Crusaders' Rule Archie's Red Circle Comics Panel"]. Comic Book Resources.

In 2012, New Crusaders was followed up with Lost Crusade: Prelude, a free one-shot focusing on the lives of the original Mighty Crusaders which debuted on August 29 through the Red Circle Comics app at RedCircleComics.com. Ian Flynn had pitched the idea as "I was really excited by all the prospective stories to be told between the end of the '80s series and our relaunch... There were so many open endings when the '80s era series wrapped up that it's hard to choose. What happened to Darkling? Who was the traitor? Did Black Hood figure it out or just make things worse? Did anyone mourn Doc Reeves?" The first arc of New Crusaders was also printed.Phegley, Kiel (August 29, 2012). [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=40729 "Ian Flynn Launches Red Circle's 'Lost Crusade'"]. Comic Book Resources.

Chuck Dixon was announced as writing the second story arc of Lost Crusade{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/|title=CBR - The World's Top Destination For Comic, Movie & TV news|website=CBR|accessdate=April 21, 2023}} and New Crusaders: Dark Tomorrow was announced for May 2013,{{Cite web|url=http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2013/01/jon-goldwater-discusses-2012-and-what-lies-ahead-for-archie-comics/|title=Robot 6: "Jon Goldwater discusses 2012 and what lies ahead for Archie Comics"|accessdate=April 21, 2023}} but neither was released.

A five-issue The Fox miniseries by Mark Waid and Dean Haspiel began in October 2013, with The Shield back-up strips by J.M. DeMatteis (who co-wrote Fox #5 instead of Waid).

=Dark Circle Comics=

{{update|date=May 2018}}

In July 2014, Archie Comics announced that the Red Circle Comics imprint would be relaunched as Dark Circle Comics in early 2015 with the past continuity removed. Tales will be self-contained, five-issue story arcs in ongoing series.{{cite news|last1=Truitt|first1=Brian|title=Archie to launch Dark Circle superhero line in 2015|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2014/07/10/archie-comics-dark-circle-superhero-exclusive/12483965/|access-date=July 10, 2014|work=USA Today|date=July 10, 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Truitt|first1=Brian|title=Heroic trio powers new Dark Circle Comics lineup|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2014/07/17/dark-circle-comics-superheroes-exclusive/12778383/|access-date=July 17, 2014|work=USA Today|date=July 17, 2014}} Black Hood debuted in February 2015, followed by The Fox, continuing from the digital Red Circle line in April 2015, with The Shield debuting in September 2015 after being delayed.{{Cite web|title = Adam Christopher and Chuck Wendig on Dark Circle's The Shield, Coming September 16|url = http://comicbook.com/2015/07/09/adam-christopher-and-chuck-wendig-on-dark-circles-the-shield-com/|website = Comicbook.com|access-date = 2015-09-07}} A digital exclusive, Sam Hill: In The Crosshairs, was released in October 2015 featuring former NYPD detective Sam Hill.{{cite web

|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/comic-previews/sam-hill-in-the-crosshairs-dark-circle-comics-2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007031014/http://www.comicbookresources.com/comic-previews/sam-hill-in-the-crosshairs-dark-circle-comics-2015|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 7, 2015|website=comicbookresources.com

|title=Sam Hill in the crosshairs dark circle comics 2015}} A fourth series, The Hangman, debuted in November 2015.{{Cite web |title=Dark Circle Comics Presents The Hangman |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwbooks/article/Dark-Circle-Comics-Presents-THE-HANGMAN-20150313 |access-date=2022-11-13}} In July 2015, the publisher announced a revamped version of its 1940s character the Web would debut the following year.{{cite web | url = http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/sdcc-exclusive-archies-dark-circle-introduces-teen-hero-in-the-web |title= Archie's Dark Circle Introduced Teen Hero in The Web | first=Kiel |last= Phegley|publisher= Comic Book Resources | date= July 2, 2015| access-date= August 31, 2015| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150814030536/http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/sdcc-exclusive-archies-dark-circle-introduces-teen-hero-in-the-web | archive-date= August 14, 2015|url-status=live}} The announced series never materialised.{{Cite web |title=Szymon Kudranski on Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/szymonkudranski/status/1264607793673392135 |access-date=2022-11-13 |website=Twitter |language=en}}

== Dark Circle Comics titles ==

  • The Black Hood #1–11 (February 2015 — June 2016)
  • The Black Hood: Season 2 #1–5 (October 2016 – June 2017), a continuation of The Black Hood.
  • The Fox #1–5 (April 2015 — August 2015)
  • The Hangman #1–4 (November 2015 – October 2016)
  • New Crusaders: Dark Tomorrow Special #1 (March 2015), one-shot featuring the Red Circle Comics versions of the characters.
  • Sam Hill: In The Crosshairs (October 2015), a graphic novel released digitally featuring former NYPD detective Sam Hill.
  • The Shield #1–4 (October 2015 – November 2016)

=Archie Comics one-shots=

In March 2021, four years after the conclusion of the Dark Circle Universe, Archie Comics announced that Rob Liefeld would re-image the Mighty Crusaders with a four-issue series of one-shots, beginning with The Mighty Crusaders: The Shield #1.{{Cite web |title=America's first patriotic superhero returns in June from Rob Liefeld and Archie Comics |date=March 17, 2021 |url=https://archiecomics.com/the-shield-release-date |access-date=2024-05-05}}/ However, that May, Liefeld announced his departure from the project, after objecting to a variant cover being publicized by its artist that allegedly spoiled the end of The Shield one-shot.{{Cite web |title=Rob Liefeld Spoils Mighty Crusaders In Outrage Against Spoilers |date=May 9, 2021 |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/rob-liefeld-spoils-mighty-crusaders-in-outrage-against-spoilers/|access-date=2024-05-05}} David Gallaher was then brought in to script a new story for the one-shot based on Liefeld's completed artwork. Despite the creative change, The Mighty Crusaders: The Shield #1 officially sold out at Diamond Comic Distributors.{{Cite web |title=THE SHIELD ONE-SHOT by Liefeld and Gallaher sells out at Diamond Comic Distributors |date=July 15, 2021 |url=https://archiecomics.com/the-shield-sells-out/|access-date=2024-05-05}}

After revamping The Fox for Red Circle Comics, and later Dark Circle Comics, Dean Haspiel returned to script a new one-shot titled The Fox: Family Values, published in May 2022.{{cite web | url=https://archiecomics.com/into-the-fox-den/ | title=A behind-the-scenes look at how THE FOX: FAMILY VALUES one-shot came to be! | date=May 19, 2022 }} That November, Archie Comics released the one-shot Bob Phantom, which re-imagined the superhero's alter ego, Walt Whitney, as a struggling journalist who daydreams of a secret adventurous life.{{cite web | url=https://archiecomics.com/the-enigmatic-bob-phantom-returns-in-an-all-new-one-shot/ | title=The enigmatic BOB PHANTOM returns in an all-new one-shot! | date=November 30, 2022 }}

In November 2023, Archie Comics rebooted the Red Circle superhero, Darkling (Darla Lang), with a one-shot by Sarah Kuhn and Carola Borelli.{{cite web | url=https://archiecomics.com/a-hero-cloaked-in-mystery-returns-today-in-darkling/ | title=A hero cloaked in mystery returns today in DARKLING! | date=November 22, 2023 }} In February 2024, writer Keryl Brown Ahmed and artist Tango re-introduced readers to The Jaguar (Ivette Velez), who previously appeared in the 2012 mini-series, New Crusaders, in the one-shot The Jaguar. The first Jaguar, Ralph Hardy, also made a special appearance in the one-shot comic.{{cite web | url=https://archiecomics.com/the-jaguar-strikes-in-an-action-packed-new-one-shot/ | title=THE JAGUAR strikes in an action-packed new one-shot! | date=February 21, 2024 }}

Characters

See also

References

{{Reflist}}