Reggie & Me #1-3

Several months ago, I learned of a digitally exclusive comic book title put out by Archie Comics called REGGIE & ME. It features Archie Comics' original bad boy, Reggie Mantle, and his new dog. The first issue establishes how the two come together to share a comic book.

Reggie gets shot down while trying to hit on a couple attractive girls. He learns that the girls -- Lindsey and Jackie -- are proud owners of rescue dogs and enjoy spending their free time at the local dog park. In typical Reggie fashion, Reggie decides to impress the girls first by renting Jughead's dog, Hot Dog, and later by adopting his own dog from the animal shelter (with plans to return the dog after enough time passes). He ends up picking a dachshund-mix with a sour disposition and names him Runty.


Despite himself, Reggie quickly begins to bond with Runty. He even allows the mutt to sleep on his bed. The next day, he impresses the girls (especially red-headed Lindsey) with his rescue dog -- as well as written proof that he adopted the dog from the shelter. The girls then begin warming up to Reggie, which unfortunately distracts them all from a pair of dognappers who mistake Runty for an expensive pedigree pet. Reggie, Jughead, and the girls spend the second issue tracking down Runty and saving him and the others from the thieves.


The third issue, which was issued last week, focused on Reggie's efforts to better understand his new dog. He recruits Riverdale's resident genius, Dilton, to invent a machine that allows Reggie and Runty to hear each other's thoughts. Dilton agrees to help out -- but really does it as a joke. He really doesn't have any such invention. That doesn't stop Reggie from convincing himself that he can really hear Runty's thoughts. Later on, a freak accident creates actual mind-links between Reggie and Lindsey and Runty and Sophie (Lindsey's dog). As you can imagine, uncontrollably hearing the thoughts of others non-stop does not help nurture Reggie's blossoming romance with Lindsey. They spend several pages arguing over each others' surface thoughts until Reggie comes up with a way to smooth things over with Lindsey long enough for Dilton to come up with a cure.


As with each issue before, REGGIE & ME #3 ends with a cliffhanger as Runty runs away from home in search of his original owner. How will Reggie fix this latest blunder??

I have written recently on the Archie Comics Fan Forums that digital comic books like REGGIE & ME might end up being a good way to less expensively experiment with new Archie Comics titles. After a few months of REGGIE & ME, maybe we will be treated to new digital adventures featuring other characters such as Cheryl Blossom or Pat the Brat or Jellybean or Cosmo the Merry Martian or Chuck & Nancy. Some of these stories might not go anywhere. Some or all of them may find themselves eventually reprinted in one of Archie Comics' various double digest books and maybe some of them might actually graduate into their own ongoing print comic book title! That would be really cool.

I am really curious where this book is going. It has already told three very different stories: from adoption to busting an exotic animal theft ring to experimenting with mind-reading! I have an idea broadly speaking what the next issue will be about, but I have no clue what kind of unique setting that it will take place in. Whatever happens, I know that I can count on Reggie to make the right decisions for all the wrong reasons. And that's why I like this book.

If you have the technology to access digital comic books, I urge you to take the time to download the Archie Comics app and check out REGGIE & ME. It's totally worth it!