Rock n’ Roll High School For Archie and Ramones

by Vince Brusio

Youth gone wild and rock n’ roll. It’s as natural as chocolate dipped in peanut butter. A winning combination. Archie comics writer Alex Segura would agree. He’s already penned an adventure with Archie and KISS. Now he’s teamed up with Matt Rosenberg to give us Archie Meets Ramones (AUG161226), and in this PREVIEWSworld Exclusive interview, both creators tell us what it took to take the amplifiers up to “11.”

Archie Meets Ramones (AUG161226) is in comic shops October 5.

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PREVIEWSworld: How did you come up with the idea for the book? Is it because you’re a longtime fan of the Ramones?

Alex Segura: All three of us are huge Ramones fans, so when this all came together, it was pretty amazing. I have to pin the blame on Matt, because he was connected to the Ramones side and brought them to Archie. Once we got to talking, we all realized this would be a really fun comic to do, especially with each brand celebrating an important anniversary in the near future. Gisele's art really brings the whole thing to life, too - she's so gifted when it comes to expressions and drawing vibrant action. Really a perfect fit. I've also known Matt for a long time and we've wanted to work together on something, so the writing of the project was pretty painless. We sat for a few hours, hammered out the plot, then split the script and edited each other. Matt knows the Ramones so well and I'd like to think I know Archie as well, so it made for a nice match and, I think, a really funny, engaging crossover.

Matt Rosenberg: Yeah, I grew up listening to Ramones and reading Archie. I was a big fan of the Archie Meets KISS book Alex wrote a few years ago. Somewhere I mentioned the idea to Alex of trying to do something similar, but with Ramones. Alex agreed it would be fun but I think he sort of thought I was joking. I spent a while speaking with folks from the Ramones camp and got the ball rolling. When I brought it back to Alex he was really excited and we agreed co-writing would be fun. It just went from there. 

PREVIEWSworld: What can you tell us about the story? How does the time travel play out in the plot?

Alex Segura: When the story starts, the Archies are pretty much at their lowest point as a band. They're about to call it quits. When they somehow end up in the past, face-to-face with the Ramones, they get a crash course in what it takes to be an awesome group— not just as musicians, but as friends. It's a fun romp through Riverdale and NYC with lots of hidden gems for fans of either group.

Matt Rosenberg: The thing I think is very fun about both Ramones and Archie is how they speak to a specific time, but also are completely ageless and as relevant as ever. Taking the Archies from the idyllic streets of Riverdale and putting them in the Bowery of the Ramones era is a real treat because it's time travel, but it's also two completely different worlds colliding. It's a real "fish out of water" story in more ways than one, and really gives The Archies a chance to show why we all love them no matter where or when they are.

PREVIEWSworld: What kind of cooperation did the band lend to the project?

Alex Segura: Everyone on the Ramones side was really helpful and fun to collaborate with. It's been great to work with them because they want the same thing we do - to create a really fun comic that shows readers why Archie and the Ramones are such important parts of pop culture.

PREVIEWSworld: Why bring guitar hero Giselle Lagace on for art chores?

Alex Segura: Pfft, who better than Gisele? Like I said earlier, she's just an amazing cartoonist. She knows how to showcase an entire range of emotions and she, like Matt and myself, is a huge music fan. So we got to play with a lot of that side of things. Writing music comics can be tricky, because you aren't able to give fans a taste of what they'd be hearing if they were in the story. But Gisele is such a gifted artist you almost feel like you're listening to the Ramones best tunes as you read this book. I can't wait for fans to see it.

Matt Rosenberg: Agreed. Gisele's work has been gorgeous on this, and I think she bridges the gap perfectly between what I think of as a "classic" Archie look and real punk energy.

PREVIEWSworld: What kind of punk aesthetics will you bring to Archie Meets Ramones, and will this influence possibly be the catalyst for a future battle of the bands that will pit the Archies against Josie and the Pussycats?

Alex Segura: Without giving too much away, a big part of the story is The Archies really learning a lot from Ramones and from the punk scene in the 70's in general. We tried really hard to capture a 70's lower east side atmosphere, the adrenalin of CBGB's and Max's Kansas City, and the misfit attitudes of the punks in that era. And then we dunked the Archies in it and put it on paper. I'm really hoping that this book will give some readers the same feeling as I had the first time I heard Blitzkrieg Bop.

Matt Rosenberg: Anything's possible in terms of future music crossovers. In terms of the punk aesthetic - I'll just say fans will see what happens when Archie and the gang take cues from Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee and Tommy. The results are unforgettable.