Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld will be bringing back the Mighty Crusaders to Archie Comics next year, promising to add his own spin to the vintage ensemble.
While modern audiences might attribute Archie Comics with The CW’s teen drama Riverdale, or possibly Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, or even the zombie miniseries Afterlife with Archie, many are likely unaware of the publisher’s superhero team, the Mighty Crusaders. Originally introduced in 1965, the series was first written by Jerry Siegel, famously known as one of Superman’s co-creators. The super ensemble initially included characters such as the Fly, Fly-Girl, Black Hood, the Comet, and Shield, who wore the American flag as his costume before an eventual redesign. Since the 60s, the team has seen various reinterpretations in Image Comics and DC Comics, but hasn’t gained the same amount of attention in pop culture that other Archie Comics adaptations have with younger audiences.
Writer and artist Rob Liefeld, who co-created Deadpool, will be bringing his own voice to the vintage superhero group in a four issue miniseries in 2021. Deadline reports that the new team will consist of Shield, the Comet, the Jaguar, Fly-Girl, and a few others. According to released conceptual art, Shield will be returning to his patriotic stars and stripes. Previews for Liefeld’s character redesigns can be seen below:
While Liefeld is far from the first mainstream comic book writer to take on an Archie Comics title, this announcement is packed full of potential. Since he has contributed so much to modern comics that has resonated with readers - like Deadpool, Cable, X-Force, and Brigade - it’s likely this new take on the Mighty Crusaders could turn out to be something unique. The life that creators have tried to breathe into this roster over the years could finally find success in the upcoming reboot. When writer Mark Waid and artist Fiona Staples relaunched Archie as a high school drama in 2015, it proved to be a hit that maintained the DNA of the series with a fresh visual style. Many have attributed the series’ fanbase to the eventual TV adaptation, which could end up being the direction this reinvention takes in the long run.
Although Archie addressed some more mature themes, it’s unclear how pure the Crusaders will be portrayed. Fans might surmise from the concept art that the return of Shield’s classic costume either implies faithfulness to past incarnations, or a meta approach which relies on everything that has already been established. Since Liefeld explored meta storytelling with Deadpool, leaning into the Mighty Crusaders’ archetypes and poking fun at reader expectations is a possible creative route the four issues could explore next year.
Source: Deadline
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