Jay and SIlent BobwelcomeArchieto the View Askew movie canon in two awesome new pieces of art. Archie Comics previously announcedArchie Meets Jay and SIlent Bob, a Kevin Smith-penned one-shot that marks the first crossover between the two lovable slackers and Archie Andrews. Itwill also mark Archie Comics’ first foray into retailer incentive covers, and nowScreenRantis pleased to unveil them in an exciting first look.
Archie Comics shared the two covers forArchie Meets Jay and SIlent Bob, which will be written by Kevin Smith and drawn by Fernando Ruiz with inks by Rich Koslowski. Archie Comics provided a synopsis of the book with the press release accompanying the covers:
SNOOCHIE BOOCHIES, ARCHIE FANS!! Yes, you read that right—acclaimed writer, director, actor, producer, and podcaster Kevin Smith takes the teens you know and love from Riverdale on the wildest ride of their lives. What’s supposed to be a summer job at Quick Stop for Archie Andrews turns into so much more; from a budding friendship with co-worker Randal Graves, crashing a Pussycats concert, a potential new love interest, Jay and Silent Bob being, well, Jay and Silent Bob, and a musical number that will be burned into your brain forever. Plus, could Jay and Silent Bob even help Archie to finally choose between Betty and Veronica? SNOOGANS!! Featuring legendary Archie artists Fernando Ruiz and inker Rich Koslowksi, this is a DOUBLE-SIZED, CAN’T-MISS event FOR MATURE AUDIENCES unlike anything we’ve ever done before!
The first cover, byMadmancreator Mike Allred, depicts Archie, Betty and Veronica leaving the Quick Stop, while Jay and Silent Bob look on.
Dan Panosian contributes the second cover, showing Jay and Silent Bob sharing a malt at Pop’s with Archie.
Archie Andrews Is About to Have His Most Audacious Crossover Yet
Michael Allred and Dan Panosian’s Covers Promise Something Great
Archie and his pals have been at the centerof some awesome crossovers with other IPs, ranging from the Punisher to the Predator, but meeting the stoners Jay and Silent Bob ranks as one of the most bizarre. Jay and Silent Bob, introduced in Smith’s 1994 debut featureClerks, hang out in front of the Quick Stop convenience store. Jay, the more vocal of the two, regularly spews profanities and sexually explicit phrases. The pair have starred in several movies, includingChasing AmyandDogma,which established them as edgy pop culture icons.
While Jay and Silent Bob’s grungy and vulgar natures may put them at odds with the clean-cut, all-American Archie, the potential is there for a great crossover, and Allred and Panosian’s covers bring the hype.
While Jay and Silent Bob’s grungy and vulgar natures may put them at odds with the clean-cut, all-American Archie, the potential is there for a great crossover, and Allred and Panosian’s covers bring the hype. Vincent Lovallo, Archie Comics’ Art Director, had this to say about the covers:
Not only is Archie meeting Jay and Silent Bob for the first time, but this is also the first time Archie Comics will be doing retailer incentive covers!
Lovallo acknowledged Panosian’s homage to Norman Rockwell with his cover, saying:
When working with Dan, we had some back and forth about what might help his cover really stand out from the crowd. Dan had the brilliant idea to pay homage to Norman Rockwell; ‘The Runaway’ inspired the composition and setting for our heroes. It’s such a gorgeous image and we couldn’t be happier with Dan’s work!
He then went onto gush about Allred’s variant:
Then, for Michael’s cover, I had suggested a few concepts, one of which included Archie jumping out of an actual Archie comic book that Jay and Bob would be reading. This idea sparked another from Michael which incorporates Quick Stop into the scene as well as Betty and Veronica. It’s a fun moment, and needless to say, we were quite pleased with Michael’s finished piece!
Lovallo also expressed excitement over Archie’s first venture into incentive covers, stating that Allred and Panosian were perfect choices.
Archie is a Pop Culture Icon, and These Covers Prove It
Kevn Smith Is Giving Fans a Mature-Readers-Only Archie Crossover
Michael Allred and Dan Panosian’s covers forArchie Meets Jay and Silent Bobcapture the crossover’s quirky nature, each deftly mixing the crass with the wholesome. Allred’s cover, showing a perplexed Silent Bob looking at a decidedly-classic-looking Archie, acknowledges the perpetual teenager’s role as an American icon. Likewise, Archie invokes simpler times, and Panosian’s cover transports readers back to the soda shops that were so popular when Archie, Jughead and the rest first appeared. The cover, referencing a classic American painting, drives home just how much a part of American culture Archie has become.
Archie Comics continues to be one of North America’s most exciting comic book publishers, constantly taking large creative swings that land with audiences. Crossing its flagship character with the potty-mouthedJay and Silent Bobmight be one of Archie’s most audacious efforts to date.Archiehas stressed thatArchie Meets Jay and Silent Bobwill be mature readers only, meaning Kevin Smith, no stranger to comics himself, can cut loose, giving fans what is sure to be one of 2025’s most memorable meetings, and these new covers from Michael Allred and Dan Panosian give a tantalizing hint of what is to come.
Archie Meets Jay and Silent Bobis on sale this July from Archie Comics!
