Talking With Ruben Najera About ‘The Best Archie Comic Ever!’ Plus Exclusive Preview

Like the saying goes, you can aim high or go home and Archie Comics are aiming high with the brazenly titled, The Best Archie Comic Ever! special, next week. If you’ve been keeping up with our coverage, than you may have already seen a preview for one of the three stories featuring Archie Andrews as Pureheart. Today, though, not only do we have exclusive preview images of the third story in the special (featuring Betty and Veronica as spies) but we got to ask the story’s writer, Ruben Najera, some questions over email.

Rachel Bellwoar: What was your first reaction to learning you would be writing Betty and Veronica as super agents?

Ruben Najera: Excited and honored at the same time! Seriously, it’s such a fun action-packed story. Being able to etch my story in the great pantheon of Betty and Veronica stories for all of time and space is an honor beyond honors!

RB: Archie characters always have the best names. Did it take a while to land on the name for the gangster Betty and Veronica are pursuing?

RN: It didn’t take too long; honestly, I had a vision instantly of what he would be. Big Carp is a giant slimy mob boss. His henchmen all have these fish hook insignias on their suits. I envisioned him as one of those criminals who always figures a way out of trouble once caught; just like a slippery fish, he always finds a way to slip out!

RB: When figuring out how to style Betty and Veronica for this issue, did you take inspiration from any other pop culture spies?

RN: No direct inspiration for the appearance, however I have always been a massive fan of the femme fatale character in movies, so it was that combined with the thrill and action of the Bourne films. Luc Besson films were a great inspiration, as well, as he tends to have female leads in action packed roles!

RB: What made you want to set their mission in a real location, and have you been to the Met Opera before?

RN: On my trip to New York years ago I got to see the building itself in person but not attend a show. I was on a big sightseeing mission through a lot of New York at the time. Being a writer, I can be in locations and my mind just starts going off: this could happen here and this could happen there, etc. I could literally build a world or story on the spot, so I was looking at the opera house and creating an action movie in my head, haha. I do this a lot with many things in my life; always creating stories in different places I visit.

RB: Betty and Veronica spend most of the issue split-up. Was that a challenge, in terms of figuring out how to orient each panel, or when to switch between characters?

RN: It was fun having them split and finally meet up in the end. It was like having two cop cars covering opposite sides of the crime scene to ensure the suspect doesn’t get away, and then close in on the target. From research I did, it’s an actual tactic used by undercover agents in real life! It gives the feeling that they are EVERYWHERE!

RB: What kind of mission would you like to see Betty and Veronica tackle next?

RN: I would love to continue having them both combat evil doers and investigate crime as super agents. They are one of the most recognized duos in comics, and together, as a team, they can do amazing things!

RB: Thanks for agreeing to this interview, Ruben!

The Best Archie Comic Ever! #1 goes on sale Wednesday June 15th from Archie Comics.