Talking Archie Comics’ ‘Truth Or Dare’ With Ron Robbins And Laura Braga

Truth or dare can be a dangerous game, especially when it’s being conducted by Riverdale High’s newest student, Trula Twyst. She stars in writer Ron Robbins and artist Laura Braga‘s upcoming one-shot, Truth or Dare, and you can find out more about her (and the issue) in the following interview:

Rachel Bellwoar: What initially intrigued you about the idea of centering a story around Trula Twyst?

Ron Robbins: I was encouraged to play with lesser-known characters from the classic Archie universe, and I remembered discovering Trula and thinking how unique it was to have a student so interested in Behavioral Psychology but used it as a device to take down Jughead. I jumped at the chance to delve into that facet and craft a more layered and darker backstory.

Laura Braga: I always like working on a new character; it’s inspiring and fun for me! Trula’s first appearance was in 1996 and the idea of being able to bring this character back to the comic pages in a more modern guise immediately thrilled me!

Bellwoar: For being the new kid at school, Trula doesn’t seem all that nervous. Was it fun, getting to play against expectations in that way?

Robbins: Oh, yes. We’re all familiar with the nervous new kid trope, but I’ve always loved the new kids who show up with a real chip on their shoulder. They believe they have nothing to prove but, in reality, they’re completely scared and have constructed these walls to protect themselves.

Braga: It was certainly fun to play with this side of her personality: confident and ambitious. Especially drawing her expressions in a situation like the first day of school, in a new school with new friends, where she is determined and not at all nervous. Ron described Trula’s character very well and I was immediately able to imagine her from his script!

Bellwoar: In this issue we learn that Trula is part of the foster system. Was that already part of her backstory or did you get to fill that in?

Robbins: I was able to fill that in. I have a ton of respect for adoption and the foster care system. I also know that when developing a psychological thriller or horror story, it’s important to consider that humans have a lot of potential for dark, troubled behavior. Not everybody who can be a foster parent should be.

Bellwoar: In terms of character design, what do you think differentiates Trula from Riverdale’s other resident redheads, like Cheryl Blossom?

Robbins: I’m not sure how much thought was given to Trula’s hair color when she first appeared in the classic Archie comics in the late ‘90s, but I love that she’s a dynamic and robust character with such a bold hair color and hairstyle. I incorporated nearly all of Riverdale’s redheads into this story, so I had to take the chance to reference Still Life With Woodpecker, a book by Tom Robbins very much about “the problem of redheads” (as he shares in the book’s blurb). Definitely worth a read!

Braga: I had previously worked on a series with Cheryl Blossom [interviewer’s note: the excellent Blossoms 666], so I along with the Archie team thought it was essential to differentiate Trula from Cheryl. I worked on several character studies of her but what mainly differentiates her is her very curly dark red hair and her way of dressing, more casual than Cheryl.

Bellwoar: Did you look to any horror films or stories for inspiration when coming up with the aesthetic and premise for this one-shot?

Robbins: I definitely wanted to write Trula as a character that takes these teens on the ride of their lives, but I didn’t want to let her simply be a “deranged teenage girl” with no backstory or rationale for her behavior. So, I tried to layer her. People contain multitudes, even Trula Twyst. And I love it when horror movies, especially sequels (think Scream), reveal the killer, and you learn the most outrageous backstory that set them on this course of terror. A good villain backstory can help humanize them and might even make you root for them. I was influenced by so many greats of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, like Jawbreaker, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and even earlier films like Fatal Attraction and Heathers. There are also some nods to iconic fractured red-headed characters like Dr. Kimberly Shaw and Helen Sharp.

Braga: I love working on horror comics because I’m a big fan of horror movies and TV series. For this series, I was inspired especially by the atmosphere of many ‘90s-‘00s horror movies with teenage characters, like Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer,  and Final Destination, as well as Pretty Little Liars.

Bellwoar: From the blood on your cover, Laura, it seems like at least one person is going to be picking “dare.” What did you hope to convey about this story from the cover?

Braga: I wanted to include all the fundamental elements of this series on the cover. Seeing Trula in the foreground with the (possible? no spoiler!) murder weapon in hand and one of the backgrounds that [we’ll] see in the comic . . . without revealing too much but rather arousing the reader’s curiosity! I hope I succeeded! 🙂

Bellwoar: Thanks for agreeing to this interview, Ron and Laura!

With colors by Ellie Wright and letters by Jack Morelli, Truth or Dare goes on sale July 17th from Archie Comics. FOC date is June 24th.