Ask any comic fan where Archie Andrews and his friends live and they’ll more than likely say “Riverdale.” The recent success of the Riverdale show on The CW only reinforces the popularity of the gang and their town. What then would Archie, Reggie Mantle, Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper, and Veronica Lodge be doing in front of one of the most iconic locations in the Philippines, the Rizal Monument in Luneta? A variant cover for Archie and Friends Travel #1 feature the old Riverdale gang in a cover by Filipino artist Miguel Mercado.
“I had the idea to do a variant cover when I read the synopsis in the solicits,” Filbar’s co-owner Ivan Guerrero shares in an adobo magazine exclusive. “In coming up with the cover, I saw a throwaway line by Jughead inside the issue where he mentioned he really wanted to try Philippine barbecue but they never showed it. I really thought it was an injustice because it was built up a little in the story. So, I decided that Jughead had to eat barbecue on the cover.”
With the recent success of Filbar’s collaboration with fellow comic shop Comic Odyssey, Ivan and Jacob Cabochan mentioned the idea to Comic Odyssey owner Sandy Sansolis who immediately agreed on the general concept of the cover. “It was Jacob’s idea to get Miguel Mercado for the cover. He felt that Miguel’s art had a timeless quality which was perfect for Archie,” Ivan says.
For Miguel, the 31-year-old graduate of BFA Information Design from the Ateneo de Manila University, it was a chance to reconnect with a childhood favorite. “My brother brought home an Archie comic after school back when we were kids. That ‘was what the big kids were reading,’ he said. I distinctly remember the issue, it was Archie Annual Digest #64. I’ve habitually read the digests for years since then. The stories were always just light and fun. And getting home from school to read them would always be something I’d look forward to.”
“It’s been in me ever since I could remember,” Miguel mentions when asked about his desire to draw. “As far back into my childhood as I can recall, I’ve always just kept drawing. It was sometime around the ages of 5-10 that I knew you could have art as a job. It’s been my desired career ever since. Doing constant research and study on classical paintings and other historical works of art in college formed my interest in pursuing painting in that (photorealistic) style.”
“Being a big fan of Magic: The Gathering’s art since I was a kid also helped shaped that development,” Miguel says about the popular card game of the late-1990s. “I was never good at the game, but I kept playing because I loved the art so much. It kept me interested in pursuing art done in a realistic style.”
“Jay Anacleto immediately comes to mind when I think of my first influences,” notes Miguel about his fellow Filipino artist and comics superstar. “I first saw his work featured in Wizard magazine back in high school. My mind was blown. ‘You could do that with a pencil?!?’ I sought out his other work after that. My very first graphic novel was The Magic of Aria (by Anacleto), which I still have. I’ve read that book from cover to cover countless times each night for a year, admiring his beautiful art.”
“I dove heavily into studying Norman Rockwell’s work just around five years ago,” Miguel goes on to say. “His paintings have helped shaped my work to what it is now. I’ve been so drawn to the way he sets up an image and how he paints things with such a relatable type of realism. His work resonated with me so much.”
With an artist secured, Ivan, Jacob, and Sandy then talked with Miguel on the details that they wanted for the cover. Regarding the location, we gave Miguel the option between Fort Santiago and Luneta,” says Ivan. “Fort Santiago already cameos inside the book so I’m really glad that Miguel chose to do the Rizal Monument.”
“I suggested that Betty and Veronica would hold some halo-halo since they’re normally associated with drinking milkshakes. I wanted to show them with the Filipino counterpart,” Ivan mentions. “Sandy suggested that we have a jeepney in the back but I think Miguel was worried that it would obstruct the view of the Rizal statue so he came up with a clever suggestion of incorporating a jeepney graphic design on Archie’s shirt.”
Since everyone involved with this project was a fan of Archie and the Riverdale gang from classic Archie artist Dan DeCarlo at some point or another, the ideas just flowed as they collaborated. “I was very particular about Jughead’s expression so Miguel did a few versions,” says Ivan. “I wanted to evoke a very classic Jughead pose. We ended up with the version where the characters’ personalities were easiest to identify.”
“Being a big Archie fan, I thought it was a fantastic cover to be putting out!” Miguel notes enthusiastically. “I could see how passionate they were in their ideas and I was so excited to bring them to life. In my head, I already had a clear vision of the cover I wanted to do. The published piece we see now was exactly as I had pictured it in my head.”
“As most of the ideas for the contents of the cover were already very thoughtfully laid out for me, my main task was to translate these into an image that everyone would be happy with,” Miguel adds. “Thankfully, the design choices, poses, lighting, and all those elements I had put down worked out in the end! It was awesome being able to work with all of them on this fantastic and passionate collaboration.”
Miguel’s art has already been seen on covers of recent issues of Sea of Stars, Sparrowhawk, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and Amazing Spider-Man #33. “I’m slowly trying to build up my proficiency in doing interior art,” he shares. “It’s a different ballgame all together when compared to doing covers. While I’m not closing off any possibility of doing interior work in the future, I’m enjoying my current work doing covers as it’s the method of storytelling I believe I can most effectively do.”
After bringing the Riverdale crew to Luneta in a true collaboration, it’s safe to say that Miguel’s work will continue to be seen for the immediate future. Ever humble, he says the following when asked what next we can expect from him, “I’m hoping that (my work) will be all over the shelves of your favorite local comic book store.”
Archie & Friends Travel #1 with the cover by Miguel Mercado is currently on sale exclusively at Comic Odyssey and Filbar’s branches.
About the Author:
Jason Inocencio was once the Digital Editor of adobo magazine who still loves seeing great campaigns from all over the world. He proudly shows off his love for all kinds of geeky things, whether it be movies, TV shows, comics, sports, or trivia.
