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Betty & Veronica: The Bond of Friendship
Archie's first-ever original graphic novel, starring everyone's favorite BFFs Betty and Veronica!
There are a number of truths in Riverdale--Archie Andrews will forever be clumsy and love-struck, Jughead Jones has an appetite that can never be satiated, Pop's will always serve the best burgers and shakes and Betty and Veronica will be best friends no matter what comes between them. This series explores the unbreakable bond that allows Betty and Veronica's friendship to withstand the tests of space and time.
There are a number of truths in Riverdale--Archie Andrews will forever be clumsy and love-struck, Jughead Jones has an appetite that can never be satiated, Pop's will always serve the best burgers and shakes and Betty and Veronica will be best friends no matter what comes between them. This series explores the unbreakable bond that allows Betty and Veronica's friendship to withstand the tests of space and time.
144 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2020
10 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Lee Rotante
30 books12 followersJamie L. Rotante is a New York-based writer, proofreader and editor. She works full time as an Editor/Writer at Archie Comic Publications, Inc. She also writes about punk music, women's issues and being a neurotic. In her free time she is a mentor and crisis text counselor and collects vinyl records just for fun.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 2, 2020
I thought this was a really adorable, sweet and very refreshing depiction of Betty and Veronica (and Riverdale universe, in general). Their friendship and love is my most favorite part about Archie Comics/Riverdale so to see that emphasized in a graphic novel is a delight! The art style is vibrant and charming too, which is definitely important with a visual medium. Not sure why the artist is listed as someone else on GR though?? My copy shows Brittney Williams' name on the cover.
I also enjoyed the normalized/casual diversity in the book. None of it felt tokenized or fake (and it was great to discover that the speakers Betty and Veronica meet are somewhat based on real life badass women). As the author writes in her ending note, diversity is real life, and seeing it reflected in fiction matters.
I also enjoyed the normalized/casual diversity in the book. None of it felt tokenized or fake (and it was great to discover that the speakers Betty and Veronica meet are somewhat based on real life badass women). As the author writes in her ending note, diversity is real life, and seeing it reflected in fiction matters.
August 2, 2020
I was feeling a little nostalgic, but you know what? This left a bad taste in my mouth. DNF
Thank you Edelweiss, Archie Blue Ribbon, and Random House for the downloadable ARC. I'm sorry I had nothing nice to say.
Thank you Edelweiss, Archie Blue Ribbon, and Random House for the downloadable ARC. I'm sorry I had nothing nice to say.
September 1, 2020
My two favorite Archie characters, Betty and Veronica, are here to show readers that despite their differences their friendship is unbreakable.
Betty and Veronica are excited to attend their school’s career fair and sit on various speakers’ panels. Their first stop is a local senator as she tells the students how she came into her position and all the hardships she endured.
The illustrations in this graphic novel are phenomenal. Each art panel truly helped this story come alive. My favorites were the way each speaker was portrayed. I felt just as inspired as Betty and Veronica were.
The girls fantasize about the different paths their lives could take depending on the speaker they visit throughout the day. From becoming the next co-presidents, working at NASA, celebrities, and superheroes, Betty and Veronica’s dreams come alive in different ways.
This is where we begin to see how different they are from one another. For readers who aren’t familiar with Betty and Veronica, I think this story could be a bit confusing. There isn’t a lot of character introduction or development. It feels as if this was made strictly for fans of the old Archie comics. The reader is expected to know who the girls are, as well as the side characters, since both Archie and Jughead make cameos.
As for readers who know the characters of Archie comics then you’ll be happily surprised by the way Jamie Lee Rotante made this a more modern story of Betty and Veronica. It’s more diverse and I appreciated this. Also, despite how the two girls were more rivals in the original comics, it is the complete opposite in this story.
In each fantasy, they both naturally drift apart after high school but somehow the two choose the same career path, even if it is in opposite ways. Their unbreakable bond seems to hold firm and brings the girls back together to achieve their dreams side-by-side and encouraging each other until the very end. It was extremely heart-warming.
Overall, Betty and Veronica: The Bond of Friendship is a story that will put a smile on your face. With Jamie Lee Rotante’s fun dialect and modern take on deeply loved characters paired with the lively illustrations, readers are sure to enjoy this story! Betty and Veronica are here to show young girls that there are endless possibilities for their future and they have plenty of time to decide which path to take.
| review originally posted on Bookstacked |
Betty and Veronica are excited to attend their school’s career fair and sit on various speakers’ panels. Their first stop is a local senator as she tells the students how she came into her position and all the hardships she endured.
The illustrations in this graphic novel are phenomenal. Each art panel truly helped this story come alive. My favorites were the way each speaker was portrayed. I felt just as inspired as Betty and Veronica were.
The girls fantasize about the different paths their lives could take depending on the speaker they visit throughout the day. From becoming the next co-presidents, working at NASA, celebrities, and superheroes, Betty and Veronica’s dreams come alive in different ways.
This is where we begin to see how different they are from one another. For readers who aren’t familiar with Betty and Veronica, I think this story could be a bit confusing. There isn’t a lot of character introduction or development. It feels as if this was made strictly for fans of the old Archie comics. The reader is expected to know who the girls are, as well as the side characters, since both Archie and Jughead make cameos.
As for readers who know the characters of Archie comics then you’ll be happily surprised by the way Jamie Lee Rotante made this a more modern story of Betty and Veronica. It’s more diverse and I appreciated this. Also, despite how the two girls were more rivals in the original comics, it is the complete opposite in this story.
In each fantasy, they both naturally drift apart after high school but somehow the two choose the same career path, even if it is in opposite ways. Their unbreakable bond seems to hold firm and brings the girls back together to achieve their dreams side-by-side and encouraging each other until the very end. It was extremely heart-warming.
Overall, Betty and Veronica: The Bond of Friendship is a story that will put a smile on your face. With Jamie Lee Rotante’s fun dialect and modern take on deeply loved characters paired with the lively illustrations, readers are sure to enjoy this story! Betty and Veronica are here to show young girls that there are endless possibilities for their future and they have plenty of time to decide which path to take.
| review originally posted on Bookstacked |
January 27, 2021
Even the title was bad.
July 2, 2021
i loved the art style
February 19, 2023
What-if Archie edition
April 28, 2024
Simple read to go with breakfast soup on a winter morning. I understand that I am not the target audience and this more so 11-14 year olds.
Characterisation was done well straight of the bat got a sense of the character despite not having any other exposure with the series.
Found myself criticising the politics mainly the ones intertwined with social democracy as a way to enact effective progressive change however the leftie ish tone of the book was still a nice surprise.
I like that the book was focused on friendship it was a breath of fresh air.
Characterisation was done well straight of the bat got a sense of the character despite not having any other exposure with the series.
Found myself criticising the politics mainly the ones intertwined with social democracy as a way to enact effective progressive change however the leftie ish tone of the book was still a nice surprise.
I like that the book was focused on friendship it was a breath of fresh air.
May 21, 2020
This is a pretty fun story. The premise is it's career day at Riverdale High. After listening to each speaker, Betty and Veronica imagine a possible future in that profession. Kevin also has his own little subplot.
A few things don't add up. For example, Betty and Veronica are elected Co-Presidents of the United States. Setting that aside, the chapter title indicates it's the year 2035, which makes the ladies too young to be eligible to be presidents. Making matters worse, the next chapter refers to a future NASA mission as having recently ended, which means the "present day" of the story is set in 2021.
The crisis that the presidential ladies have to deal with is a joke.
The last daydream isn't even of a real profession; it's about being superheroes.
Sometimes, Betty and/or Veronica have a case of the stupids in the daydreams and are corrected by someone else. Considering they're the ones imagining all of this in the first place, that doesn't make sense.
Be aware that the story is shorter than the length of the book, due to a lot of blank pages, credits pages, artwork pages, and a preview of a Riverdale tie-in OGN.
A few things don't add up. For example, Betty and Veronica are elected Co-Presidents of the United States. Setting that aside, the chapter title indicates it's the year 2035, which makes the ladies too young to be eligible to be presidents. Making matters worse, the next chapter refers to a future NASA mission as having recently ended, which means the "present day" of the story is set in 2021.
The crisis that the presidential ladies have to deal with is a joke.
The last daydream isn't even of a real profession; it's about being superheroes.
Sometimes, Betty and/or Veronica have a case of the stupids in the daydreams and are corrected by someone else. Considering they're the ones imagining all of this in the first place, that doesn't make sense.
Be aware that the story is shorter than the length of the book, due to a lot of blank pages, credits pages, artwork pages, and a preview of a Riverdale tie-in OGN.
May 1, 2020
Betty & Veronica: The Bond of Friendship is an adorable book featuring the two girls attending their high school's career day. As they listen to the various presents speak about their jobs the two get inspired and start to imagine their own futures and what they might want to do with their lives. From politicians to superheroes you get to see some elaborate fantasies where, at the end of the day, the two remain best friends and keep pushing each other forward.
Betty & Veronica have always been my favourite Archie characters. They're so different, but that makes their friendship stronger. Even as their paths diverge and take them to so many different places they always find a way back to each other and are better for it. What's great about this OGN is that for once it's not about Archie, or boys, it's simply about two young girls who want to be the best people they can be- they just don't know what that is yet. But they've got plenty of time to decide, and the future is full of endless possibilities if you just put your mind to it and work hard enough.
Betty & Veronica have always been my favourite Archie characters. They're so different, but that makes their friendship stronger. Even as their paths diverge and take them to so many different places they always find a way back to each other and are better for it. What's great about this OGN is that for once it's not about Archie, or boys, it's simply about two young girls who want to be the best people they can be- they just don't know what that is yet. But they've got plenty of time to decide, and the future is full of endless possibilities if you just put your mind to it and work hard enough.
August 3, 2020
I hadn't realized that Archie comics was finally venturing into original graphic novels, and this one is actually very good, although the episodic nature of the story makes it feel like it was originally intended as a mini-series.
Rather than an Archie-centric story about Betty and Veronica fighting over him, Archie makes only brief cameo appearances, pretty much as a running gag. This is about Betty and Veronica and some of their other friends, but most of the story is manifested as future-daydreams the two of them have after being exposed to ideas during a Career Day event at the high school. The story even has a brief crossover with the Archie superhero universe, but it focuses on the idea that two young women who are as different as Betty and Veronica can still be best friends, and that works remarkably well.
Rather than an Archie-centric story about Betty and Veronica fighting over him, Archie makes only brief cameo appearances, pretty much as a running gag. This is about Betty and Veronica and some of their other friends, but most of the story is manifested as future-daydreams the two of them have after being exposed to ideas during a Career Day event at the high school. The story even has a brief crossover with the Archie superhero universe, but it focuses on the idea that two young women who are as different as Betty and Veronica can still be best friends, and that works remarkably well.
May 24, 2021
As the title says, this book is about Betty and Veronica’s friendship, and the testing of it through classic Archie Comics shenanigans, with a modern twist.
Betty and Veronica are at the centre of this graphic novel, with appearances from other Archie characters throughout. Their adventures stem from their imagining of future career paths. They find themselves on the opposite ends of each path, but overcome their differences every time they are tested. This is a girl power book!
A fun, yet educational read. Retains parts of the original Archie Comics humour. Otherwise, modern humour/references are also included. I especially liked how stylized the illustrator’s work is, giving the characters a fresh look.
Betty and Veronica are at the centre of this graphic novel, with appearances from other Archie characters throughout. Their adventures stem from their imagining of future career paths. They find themselves on the opposite ends of each path, but overcome their differences every time they are tested. This is a girl power book!
A fun, yet educational read. Retains parts of the original Archie Comics humour. Otherwise, modern humour/references are also included. I especially liked how stylized the illustrator’s work is, giving the characters a fresh look.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2020
I loved this. Decent story, awesome girl power, and great friendship (it's nice to see B+V not fighting over something) aside, I adored the art in this graphic novel! It was clean and vibrant, and in a style that I've never seen the Archie universe depicted in. I mean, this was a great book as it was, but the artwork is *chef's kiss* the icing on the cake. Five stars just for that.
(And also it's tagged on Goodreads with the incorrect illustrator, so let's give Brittney Williams the proper credit!)
(And also it's tagged on Goodreads with the incorrect illustrator, so let's give Brittney Williams the proper credit!)
August 26, 2020
So adorable and heart warming
Its career day at riverdale high! We follow veronica and betty as they go from table to table daydreaming about their futures. I loved the message of this graphic novel and how adorable they were. Topaz makes me wanna dye my hair pink. It would have been nice to see the others have career dreams as well but I guess it is called betty and veronica.
Its career day at riverdale high! We follow veronica and betty as they go from table to table daydreaming about their futures. I loved the message of this graphic novel and how adorable they were. Topaz makes me wanna dye my hair pink. It would have been nice to see the others have career dreams as well but I guess it is called betty and veronica.
June 6, 2022
I've never really known these characters (though I recall stumbling across recurring mentions of them on many, many TvTropes pages...?), so while I don't have a personal frame of reference for the characters or the context, I thought the imaginary journeys the protagonists embarked on were cute and fun little stories in their own right! A girl and her bestie conquer the world!
December 1, 2023
I can’t believe I’ve never read some of these before!! I’m so glad I got this comic book subscription, so I could catch up on all these great stories of my favourite characters. This graphic novel style feels a little bit more modern, which I really enjoyed, but it definitely had some of the older moments from the duo i grew up reading about.
January 3, 2024
I think this could be really good for middle school/high school students who already love Betty and Veronica. I thought it might be interesting, simply because I already love Archie comics from my childhood. The truth of the matter, though, is that I didn't find it very interesting at all. Still, I could see how young girls (especially, but young boys as well) would enjoy this.
November 10, 2020
I really wanted to love this one but it felt off to me. I'd love to try another B&V book by the author, it's obvious there's a lot of love for these characters -- this just wasn't the book for me. Brittney Williams' art was the highlight, I love her style.
June 16, 2022
Do you think people will ever consider us heroes someday?
– Veronica Lodge
A cute graphic novel that dives into what Betty and Veronica’s careers could be. If you need a light read that makes you feel warm inside, this is the one to do it!
July 9, 2020
This was a very cute Betty and Veronica graphic novel. It had different funny stories about their future. ~ Koala ^-^
August 13, 2020
Enjoyable graphic novel, lots of fun with Betty & Veronica.
February 16, 2021
simple and funny, i dont get why this has so many low stars lmao
March 14, 2021
this was like getting a hug from my childhood best friends
March 30, 2021
Nice artwork and a fun story. While a bit of a deviation from the original comics, this one is truer to the Archie series and B&V specifically than some of the other modern takes.
April 10, 2021
During the Riverdale High career fair the besties image a variety of future careers together.
May 9, 2021
A great read about strong women who can do anything they set their minds to!!
May 18, 2021
Cute art and colours but the story was a bit too fluffy. I think this would definitely suit middle grade children more than teens.
Currently reading
June 29, 2021Stopped at page 108. On-hold at the moment.
February 4, 2022
Perhaps one of the things I liked most was how little Archie was in this. Or any romantic plot for the most part. A goofy look at potential career paths for the duo.
January 7, 2023
It was a cute read! Definitely didn’t expect it to have more of a middle grade feel but that’s what I get for not looking at genres and just diving in!
May 23, 2023
This was really cute and fun! I love the friendships here and the funny ways Betty and Veronica are together in different scenarios!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews