Ron Cacace and Vincent Lovallo talk history and hijinks in ‘Bite Sized Archie: Going Viral’

Archie Comics has been a lot of different things over nearly four generations.

Your grandparents (or great-grandparents, if we’re being honest) might remember Archie and his pals from the early ’40s Pep Comics line. The Baby Boomer generation saw something of a golden age of Archie as the Riverdale crew got multiple short-lived cartoon series and even topped the (real world) Billboard Hot 100 with “Sugar Sugar” in 1969. Gen X and elder millennials got an Archieverse filtered through the eyes of Melissa Joan Hart’s Sabrina the Teenage Witch. And that’s not to be mistaken with the connected Archie Universe of The CW’s Riverdale and Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina that’s brought the franchise to life for Zoomers and beyond.

But all that history doesn’t mean there’s still not fresh ground to break. With Bite Sized Archie: Going Viral, the gang of Archie, Jughead, Veronica, and Betty are taking on a new frontier: the world of being terminally online. Picking up where 2022’s Bite Sized Archie: Vol 1 left off, the new collection of Ron Cacace and Vincent Lovallo’s weekly webcomic is chock full of meme-able moments, pop culture send-ups, and behind-the-scenes info on each comic. While the comics themselves are sharp as ever, the behind-the-scenes details (at least what’s been released thus far) really set this collection apart from other physical releases of web-originating content.

While the book won’t hit shelves till September 5 (pre-orders available now), both Cacace and Lovallo were kind enough to sit down for a Q&A. We discussed, among many other topics, their connection with Archie, their creative process, and possible crossover. And after the interview, enjoy an exclusive preview of pages from Bite Sized Archie: Going Viral. 

 

 

AIPT: How did Bite Sized Archie happen?

Vincent Lovallo: A few years ago, when we were still in the Archie office full-time, Ron and I would team up and make fun content for the Archie social media pages. This would range from memes to celebrating movie or game releases. One day, I decided to draw Archie and Jughead in chibi style since I thought it could be a fun idea for a T-shirt. Ron loved the designs, but we didn’t have any immediate plans for them.

Feeling tired today? You're not the only one. #BiteSizedArchie pic.twitter.com/YaIbFKycPU

— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) January 1, 2021

Once we made the shift to remote work in early 2020, we were brainstorming ways to have new and consistent content for fans to enjoy, and that’s when the idea of a webcomic came into play. Ron and I had worked together on short strips in the back of the Archie Action books and the Cosmo: The Mighty Martian series, so we knew we had the ability to do something like that.

Ron Cacace: I worked with Vin at Archie for several years and we became close friends due to our similar tastes in entertainment and being around the same age. I was running the Archie social media accounts and every so often would collaborate with Vin on creating a unique meme for the Archie Comics page featuring his artwork. Those were always so well received, and people liked the funny tweets I wrote, so we were looking for ways to work together on a more consistent basis.

we've been waiting to post this pic.twitter.com/BLaUa96cNm

— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) December 7, 2019

When the pandemic hit and it was hard for publishers to get their comics into stores, we pitched the idea of doing a weekly webcomic — delivering it right to our most dedicated online fans and we never looked back!

Vin’s been both an art director and editor at Archie, so he has an amazing knack for character design and storytelling. I’m so grateful to get to work with Vin and know that he brings all of that expertise to my silly scripts.

AIPT: Ron, you started at Archie in the marketing department — how does it feel to be living every marketer’s dream (getting to create some of the IP you work on)?

RC: It’s a tremendous advantage being close to the feedback from fans and knowing what they like and respond to. Our comic has a very quick turnaround time compared to a print publication, so we’re able to quickly tie-in with promotional events and pop culture moments — which helps a lot when it comes to getting eyeballs! It’s all about acquiring eyeballs.

Let's throw it all away and start over. #BiteSizedArchie pic.twitter.com/KfmO2LZbTN

— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) February 24, 2023

AIPT What’s the process of making a Bite Sized Archie comic like?

VL: From script to final art, I’d say it’s about four weeks in total, and we prepare a months’ worth of strips in that time. Once the script comes in from Ron, our senior director of editorial, Jamie Lee Rotante, and I review the script and provide feedback. Once adjustments are made, I work on layouts, inks, colors, and letters! Once they’re complete, we do a final review with our publisher — then it’s published weekly by our fine social media team!

RC: I wait until the absolute last possible moment to come up with ideas for the script and then write it down as quickly as possible. I send the scripts over to Vin and Jamie and they make the stories understandable for normal people. From there, Vin will does his magic. He’s incredible. After that, he sends them around for some final notes, and if all is good, we schedule them for publication via social media and the Tinyview Comics app.

AIPT: Have Archie fans created any “deep lore” around Bite Sized Archie that you find especially funny/cool/noteworthy?

RC: It’s not quite lore but there are some fans in the Archie Discord who call new comics “worms.” So, when a new comic is out, they post the link there and say “new worm just dropped.” I forgot how it started but they do it every week without fail.

Would you still love me if I was a worm? #BiteSizedArchie pic.twitter.com/6N9P0zf2ks

— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) September 2, 2022

AIPT: Why did you decide to include the “Behind the Scenes” details in the Bite Sized Archie books? How have fans responded to this peek behind the curtain? 

RC: We felt that if we were going to put these stories in a print collection after publishing them for free online that readers deserved something extra that they couldn’t get anywhere else. If someone is paying $12.99 for a print collection, they should be getting a more complete experience. People love seeing the process, character designs, easter egg details, and conversations between Vin and me. It helps them feel closer to us as content creators, the characters, and the project itself.

VL: Bite Sized Archie is very much a passion project for Ron and me, and we often put parts of ourselves into each one. Whether that’s a real-life experience or a cool easter egg plucked out of Archie’s 80+ year history, we felt that it was interesting and important to expand upon and give a bit more context behind those things. 

AIPT: Archie Comics has an 80-plus year history — do you ever find the task of living up to that history to be daunting or overwhelming?

RC: I know that I’m walking in the footsteps of giants. There are so many talented writers and artists who came before us and built this incredible world we get to play in. I am super grateful that the folks at Archie not only let us add to this mythos but that the fans have generally accepted us as part of the Archie world.

It’s not daunting but it is something I keep in mind when putting these characters into new and weird situations, we should respect what came before while putting our own spin on things.

VL: I feel like it’s more of a fun challenge than a daunting task. The great advantage we have from working within the company for so long is we have much of that history ingrained in us. The task then becomes: “how do we incorporate this in a way that evokes the classic feel of the characters but provides a new and modern way to engage with them?”

Don't believe their lies. #BiteSizedArchie pic.twitter.com/zlefryagDK

— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) April 28, 2023

As with most Archie Comics projects, the characters remain the same at their core, but the era or scenario is what changes, and how the characters’ distinct personalities come out and react to those changes is what’s entertaining, relatable, and timeless.

AIPT: If you could have Bite Sized Archie crossover with any other comic property (non-Archie), which would you choose?

VL: I think it would be fun to have the Bite Sized Archie cast interacting with the aliens from Nathan Pyle’s Strange Planet. Much pleasant nonsense could be had if that were to happen.

RC: I would love to do a Bite Sized Archie / WWE crossover. How would Archie and his pals interact with Sami Zayn, Roman Reigns, Becky Lynch? That’s the dream scenario right there!

AIPT: What will Archie fans have to look forward to in Bite Sized Archie: Going Viral?

VL: More laughs, more burgers, and more fun! Honestly, if you’ve enjoyed our weekly strips, and want to get more of an inside look at the creative process (plus some other exclusive goodies) you’ll definitely have plenty to look forward to!

RC: I have hidden a golden ticket worth $10,000 inside one of the copies. Jokes aside, you’ll get to hear more about our process, see some of the easter eggs and references that Vin hid in each comic, and you’ll have something unique to put on your bookshelf right next to the first volume. You got the first volume, right? Right?!