This May, one of the oldest superhero universes in comic books is reborn with a 21st Century twist as Archie Comics rolls out its digital-first series “New Crusaders” as a dedicated app for Apple’s iOS. And while many modern comic readers may be familiar with the Red Circle franchise characters from their recent run at DC Comics, the “New Crusaders” launch will be the first to bring back the original continuity of the superteam in nearly 30 years. With a history that stretches back to he Golden Age, CBR News is checking in with writer Ian Flynn and members of Archie’s Red Circle brain trust to see what stories, concepts and creative twists will prove most important for fans to know come spring. And we start our series today with an exclusive first look at artist Ben Bates take on the Crusaders original leader: the Shield.
“Each superhero line has their stand-out characters — the one people can pick out of a line-up and go, ‘Oh, yeah! I remember that one!’” said Flynn. “Shield is that for the Red Circle line. We have a ton of characters to choose from, and a lot of new ideas, but Shield is the cornerstone to it all. He is the Red Circle brand.” Continue reading
