BIG ETHEL ENERGY Heading to Print (with TPB PREVIEW)!

Have you had a chance to check out Big Ethel Energy, the Archie Comics WEBTOON series by Keryl Brown Ahmed and Siobhan Keenan? Now, the webcomic that spotlights a member of the Archie Comics gang who didn’t peak in high school is getting a physical release, with volume one collecting the first thirteen episodes and arriving in August 2022.

Big Ethel Energy

Here’s what writer Brown Ahmed had to say about the series in a quote provided to The Beat by Archie Comics:

“BIG ETHEL ENERGY is for anyone who has ever felt like they’re not the main character in their own story. I’ve been an Archie fan since I was eight years old and I’ve always felt deep compassion for Ethel Muggs. It’s been such a joy to contribute to the Archie Universe in a way that honors my kid-self and also finally gives Ethel the chance to tell her side of the story.”

And artist Keenan shared thoughts on the arrival of the print edition of Big Ethel Energy with The Beat, as well:

“BIG ETHEL ENERGY is a smartly written, modern update, and I match Keryl’s writing by illustrating the cast just as updated, both in style and design. The cast is a joy to dress up every week; I love putting personality into their fashion choices. Designing outfits for Ethel might be my favorite because I love approaching her look as a sort of ‘Big City Girl in a Small Town,’ so she sometimes feels overdressed. The Webtoon format also allows for me to create some really great scenes with an animated feel, and I’m so excited to have that same pace in a printed book!”

Make a BEE Line 

Obviously, in order to adapt a comic from the WEBTOON format to something that is printable in a book, some reformatting needs to be accomplished. You can get an idea of what those reformatted-for-print pages will look like with the preview pages included below this article.

Have you had a chance to check out Big Ethel Energy on WEBTOON? Will you be picking up the TPB when it arrives at your local comic shop or public library?

The Beat wants to hear what you’re thinking! Give us a shout-out, here in the comment section or over on social media @comicsbeat!

Related