5 Crazy Things That Could Happen on Riverdale (Based on the Archie Comics)

This one isn't just speculation . . . it's real! If you didn't know, Josie and the Pussycats trace their origins back to the Archie Comics. Isn't that crazy? The band originates in the town of Riverdale, just like Archie and his gang, and they already make their appearance in the pilot episode of the Riverdale TV series. You can bet that, as a high school band, they're aspiring to make it big. Who knows what adventures are in store for the group in the darker TV series.

The craziest thing about Riverdale is that there appears to be a murder mystery from the very start. With death at the forefront on the TV show, it's likely that Archie's death from the comics is fair play. To clarify the events of the comic book series, Archie's death actually comes during the spinoff from the original books. Life With Archie focused on the adult versions of all the characters and didn't affect the canonical narrative of the original comic books. Even so, with the sinister undertones of the Riverdale TV series, we'd venture to say Archie's death is not out of the question. Judging from the murderous undertones at the outset, it seems like no one is safe.

Oh, didn't you know? Sabrina Spellman also first appeared as a character in the Archie Comics, dating all the way back to 1962. This adolescent spell-caster even has her own bio on the official Archie Comics website. While there are only murmurs about her possible inclusion in Riverdale, it would totally make sense if she shows up, especially since Josie and the Pussycats have already made their debut. Sabrina could add a cool, mystical, magical element to the already-twisted world of the television show. Could she perhaps even be a villain?! Only time will tell.

In 1994, Archie Comics partnered with Marvel for a pretty strange mashup: Archie Meets the Punisher. While this is more of a "special edition" situation, there are a few things that indicate a superhero component of Riverdale is not out of the question.

First of all, it's pretty clear at this point that Marvel casts a wide net across the entertainment industry. With a vast TV and movie presence covering everything from The Avengers to Deadpool to Netflix's The Defenders, Riverdale could mark the latest exploit for the universe. Additionally, executive producer Greg Berlanti has an extensive history of superhero work. He's had his hand in Supergirl, Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and 2011's The Green Lantern. If anyone's perfectly positioned to add a bit of superhero into Riverdale, it's Berlanti.

Kevin Keller is a historically gay character in the Archie Comics. The character also appears in the pilot of Riverdale, so it's safe to say there's an exciting bit of representation in the new TV series. That's not all, though. There's an opportunity to explore another identity in Jughead, portrayed by Cole Sprouse.

Just this year, Jughead was revealed as asexual, which means he doesn't have any sexual feelings toward anyone. Asexuality is a kind of identity that is rarely, if ever, explored by mainstream media. Although it's unclear as to whether Riverdale's Jughead will feel the same, the opportunity is still there. And if homosexuality and asexuality are both explored on the show, it's exciting to think about what else The CW's iteration might tackle.