Archie Comics has announced Your Pal Archie, a new all-ages comic book series featuring the classic Archie comic book universe and house style, as re-interpreted by writer Ty Templeton and Archie’s popular veteran artist Dan Parent.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to be drawing in the classic style for so long, that I eventually formed my own style based on the Dan DeCarlo/Bob Montana model,” said series artist Dan Parent, who has remained in touch with the Archie characters since the Archie rebranding started.  “In addition to drawing lots of classic Archie stories for the digests, I’ve been working on the digital first series LIFE WITH KEVIN, starring Kevin Keller. I had a feeling a classic monthly title might come back into the fold. So here it is!”

As to how Your Pal Archie will reflect the new Riverdale of Archie Comics’ current flagship comic books and The CW’s Riverdale TV show, Parent said “The influence from the show is more of a fashion makeover for me. I’ve changed the hairstyles a bit, and the clothes. And the faces are a little more detailed, but the line work is still the simple classic lines I’ve always used.”

Writer Ty Templeton said that being on the team for Your Pal Archie has made him:

a hero to my children.  I consider it an honor to write Archie’s latest adventures and a big responsibility that I take very seriously until I remember that it’s my job to dump Archie in a bucket of squid now and then or it won’t be fun.  Speaking of fun, I get to work with the legendary Dan Parent! He’s given the characters a new updated look, but they still feel like group we’ve all grown up with. I could not be happier for this opportunity and I hope the fans are as happy with the result.

Rounding out the creative team will be editor Victor Gorelick, who will have worked for Archie Comics 60 years by the close of 2017.  Speaking of Your Pal Archie, Gorelick said:

Archie and I have been real close pals since October 6, 1958. That’s when I started working at Archie Comics. My goal is to make Archie your pal, too. Your Pal Archie will have stories filled with humor. The kind of stories that have, over the last 75 years, made Archie an American icon…I have two of the most talented people in the industry, Dan Parent, who has been writing and drawing Betty & Veronica, Archie and Jughead stories for almost 30 years and Ty Templeton, who is new to Archie. He’s a terrific writer and artist. I’m looking forward to working with him.

Your Pal Archie will arrive in comic shops on July 26th, 2017, and Les McLaine’s covers of the first five issues will, when connected, form a giant tableau of the Archie cast hanging out at Pop’s Chock-lit Shop.