Archie Horror digs into demonic rock and roll for The Cult of That Wilkin Boy

The Cult of That Wilkin Boy #1 cover art (Image credit: Archie Comics)

Archie Horror is back in action with a new one-shot that brings back lesser-known Archie character Bingo Wilkin, AKA That Wilkin Boy (as his classic comic title was known) in a story that involves rock and roll, cults, and more.

Along with Bingo Wilkins' ill-gotten fame, he's got an army of cult-like fans ready to do anything he asks - a recipe for horror when things inevitably go wrong.

"The story we're seeing in this book is closely related to the original stories; it starts in pretty much the same place for Bingo and his friends," Bunn states in the announcement.

"But I wanted to explore what might happen if the story took a dark, infernal turn, so I wove in some classic demonic folklore. What would happen if Bingo got everything he wanted, but he paid a terrible price to get there?" he continues. "The Bingo of this story is quite a departure - an evolution or de-evolution - of the wholesome character of yesteryear, corrupted by fame and power and guilt and jealousy. He's achieved what he thought was impossible, but his karmic payments are coming due."

Archie's That Wilkin Boy originally ran from 1968-1982, and was released in the wake of the success of the real-world music single Sugar Sugar, which was billed as being performed by Archie Andrews' band The Archies, while actually having been performed by a group of studio musicians.

The Cult of That Wilkin Boy goes on sale April 19 with covers by Dan Schoening and Robert Hack.

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I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)