The Archie Comics Crossover That's An In-Continuity Sequel To Kevin Smith's Clerks 3

"Clerks III" felt like Kevin Smith's goodbye to the past, which is emphasized in the scene where Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran), a long-tenured View Askewniverse character, dies of a heart attack. It's a heartbreaking, bittersweet, and emotional way to close out a trilogy that began in 1994, but some viewers might leave the experience wondering how Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson), Jay (Jason Mewes), and Silent Bob (Smith) responded to their friend's passing. Well, the answers to that question can be found in Archie Comics' "Archie Meets Jay and Silent Bob," which Smith penned as a direct sequel to "Clerks III."

Co-created with Fernando Ruiz, Rich Koslowski, Matt Herms, and Jack Morelli, Smith's comic sees Randal running the Quick Stop and grieving the loss of Dante. The death of Randal has also left the shopkeeper contemplating his own finite mortality, so he decides to train up a replacement and spend less time working. Enter Riverdale's favorite resident, Archie Andrews, who gets hired and bonds with Randal over comic books and other mutual interests. Jay and Silent Bob also make an appearance, introducing Archie to Mooby's shakes and weed.

If you are only familiar with Archie through the absurdity that is "Riverdale" (a show that sees him become a folk singer, gangster, superhero, and time traveler), then a comic where he gets a job in a convenience store might seem surprisingly normal. However, fans of Kevin Smith's filmography will get a kick out of "Archie Meets Jay and Silent Bob," as it boasts the same colorful slacker humor that defines the View Askewniverse. Indeed, while Archie Comics and "Clerks" might seem like an odd mix on paper, Smith believes they are fitting bedfellows.

Kevin Smith is a lifelong reader of comics, which is evident when you watch movies like "Clerks," "Mallrats," and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" — all of which are loaded with references to superhero stories and pop culture. With that in mind, it's unsurprising to learn that the filmmaker grew up reading Archie Comics titles, some of which actually inspired the "Clerks" franchise from the get-go, especially in regard to love triangle storylines. As he told ComingSoon (via Y! Entertainment):

"Archie Comics has been part of culture since before me. Dante [from 'Clerks'] being caught between Caitlin and Veronica, you know, echoes Archie being caught between Betty and Veronica. It's always been there. I spoke to this guy, Jesse, and he was like, 'How would you like to do a crossover? Because I've got Secret Stash Press at Dark Horse.' And I was like, 'Oh my lord, absolutely.'"

Not only was Smith excited to integrate Archie Comics characters into his zany universe of slackers and stoners, he also hopes to bring these worlds together again on a regular basis. So, when can readers expect more adventures featuring Archie, Jay, and Silent Bob?

Kevin Smith isn't finished making movies about Jay and Silent Bob, as a "Mallrats" sequel has been in development for quite some time. This also opens the door to various View Askewniverse characters returning to the screen, but Smith still plans on having them mix it up with Archie, Veronica, Betty, and Jughead on the page for years to come. As he explained in the aforementioned interview:

"['Archie Meets Jay and Silent Bob' is] honestly one of my favorite f***ing things I've ever written. So much so that I told Jesse, 'We've got to do this once a year, man.'"

It remains to be seen if Smith will keep penning these stories as he hopes to do, but if he does, they will allow his fans to catch up with some of their favorite View Askewniverse characters on a semi-regular basis. While "Archie Meets Jay and Silent Bob" mainly focuses on the "Clerks" gang, it also features characters introduced in "Jay and Silent Bob Reboot," making it even more canonical to Smith's beloved comedy franchise.