Kevin Keller: Welcome to Riverdale by Dan Parent

Kevin Keller: Welcome to Riverdale Reviews

• 
  Alicia

  I finally met Kevin Keller, and I like him. As much as any resident of Riverdale USA can be, Kevin is a pretty realistic teenager - he's got a family who loves him, but who he doesn't always get along with, friends who respect him, even when they're being snarky or gossipy, and a diversity of interests, from surfing to eating to shopping to acting to sci-fi to boys.
  
  Kevin's gay, and while that facet of his personality does manage to find its way into every storyline - this is still Archie's world, where dating and romance figure large in the lives of these teens - his sexual orientation doesn't usually take top billing or become overwrought or preachy. He's just a kid trying to make it in these crazy comic times. He's a klutz, kind of forgetful, and juggling responsibilities and interests can be tough, and get a bit hectic at times, regardless of who you think is cute. After all, Kevin is the Class President, a lifeguard, and a world traveler. He's also dedicated to his friends and family, and stands up for the people he likes and respects. He's a good fit for Archie and friends, and his adventures and personality stand up to the time-tested favorites like Betty and Veronica, Moose, Dilton, Reggie and the rest of the gang. Was Jughead always such a jerk, though? I don't know that I would have loved him so as a kid if he was so mean back then...
• 
  Kris

  I like Kevin, and I appreciate the attempt to give gay teens a place in the Archie universe, with the same kind of experience that straight teens get in the falsely perfect town of Riverdale. This is a little boring, but it’s Archie in the nostalgic sense, rather than the updated Riverdale TV show sense.
• 
  Christopher

  The collection of four Kevin Keller comic books titled KEVIN KELLER: WELCOME TO RIVERDALE marks my second venture not only into Kevin's character but also into the ARCHIE comics universe in general, my first being Paul Kupperberg's novel titled KEVIN. Kupperberg's novel intrigued me, as I really liked Kevin's character and wanted to learn more about him; this collection gave me that chance, and I now appreciate Kevin's character on an even deeper level. The collection of comic books does a really impressive job of allowing the reader into Kevin's mind and understanding him, which is something that I think is tough for comic books to accomplish. From this collection, the reader understands Kevin's basic ideologies, his principles, his desires, his motivations, how he reacts to good news and to bad news, and so forth. He is definitely a hero in so many ways, but he is the type of hero who doesn't need to wear a mask, nor does he need any supernatural abilities. He is comfortable in his skin, his environment, and he stands up for others because he knows what it is feels like to be the victim of bullying. He does not discriminate against others and is all-accepting and understanding of others' positions when they're reasonable and not bigoted, and for all of those reasons, he is such a fantastic role model for children and teenagers, as it certainly would be beautiful if more teenagers could follow this kind of example in school, especially in middle school and high school where bullying seems to largely be a problem. Riverdale High School, the high school in the ARCHIE comics universe, is definitely a utopia, as evidenced by the fact that the homophobic bully Sloan in this collection comes from a different high school. Not once throughout any of the four comic books that make up this collection does Kevin hear any kind of homophobic remark from any of his fellow students, and even his entire family is entirely supportive, and his parents don't regard his sexuality any different than their own, as they frequently compare his dating endeavors to their own when they were his age and first met. I only have a few problems with the collection, but I can't blame the collection because my problems are in conjunction with Kupperberg's KEVIN novel, which was released after this collection, as there seem to be some inconsistencies between this collection and the novel. For example, the introduction to the comics mentions that Kevin had previously faced having been bullied due to his sexuality but does not mention anything about his weight or his interests, which are the reasons why he is bullied at his old high school but not necessarily because he was gay, as he was not out yet. Additionally, there is a flashback scene in this collection that shows Kevin when he was much younger, and he doesn't seem to have lost weight over the years, as he was thin then, as well, an apparent contradiction between this and the novel, and the novel also does not mention anything about two younger sisters. My only other qualm with the novel is that there is a minor character who is revealed to be gay, and the way that it is presented makes it seem as if that is the only reason why he stands up for Kevin when Sloan bullies him, since the character in question does not attend Riverdale, but I shouldn't complain because Kevin certainly has enough heterosexual allies at Riverdale. Overall, however, I really like Kevin's character, and I very much enjoyed this collection of mini-stories, even though I do wish that they had been more linear; for example, Kevin goes out on a date near the end of the first story, but we never find out how the date went since that character, named Brian, is never seen again in the succeeding three stories. I am assuming that that means that they just weren't meant to be. KEVIN KELLER: WELCOME TO RIVERDALE is a lot of fun but is also intelligent, the art very colorful, and I reiterate that Kevin is a wonderful role model for readers.
• 
  Namratha

  This was my first introduction to the charismatic Kevin Keller : Riverdale's first openly gay main character. A responsible and down-to-earth army brat, Kevin is fitting in nicely within the hallowed and sometimes chaotic halls of Riverdale High.
  
  Follow this likable Class President as he goes through the nervousness of a first date, faces the harsh bigotry that mars a fun day on the beach, gently helps an anonymous schoolmate to have the courage to step out of the closet and has the general round of sitcom adventures that surround our Riverdale regulars.
  
  A quick and thoughtful read.
• 
  Ashley

  I wasn't sure what to expect with the Kevin Keller storylines in the Archie universe, but they are exactly what I would hope for in terms of gay representation in Archie. I used to read Archie religiously, so I know this fits right in. I was pleasantly surprised--I had thought it would be after-school special type of stuff, a gay character wedged into the story where every scene he's in is a lesson for presumably straight readers. I couldn't have been more wrong! The stories show him being a disaster getting ready for a date, competing with the tough kids over beach turf, and going on a family vacation that Veronica tags along and ruins. There is also a story where he gets a secret admirer, and Veronica blabs to the school about it. It was treated so well. There is a note at the end acknowledging that not every gay teen has as easy a time as Kevin, but that the team wanted to show how it should be. There is one character in the tough kid gang who is homophobic toward him, but his friends call him out on it. Definitely after-school special territory, but not out of place in an Archie comic.
  
  What I didn't like: has Jughead always been this much of a prick? He was my favourite character growing up, but he's outright nasty to Veronica in every shared panel they have, even chucking a ball at her head when she's not looking. (Kevin laughs. Points off, Kevin.) I always knew Jughead didn't like Veronica, but it was usually in the context of being protective of Archie or sick of Archie's whining. But maybe I just don't remember. He was always a bit of a jerk to Ethel, but I hope he's not a full-on misogynist now.
  
  Recommended for kids who like Archie comics. A great example of gay content in books for younger readers. Kevin is treated exactly the same as all the other characters, so it's fantastic for normalizing gayness for future queers and allies. Squeaky clean, as you'd expect, so if they can read it let them at it.
• 
  Jason McKinney

  I have some serious issues with this. The depiction of high school life here is your typical Riverdale atmosphere: dating, school, the prom, the beach...a random trip to England, etc. However, against this backdrop is the life of Kevin Keller, the newest resident of Riverdale, who honestly could be any handsome teen in this town except for the fact that he’s gay, which is his only distinctive quality. Yes, he’s nice, and yes, he’s an army brat, but other than that I felt like he could just be the archetype for any of the handsome, male teens here. He seemed extremely interchangeable except for the fact of his homosexuality. The portrayal of behaviors is also pretty simplistic. Essentially, the idea is that everyone likes Kevin, even though he’s gay (“They like me because I’m Kevin, they don’t care I’m gay.”) and the one person who is mean to him is an evil caricature with no real nuance or depth. He’s extremely one-dimensional. Even the surf contest seems more about Kevin’s sexuality than anything else. In short, it’s a good thing to be accepting and a bad thing to be a bigot. As with every Archie comic, women are portrayed as being eye candy who vie for the men (Betty vs. Veronica) or are obsessed with fashion and are vain and/or will do anything to get a man’s attention. The men, especially Kevin, are very much the focus here. The depiction of homosexuality seems incredibly outdated and quaint even though this text is only about 10 years old. I would hope that if the Kevin Keller character is still around that things have progressed far beyond this. Veronica is depicted here as the cliché friend who carries a torch for Kevin and seems to think that he will change his mind about women. The whole thing just seems incredibly old-fashioned. The ideology behind this felt like something from the 1980s or the 1990s. I felt like homosexuality was treated at best like a novelty here.
  
  
• 
  Jill Jemmett

  I love the character Kevin Keller on the show Riverdale. He’s such a fun guy! So I decided to look up the Kevin Keller graphic novels, and I loved this one!
  
  Kevin Keller is the first gay character in Riverdale. This is a huge milestone for the series! He has a very positive experience being gay in Riverdale, because Archie and his friends are supportive of him.
  
  Though Kevin gets a lot of support from his friends and family, the stories also demonstrate some bullying. They meet some of Cheryl Blossom’s friends, who are not as supportive and call Kevin names. There is another person who leaves Kevin notes as his secret admirer, but he is not comfortable coming out as gay yet. Though these things are not the worst things that can happen, this story does touch upon hardships that other people face.
  
  I loved these comics! I can’t wait to read more about Kevin Keller!
• 
  Marjo

  Kevin Keller is such an endearing character, I love him so much. I went into this knowing absolutely nothing about the rest of the Riverdale comics, but in the end I didn't need it. The introduction by the author and the introductionary comic at the beginning was enough to understand who all the characters were. I really enjoyed reading these comics about Kevin, who is always positive and has his struggles as the only out gay teen in high school. I feel like every arc they gave him was handled well, which is so refreshing and makes me really happy. If you love comics and are in need of more lgbt+ comics, I'd definitely recommend checking out Kevin Keller!
• 
  Andrea

  What's with non-straight characters from the Archie universe and their obsession with food?
  To be honest, I decided to read this because I'm reading a couple of books with queer characters that could be used in an ESL classroom. I read Jughead's volume so I had to read Kevin's too. To be honest, this was highly stereotypical. I don't think it could be deemed as problematic because the portrayal is not actually negative, but I feel like the situations and his personality are based primarily on stereotypes of gay people.
• 
  Judah

  Great literature it’s not, and the attempts at inclusiveness boarders on “After school special” levels of heavy handedness. Still Dan Parent points out in his afterword that Kevin’s introduction was to give gay kids/teens a place in the Idyllic Riverdale of classic style Archie comics. That’s something you really can’t complain about.
• 
  Amory

  This was a cute enough quick comic to read. I am glad that Riverdale's comics embraced having a gay character, but Kevin just isn't the kind of character I typically find interesting. He's shown here as just some really friendly, eternally optimistic guy who's good at everything. If you want something quick and lighthearted to read, check this out though.
• 
  Anastasia

  I admit Riverdale sparked my curiosity regarding the current state of Archie comics. This more recent addition is still amazing wholesome and retro, but a surprising improvement on the heteronormative town I remember from years ago.
• 
  Chrystal

  Kevin is the best! This collection gave much insight into his back story and has left me wanting more Kevin please!
• 
  Margie

  A friend got this for his birthday and recommended it as a quick, fun read. The Archie gang defends Kevin from homophobic harassment and helps him with his various endeavors.
• 
  Danielle

  This volume starts to tackle dating - the homophobia is pretty basic, but it's still nice to see the characters stand up for Kevin.
• 
  Chris

  I'd forgotten what a happy happy world Riverdale was. This was a definitely mood lifter. And I love Kevin and his supportive family and all of his supportive Riverdale friends.
• 
  Jess

  I picked this up from the library hoping to delve into the world of Archie and Riverdale. While it was a nice, quick read, it made me realize how much I've grown up since when I originally read Archie as a child. Very cheesy!
  
  I am glad to see, however, that the world of Archie of my childhood has been able to evolve to introducing a gay character into the world.
  
  3/5 Goodreads stars!
• 
  Stephanie Goh

  This is banned in Singapore as it features a homosexual boy. I started knowing about Kevin from an issue in "Archie's married life" and he really stood out as one of the more eccentric guys in the series who's brave enough to get out of the closet and be proud of who he is and I admire him greatly and he impacted my life greatly, even though he is just a fictional character.
• 
  Sean Kennedy

  After reading the first volume, I was looking forward to this as it promised delving into Kevin dating, etc.
  
  Needless to say, I felt a bit shortchanged. Look, I know these are Archie comics. But when there is a big fuss made over how Kevin is going to be treated just like any other Archie kid, I expected to, y'know, at least see Kevin on his first date in Riverdale. Instead we get a huge lead up to the date itself, including Kevin being forced to shop for clothes with Veronica, etc., and then the date arrives... and the story ends.
  
  Likewise, Kevin gets a date for the school dance. His date never shows up.
  
  This is Kevin's romantic and dating life? One stand up and one story that ends when the date begins? I can't help but feel there is a little bit of skirting of 'controversy' here, which is a bit hypocritical seeing we've been privy to the menage-a-trois that is Archie/Veronica/Betty for decades.
  
  Perhaps this is leading to something better in Volume 3. I can't help but admit I'm disappointed after the initial promise when the series began.
• 
  Christopher

  I kind of loved this. Kevin has some love interest in this set. He's going on his first date and getting tips from Archie and friends. Kevin had bad luck on dates and is generally just kind of awkward as it is when it comes to dating. It was nice to see since he does come across at just kind of good at everything kind of character at times.
  
  At one point he gets a secret admirer and I was rooting for it so hard. Hoping all the best things. Definitely want this to be followed up on in future issues. The whole thing was too cheesy but these comics are cheesy and I just love it.
  
  I really ship Kevin with someone he probably won't ever be with and it makes me sad. I can't even explain without spoiling but just know I have so many feels reading this.
  
  Loved that there was some variation to the way the homophobic characters are written. I swear I keep saying the same thing in every story with a queer character. I felt like you see different levels in this a little.Not much. It could be better but at least there was some.
  
  Overall I really enjoyed this set of Kevin Keller stories.
• 
  Dione Basseri

  Anyone can be boring. Even gay people.
  
  I wanted to like this book. I mean, I'm queer myself, and Archie comics Inc. actually were a part of my childhood, as a rabid Sonic the Hedgehog fan. But this...was so...yawn-worthy. I didn't expect high drama, and didn't necessarily want it. I mean, not every book o the queer experience needs to be about distrust and pain and struggle. But this book in general is a snooze. There's no real conflict that you can feel ANYTHING about. The first story is about Kevin Keller preparing for a date. The second, he has a secret admirer-er whom asks him to prom. The third, some local townies try to take over the beach, challenging him to a surf-off, which is kind of ridiculous, since it's GOVERNMENT LAND and this nothing would have come of the challenge anyways.
  
  Just, in general...I didn't care. Yes, Kudos to Archie comics for having a gay character. But boo on having no storytelling ability whatsoever.
• 
  Rain

  Yay, gay character at Riverdale. Definitely awesome, even if it's a rich white cis dude. That said, who even reads Archie now? It's not contemporary high school kids, so exactly whom is going to even see this character?
• 
  Nahid

  I applaud the author for choosing a gay character and presenting it in a setting and relationships in how life should be but it was too peachy (as Keller said) for me. Things are too perfect to the point that they're bland. I know there are "issues" in each chapter but that's part of content. I'm referring to more of reality vs this should-be-this-perfect world.
  
  I did not like the script either. I felt that the author thought I was illiterate and made things simple and "spelled out." I know this is targeted toward the teen population, but even as a teenager, the language is just too childish.
  
  The only things I did like about the book was the format, graphics and it's large size.
  
  I did enjoy Archie comics when I was really little. If the writing style and content is similar to Archie (I don't really remember), then I would say it should be targeted for children.
  
  
• 
  Andrew

  Granted, I haven't read Archie comics since elementary school, which leads me to the question: what IS the audience for these books? Not high schoolers, surely. Teens know the world isn't all simple and sappy like this. Perhaps there's a comfort-food aspect to this, like a Lifetime Network holiday special. Kevin Keller, I'm glad he's there, in the snowglobe world that is Riverdale. Everyone's happy and smiling no conflict is very serious. If this is a helpful book to someone, fantastic. The series strains to make Kevin into the good boy-next-door who just happens to be gay. The Archie dimension has a plastic definition of ethical behavior where extreme gluttony is okay and everybody smiles *constantly*. I'll leave it at that and stop reading the series, as I'm certainly not the target audience.
• 
  Randy

  Kevin Keller is an all American kid. He is the president of his class, involved in lots of extra curricular and to add to his list of characteristics, he is gay. These are a collection of stories about his life from his first date, to how he deals with harassment. With the regular Archie characters to help him, Kevin sees it all through.
  
  I picked this book up on the recommendation of the guys at The Beguiling.
  
  I finished it because it was easy to read, and I wanted to see how they handled the whole gay thing.
  
  I would recommend this book to all the students at SAM. This is a gentle introduction into the world of gay teens.
• 
  Anne

  It's Archie comics, people. It isn't going to be anything that is remotely edgy or real. Yes, poor Kevin was called Twinkle Toes in a horrific gay bashing event until his military dad gave the errant gay basher a firm talking to, but that is as real as it gets in Riverdale. This comic even gave me a little more than I expected, as Kevin actually sort of dates. By keeping my expectations very low, I thought this was just another fun, colorful, ridiculously stupid Archie comic - nothing more and nothing less.
• 
  Ashleigh

  I really like how they've added Kevin into some of the classic art, like he's been there the whole time--because he should have been.
  
  I also like how this work references things that appear to have happened in digests. (Can we just do that at the time? And, if we can, I need to go write for Archie comics, because I have stories to reference, man. (Remember that time Betty went goth. It was EXCELLENT.))
• 
  Ivy

  I liked being re-introduced to Riverdale through the lens of a new gay character. I really enjoy seeing how accepting the characters in the comics were of Kevin. Increasingly, I enjoyed how Parent added different scenarios that an average non-straight student would face in high school. From getting through a first date to going to prom, this comic understands. Although this comic shows a happy tone, it is not oblivious to the ignorance gays are treated with.
• 
  Jacob

  This book was introduction to the newly advertised gay character in Riverdale. The stories are fine as was the art and I would think even the most homophobic reader or concerned parent won't find any objectionable material. Both my young daughters really enjoyed the new Archie book at the library and told me they look forward to reading more.