Oni Press and Archie Comics have launched a Kickstarter campaign for Afterlife With Archie: Mausoleum Edition Vol. 1, a hardcover collection that puts the zombie-horror reinvention of Riverdale’s teenagers into a format built for collectors. The campaign is live now, and fans who have wanted a definitive edition of the series have a clear way to pre-order it.

The reveal comes with exclusive artwork. The reveal includes a slideshow of exclusive posters and glow-in-the-dark cover art, giving readers their first look at how the set will look on the shelf.

The original series, Afterlife With Archie, was written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and illustrated by Francesco Francavilla. It debuted in 2013 to rave reviews, and the premise is as bold as ever. In the days before Halloween 2013, Archie Andrews, Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, and the rest of Riverdale’s beloved cast were transformed into horror anti-heroes.

Why the artwork matters

The official description leans hard on the art. Aguirre-Sacasa is a Harvey Award-winning writer and Francavilla is an Eisner Award-winning artist, and the publisher credits Francavilla’s tense, atmospheric work as a major reason the series became a sold-out hit. His style is the centerpiece of this edition.

Here is how the publisher describes the impact of the original run:

Unrelentingly celebrated by critics and ferociously followed by fans, AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE immediately became a jugular-ripping legend in its own time.

That line sums up why this edition matters to longtime readers. The series did not just sell well. It changed how Archie Comics looked to a new audience, and that reputation is why a hardcover built around the original interiors has drawn attention.

What the Mausoleum Edition actually contains

The set collects Francavilla’s complete interior artwork and covers from AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE #1-6. Those pages are presented in black and white, described as crisp and creepy, and printed at the size of full-scale comics artboard. The artist remastered the work himself, so this is not a simple reprint of old pages.

That detail is the core of the pitch. Fans who only know the series from single issues or older collections get a chance to see the linework at a scale that shows the detail behind the shadows and tension.

The Kickstarter rewards

The campaign includes several optional bonuses. Backers can choose signed copies from Aguirre-Sacasa and Francavilla. The package also includes the posters shown in the reveal, T-shirts, enamel pins, and reprints of the individual issues.

The mix of tiers suggests the campaign is aimed at both serious collectors and casual fans. Signed copies and the artist-remastered art will appeal to people who want a centerpiece for a shelf, while pins and shirts give a lower-cost way into the project.

A bigger moment for the franchise

The timing matters. Oni Press is kicking off a new era for the Archie franchise, and this hardcover is part of that push. The publisher is also pointing to the upcoming live-action streaming adaptation of Afterlife With Archie, which is slated to debut on Disney+ in 2027.

A TV adaptation is the kind of news that sends older comics back to the top of search results and sends new readers looking for the source material. A premium edition released ahead of that show gives fans a reason to buy now rather than wait for the streaming launch.

Oni Press’s reboot strategy has also included more than one Archie title. The publisher and creators have built a broader line of rebooted Archie comics, and this edition revisits the one that set the tone for that approach.

Why fans are moving fast

The Kickstarter model rewards speed. Because the campaign is live, the bonuses, signed copies, and print run are tied to backer numbers, and fans who want the full package need to commit before the window closes. That urgency is part of the story, and it explains the rush of interest from fans who have followed the series since its debut.

Afterlife With Archie is a rare case where a classic franchise was pushed into darker territory and came out as a fan favorite. The Mausoleum Edition is the most complete look yet at the art that made that happen, and the campaign is open now.