Archie Horror Reveals First Trans Character

Archie Comics Scream Queens Headline New Sci-Fi Thriller “Strange Science” Starring Jinx Holliday and Danni Malloy.

STRANGE SCIENCE main cover by Butch Mapa and Ellie Wright

With a string of top-selling comics establishing Jinx Holliday as the latest star of the Archie Horror imprint from Archie Comics, supporting character Danni Malloy will be next to take center stage.

The duo embarks on a new terrifying adventure in the one-shot comic book Chilling Adventures Presents… Strange Science, releasing in August.

Writer Magdalene Visaggio (Eternity Girl) has masterfully updated the classic character Li’l Jink, beginning with the instant sell-out anthology Jinx: Grim Fairy Tales. Visaggio teams with artist Butch Mapa (Star Wars) for this latest entry, a turn towards dark sci-fi.

In a story about being true to yourself and what matters most to you, Strange Science will also reveal that Danni is transgender.

“I’ve been wanting to make this happen for a long time, and it’s really cool to see it finally come to fruition,” Visaggio said.

“I never wanted Danni’s trans identity to be gimmicky, or for her to feel like she was only created to be trans. So, I’d like to apologize for sneaking her over the line like this! I wanted you to have a chance to fall in love with her for who she is, not what she is.”

Visaggio went on to add:

“I’m honored I got to make it happen, and I’m grateful to Archie for never, not even once, pushing back on my insistence on making their books a little bit more queer. I hope Danni finds a good home at Archie with supportive writers and artists helping to keep her alive for years to come.”

The new one-shot takes its title from the 1989 comic book series Dilton’s Strange Science.

That series introduced Danni, a science genius who rivaled tech expert Dilton Doiley’s prodigious talent.

STRANGE SCIENCE variant cover by Skylar Patridge

In Visaggio’s story, Danni has left that life behind to become an artist and musician, exposing her to criticism from Dilton as the teens try to save themselves from a bizarre time travel accident.

“STRANGE SCIENCE is one of, if not the, most important one-shots we’ve released to date. It also showcases how versatile horror can be, as it deftly blends sci-fi with horror and tells a beautiful, poignant tale about confronting the past,” said Archie Comics Senior Director of Editorial Jamie L. Rotante.

“That’s all thanks to writer Magdalene Visaggio, who had the idea to have Danni Malloy tell her own story about her transition. We just needed to figure out the best way to make it fit, and a callback to her character’s classic origins mixed with the new horror surroundings she’s been re-introduced in just made the most sense.”

Mapa added, “Magdalene wrote a story that is vital and poignant and brilliant at the same time, while also being a fantastic piece of horror/sci-fi. Expect lots of weirdness, emotion, action, and character.”

Danni’s first appearance in the modern Archie Horror universe was THE CURSED LIBRARY, a one-shot released on Free Comic Book Day earlier this month, and she reappears alongside Jinx in their first full-length solo adventure this week in JINX: A CURSED LIFE, both with art by Craig Cermak (Red Team).

The sequence subtly establishes linked continuity in Archie Horror for the first time. It includes references to events in other titles, serving as a starting point for all horror fans looking for a new storytelling universe to explore.

“I think it’s clear to anyone reading this that there is a ton of passion and heart in this story, which was demonstrated on every script page,” Rotante said.

“I’m so proud of this book, but moreover, it’s an honor to help bring this beautiful story to life, and I’m consistently awed by the amazing talent I have the opportunity to work with.”

STRANGE SCIENCE, with an open-to-order variant cover by Skylar Patridge, colors by Ellie Wright, and lettering by Jack Morelli, releases August 16 in comic shops nationwide and will be available for pre-order in comics shops this Friday.