Straight Forward Reviews : Archer and Armstrong # 21

Archer and Armstrong are back for more wacky adventures. This time stuck in a crazy hotel looking for the Wheel of Aten.

Writer - Fred Van Lente

Artist - Pere Perez

Publisher - Valiant

Review by Jeremias de Leon

Story

In what seems to be one of the crazier locations that the duo have been through, Archer and Armstrong have been dumped inside a crazy hotel by a man known only as The Lizard King. The two run into a host of celebrities and trouble.

The issue also raises more mysteries while solving others, thanks to Armstrong's explanations about just how the crazy hotel works some have been solved and thanks to the beginning and ending of the book raises a mystery.

This issue has some great moments where things slow down for explanations and speed up for action. Some great action at that. Especially when it features a certain martial arts legend. That alone was enough to make me go from simply liking the issue to feeling it was great.

Art

The art looks wonderful. Pere Perez line-art gives everything a dynamic feel and David Baron's colors complete it and gives the art character.

Verdict

For a fun story that has substance, great action and good art it's hard to not recommend. ...So I won't, it definitely feels like Van Lente and the artists had a lot of fun creating this issue and I had fun reading it. I give Archer and Armstrong a 9.5 out of 10.

Straight Forward Reviews : Archer and Armstrong # 20

After all the crazy events with Bloodshot and the Sect Civil War Archer and Armstrong take the time to look for Archer's biological parents. Of course things are never as easy as that.

Writer - Fred Van Lente

Artist - Pere Perez

Publisher - Valiant

Review by Jeremias de Leon

Story

To summarize without any spoilers Archer and Armstrong are searching for Archer's parents and have a lead that sends them to Los Angeles. After that they find things aren't all what they seem to be and get pulled into a larger plot that involves Archer's birth parents. It also seems to involve a lot of celebrities and pokes at pop culture.

The story seems to be a really interesting one. Involving not only pop culture but a dive into the human psyche. This first issue setting things up with references to all sorts of famous people who had mental health issues, be it depression or whatever multiple issues that can afflict a person.

The dialog still has that Van Lente charm and wit to it. Almost like it's back to normal, Armstrong is the funny oaf and Armstrong is the straight laced foil to Armstrong's antics. But being out into the kind of storyline they are dropped in gives them a fresh way to look at them.

Art

There's no complaints about the art. The characters look decent, they have a crisp line-art that lends itself to the action scenes. The environments and the segments that seem surreal are what stands out in this comic the most. It's really unique and it gives this comic something more to stand on, on top of it's good writing.

Verdict

This issue of Archer and Armstrong is not only a fun read but a smart one. It builds up the arc well and sets up all the themes it's going to explore in a pretty unique way. Whether or not the rest of the arc will have a pay off for everything it sets up will be seen. But for the first issue in a new arc it does things beautifully. The dialog is human, and the action and "crazy" scenes are great. It feels like Archer and Armstrong is hitting it's stride again and deserves another 10 out of 10.

Straight Forward Reviews : Archer and Armstrong # 19

The eponymous duo are back again for more action against Bloodshot and the H.A.R.D Corps.

Writer - Fred Van Lente

Artist - Pere Pérez

Publisher - Valiant

Review by Jeremias de León

Story

This issue is mostly action but the story is told through the action, which is nice. It gives important information without feeling like it's dragging on since there is some bullets flying or punches being thrown.

I usually try not to spoil much in these reviews, and this time will be no exception. What I will say about the plot is that it seems to borrow heavily from big budget action movies, but with some more comedy. That is not a bad thing at all because it's still pretty original and it's extremely intriguing. Note that I said this issue borrowed and not copied or stole from action movies. Fred Van Lente knows how to take what's worked before and put his own spin on things to make it uniquely his. Also, if you wanted to see just how far Archer's abilities that were explained in issue 0 and in recent previous issues go this issue shows just that.

Of course Armstrong isn't too far behind in the fray and Bloodshot does show up, but if you want to see them in a more prominent role it seems you'll have a tiny bit of waiting to do. They are important to the storyline of course but this issue is mostly focused on Archer and his fight.

Art

The art in this issue is quite well detailed. On the panels that don't have any action going on it looks like plenty of work went in to give them a specific kind of tone. On the panels with action in it, the art looks like it was made to look like as good as any high quality action animation. Which I'm fairly impressed with.

Verdict

This was a hard book to put down. After reading it once I wanted to go back and look at the action scenes and just take some extra moments to appreciate the art in them. The book still has it's trademark humor too which makes it even more enjoyable. Add all that up and you have a fantastic issue here. I give Archer and Armstrong issue 19 a 9.5 out of 10.

VALIANT FIRST Initiative Launches Valiant's Next Phase

VALIANT FIRST Initiative Launches Valiant’s Next Phase with RAI #1 – Coming in May From MATT KINDT & CLAYTON CRAIN!

In 2014, when you reach for your weekly comics stack, you'll be reading VALIANT FIRST!

Enter VALIANT FIRST, a brand new publishing initiative primed to unleash a major #1 new series debut monthly throughout 2014, beginning this May with RAI #1 – the FIRST ISSUE of an all-new ongoing series from New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (Mind MGMT) with fully painted interiors by superstar artist Clayton Crain (X-Force)!

An astonishing new vision of the future! The year’s biggest, most ambitious crossover event! The worst team-up in history! And an epic tale of love and high adventure! Valiant’s next phase begins this May with VALIANT FIRST!

"The defining goal of VALIANT FIRST is to give readers clear and accessible jumping-on points into Valiant’s award-winning publishing line," said Valiant Executive Editor Warren Simons. "Over the past two years, Valiant’s approach to the craft and business of comics has been widely imitated throughout the industry. We’re incredibly flattered by that fact, but we also see it as a challenge. Our response is to raise the bar even higher. We've been building momentum with a slew of awards and the best reviewed line of books on the market – but 2014 is where you’ll see us double our game without doubling the size of our publishing line."

"The VALIANT FIRST line-up was very specifically chosen, and will continue our 'slow and steady' approach to growth. You won't see Valiant putting out more than nine core titles a month in 2014. We're focused on quality over quantity, and we'll be working hard to make sure that every VALIANT FIRST book is as good as anything else in the industry. You only have to look at the first wave of VALIANT FIRST titles to see that commitment – books like RAI #1 and ARMOR HUNTERS #1 are going to state our ambition with a vengeance," said Valiant Publisher Fred Pierce.

Each month, VALIANT FIRST will debut an all-new series by some of the premier storytellers in comics today with new #1 issues featuring Valiant's biggest, brashest and boldest characters.
 

 

RAI #1 (May)
Written by Matt Kindt (Unity, Mind MGMT); Art by Clayton Crain (X-Force, Carnage)

A VALIANT FIRST ongoing series! Matt Kindt and Clayton Crain are about to prove that there is nothing else in comics like RAI!

In the far future of 4001 A.D., Japan is a single endless city-state, governed by a benevolent artificial intelligence and policed by an army of just one – the mysterious Rai, spirit guardian of the rising sun. But, soon, a single bullet will shatter the peace it has taken 2,000 years to secure…


   
 

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ARMOR HUNTERS #1 (June)
Written by Robert Venditti (X-O Manowar, Green Lantern); Art by Doug Braithwaite (Unity, Justice)

A Valiant Universe crossover event! This summer, Earth will be the greatest hunt of all when VALIANT FIRST unleashes the first issue of 2014's must-read mini-series event!

A relentless and surgical strike team from the farthest reaches of space – sworn to exterminate the X-O Manowar armor and all like it – have found finally their last target. They will hunt. They will trap. They will kill. And they will rid the universe of the X-O Manowar’s incalculable destructive power…even if it means taking the Earth with it.

In the tradition of the universe-changing HARBINGER WARS, Valiant's biggest heroes launch into the summer's blockbuster 18-issue crossover event right here in ARMOR HUNTERS #1 – and then take the fight to the world's first full-scale cosmic threat with new arcs of UNITY and X-O MANOWAR beginning in June, and ARMOR HUNTERS: BLOODSHOT and ARMOR HUNTERS: HARBINGER beginning in July! 
 

•


 

ARMOR HUNTERS: BLOODSHOT #1 (July)
Written by Joe Harris (The X-Files: Season 10); Art by Trevor Hairsine (X-Men: Deadly Genesis)

The most dangerous weapon in the Valiant Universe has come in from the cold. With Earth under siege by the Armor Hunters, Bloodshot is the only thing standing between the destruction of the extraterrestrial intelligence agency known as MERO and the liberation of one of the Armor Hunters' own.
 

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ARMOR HUNTERS: HARBINGER #1 (July)
Written by Joshua Dysart (Harbinger Wars); Art by Robert Gill (Batgirl)

Because you demanded it! Out of the ashes of Harbinger Wars, the volatile psiot strike force known as Generation Zero step into their very first adventure – and right into the crosshairs of the Armor Hunters!
 

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THE DELINQUENTS #1 (August)
Written by Fred Van Lente (Marvel Zombies) & James Asmus (Thief of Thieves); Art by Kano(Gotham Central)

It’s the world's worst team-up when Archer & Armstrong meet Quantum and Woody! We apologize in advance for what can only be described as a swashbuckling, conspiracy-smashing, partner-trading, goat-fueled race across the USA!
 

•


 

THE DEATH-DEFYING DR. MIRAGE #1 (September)
Written by Jen Van Meter (Hopeless Savages); Art by Roberto de la Torre (Daredevil)

World-renowned parapsychologist Dr. Mirage and her husband Hwen were madly, deeply, stuff-of-legends in love – until the day a tragic accident stole Hwen away. Now, Dr, Mirage will have to use every ounce of her training and talents in the mystic arts to do the one thing Hwen taught her never to do – journey across the realms of Deadside and bring her love back to the land of the living.

"VALIANT FIRST came out of something fascinating that we've heard over and over again from our fans and retail partners. Not only did they tell us that they were now buying Valiant books as ferociously as the mainstays of the industry, but that the books they were most excited for, the books they reached for first were Valiant," said Valiant CEO and Chief Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani.

“With VALIANT FIRST, we're committing to telling even better stories in 2014 and helping even more fans get Valiant titles into their comic stack. With an exciting line-up of new series and creative talent backing us up, VALIANT FIRST is all about making sure that when fans consider the best comics on the market today, they think of VALIANT FIRST.”

In the coming weeks, Valiant will also be announcing a number of sales incentives and promotional offerings – the largest in Valiant's history – for comic shops worldwide to coincide with the launch of each VALIANT FIRST title.

"Over the next year, we'll be working one-on-one with retailers to put our books in customer hands, and to generate new fans with each release. Already, we're planning to introduce an expansive array of sales incentives, returnability offerings, and promotional materials. Look for details to follow as VALIANT FIRST hits the ground running," said Hunter Gorinson, Valiant's Director of Marketing, Communications & Digital Media.

For sneak peeks inside each monumental VALIANT FIRST release, follow VALIANT FIRST on Tumblr at ValiantFirst.tumblr.com for exclusive looks at costume designs, in-process artwork, and more top secret snippets from Valiant HQ! In 2014, when you're looking for the most exciting books on the stands, look for VALIANT FIRST!
 

For more information, visit Valiant on Facebook, on Twitter, and at ValiantUniverse.com.

For Valiant merchandise and more, visit ValiantStore.com.

RAI #1
Written by MATT KINDT
Art & Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
COMING IN MAY!

ARMOR HUNTERS #1 
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
Cover by JORGE MOLINA
COMING IN JUNE!

ARMOR HUNTERS: BLOODSHOT #1
Written by JOE HARRIS
Art by TREVOR HAIRSINE
Cover by PHILIP TAN
COMING IN JULY!

ARMOR HUNTERS: HARBINGER #1
Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art by ROBERT GILL
Cover by LEWIS LAROSA
COMING IN JULY!

THE DELINQUENTS #1
Written by FRED VAN LENTE & JAMES ASMUS
Art by KANO
Cover by PAOLO RIVERA
COMING IN AUGUST!

THE DEATH-DEFYING DR. MIRAGE #1
Written by JEN VAN METER
Art by ROBERTO DE LA TORRE
Cover by TRAVEL FOREMAN
COMING IN SEPTEMBER!

StraightForward Reviews: Archer and Armstrong issue 10

Welcome to another edition of Straight Forward Reviews, this time looking at Valiant's Archer and Armstrong. Archer and Armstrong is currently the highest rated series on The Broken Infinite... I think. It's at least the highest rated by this particular reviewer. Does this issue still keep up the awesome?

Review by Jeremias de Leon

Story

A new arc begins as Archer and Armstrong head to Nevada to discover more about Archer's past and about who he really is.

You get a real interesting narrative focusing on Archer and Armstrong and Mary Maria's different routes on the same base at the same time. It builds the stage nicely for the storytelling in the rest of the arc.

The humor from previous issues is in full force here after the crazy high stakes action from the previous it would seem things did need to simmer down a bit. That isn't to say there isn't a lot of action and it certainly ramps up at the end but there's more laughs abound in this issue.

There's also the intrigue about the Area they're in, there seems to be a lot of research going on with the world of Archer and Armstrong going on there. Plus the mystery of Archer's real origins which of course you won't learn in this issue.

Art

The art has a cool flashy style to it, apparent in the action scenes. Lots of great artists usually are able to make action scenes look like they're flowing. They do not look that way in this case but they are great in a different way. Each shot looks more like a lightning bolt. In that the panels look like they were caught at the moment of impact, and it's quite nice to see.

Verdict

This is a fun read. I don't know how Van Lente just keeps writing this really intriguing and funny stories but he does. The action, comedy and intrigue blend into a super delicious smoothy of awesome and deliver on entertainment. I give Archer and Armstrong issue 10 a 9.5 out of 10.