Archer & Armstrong 9 Discussion!

[Dr. Solar]

Was SO good!

This book has really developed a voice of its own.

Really looking forward to the next arc.

[erwinrafael]

Can't wait!

[Keith]

So very good! FVL mentioned on Twitter that he is going to miss writing Gilad, and I'm going to miss him not being a regular part of A&A! Loved the hippie Gilad look for the 1963 opener.

Only gripe was the surprise artist change near the end of the book. Nothing against Alvero Martinez, just he and Emanuela Lupacchino have different styles, and I was digging her's on this arc.

[grendeljd]

Great issue. Kay is just an incredible character so far, she gets better every issue! Loving the evolution of her abilities...

Hippie-Gilly = awesome Great interactions between him & Aram. Some true character moments for Gilad.

Archer as the Last enemy was very cool, as was his means of defeating him... Death by upload!! Some great stuff about Archers abilities here, I had a feeling he was just being polite with Gilad about fighting him.

and Buck! Buck was there!

We consistently learn so much about this new Valiant Universe in this title, I don't know how anybody can stand not to read it.

[Keith]

We consistently learn so much about this new Valiant Universe in this title, I don't know how anybody can stand not to read it.

Seconded!

[cavemold]

favorite issue yet.

[blujay]

And to think that some people thought FVL was turning Gilad into a mindless terminator based on one issue...hell to think I was going to drop this series at some point.

This book has definitely hit it's stride, it's been consistently funny and entertaining all I can say is that I can't wait for #10!

Also Gilad Noogie

Edit: Does anybody think it would be awesome to see a book/series of books set in the VU past?

[Scott M Davis]

Finally got around to reading issue 8, as well as 9. Definitely good reads, and the 1963 flashback was hilarious.

[greg]

Edit: Does anybody think it would be awesome to see a book/series of books set in the VU past?

Yes... VEI could probably pull off books set in past, present, and future... as long as they plan ahead and allow plenty of time for quality production.

[MarkRoseHFX]

Edit: Does anybody think it would be awesome to see a book/series of books set in the VU past?

I could get behind an Anni-Padda brothers book set in the past, or a book focusing on Toyo's rise to power.

[jmatt]

First, great book, really enjoyed it.

Now, The Last Enemy? Was there a problem with The Immortal Enemy IP or something? Or is this someone altogether different?

Also, who's body was it that Archer came back in? The body that the LE formerly inhabited? I'll have to go back and reread the last issue, I was a little confused.

[greg]

Also, who's body was it that Archer came back in? The body that the LE formerly inhabited? I'll have to go back and reread the last issue, I was a little confused.

The Last Enemy took over Archer in #8. By the end of A&A #9, Archer got control of himself back.

[BugsySig]

Tis wasn't my favorite issue, but still a very enjoyable read. Kay's new power/understanding and the Ani-Padda bros reconciling their differences were the high points. The deus ex machina was the low point, but it was kind of redeemed by Armstrong calling it out for being one.

And apparently Mary-Maria is possessed by her dead parents! Did not see that coming. Does that mean the other people killed in the temple are in her head too? Can Aram access the souls he absorbed? Is Mary-Maria still in there somewhere?

[pixierosa]

Really enjoyed reading this. So many good things this time. The personality evolution of Eternal Warrior, plus learning about how he interacted with the Earth, discovering Mary Maria's possession (was not expecting it to be the Archer's! Good one!), having my assumption that Archer would be the equal or better of EW confirmed, seeing Kay finally "get" it - and I'll add, was cool to see Buck and the other geomancers explain things a bit and prop her up. What am I forgetting? Just lots of good info, better character dimension, and still some trademark silliness. Now A&A and MM are on a collision course in Nevada. Looking forward to the next book!

[Zaphod]

First, great book, really enjoyed it.

Now, The Last Enemy? Was there a problem with The Immortal Enemy IP or something? Or is this someone altogether different?

Also, who's body was it that Archer came back in? The body that the LE formerly inhabited? I'll have to go back and reread the last issue, I was a little confused.

First good book, still quite a bit about this title that I am not enjoying...Null Life Equation...well it is good to know someone out there enjoyed 'Final Crisis.' It is an interesting idea but the handling of a virus to infect the entire universe and rewriting the universes source code and blah blah blah...it just seems like a concept that gets lost in a shared universe.

I suppose "The Immortal Enemy" is a bit of a cheesy name but "The Last Enemy" isn't any better.

Also, who's body was it that Archer came back in? The body that the LE formerly inhabited? I'll have to go back and reread the last issue, I was a little confused.

I think that "battle" took place within Archers mind, a bit poorly portrayed but without adding another 5 or 10 panels to the book of Archer trying to fight the "infection" and take back control it probably wasn't going to work properly.

This is a fairly "out there" concept to put into the Valiant Universe and if the end result really is the Deus Ex Machina of Kay switching the "language" ... you can't just break things down to binary and then add a 2 into the line of 1's and 0's.

I'm prepared to give this title another go with the end of this arc, I wish a new writer was coming on board but I'm willing to see what comes next.

[Savant]

An excellent issue, much like the previous two. A&A has cemented itself as my favorite Valiant title.

So very good! FVL mentioned on Twitter that he is going to miss writing Gilad, and I'm going to miss him not being a regular part of A&A! Loved the hippie Gilad look for the 1963 opener.

Only gripe was the surprise artist change near the end of the book. Nothing against Alvero Martinez, just he and Emanuela Lupacchino have different styles, and I was digging her's on this arc.

Wasn't Martinez the artist for the first 2 or so pages, also? Regardless, agreed on the artwork. I far prefer Lupacchino's, and the different styles made it a little off-putting (But not enough to ruin the issue).

I'll miss both Gilad and the Geomancer, they were a cool addition to the cast. Hopefully we'll see them again, in this book, sometime in the near future.

And to think that some people thought FVL was turning Gilad into a mindless terminator based on one issue...hell to think I was going to drop this series at some point.

This book has definitely hit it's stride, it's been consistently funny and entertaining all I can say is that I can't wait for #10!

I believe the "mindless terminator" issue was the only A&A comic I considered to be a dud. Thankfully, subsequent issues were far better.

Tis wasn't my favorite issue, but still a very enjoyable read. Kay's new power/understanding and the Ani-Padda bros reconciling their differences were the high points. The deus ex machina was the low point, but it was kind of redeemed by Armstrong calling it out for being one.

And apparently Mary-Maria is possessed by her dead parents! Did not see that coming. Does that mean the other people killed in the temple are in her head too? Can Aram access the souls he absorbed? Is Mary-Maria still in there somewhere?

The dead parents reveal was a definite surprise.

I'm looking forward to the upcoming altercation with Project Rising Spirit. Will it occur during Harbinger Wars (Thus, adding possible guest stars to this title), or after?

[Kertes]

I sure hope Archer's past with PRS be explored more soon, and possibly with a future crossover with Bloodshot or even the Renegades.

[ValiantReader]

Was SO good!

This book has really developed a voice of its own.

Really looking forward to the next arc.

So what do you think about them heading to Las Vegas to find PRS? Will they run into some other people who happen to be visiting Vegas also? I cant wait to see where this goes! To bad we wont find out for 2 months since A&A #0 comes out next. I need to get the Gatefold Cover for #0, so cool looking!

[ValiantReader]

We consistently learn so much about this new Valiant Universe in this title, I don't know how anybody can stand not to read it.

Seconded!

Third-ed! lol

[jmatt]

Also, who's body was it that Archer came back in? The body that the LE formerly inhabited? I'll have to go back and reread the last issue, I was a little confused.

The Last Enemy took over Archer in #8. By the end of A&A #9, Archer got control of himself back.

As someone else pointed out to me, that fight took place in Archer's mind. There really wasn't much in the way of visual clues to let the reader know that. Now wonder I was so confused about how similar the participants looked.

[hawkeyeps]

We needed a caption box that said "Meanwhile in Archer's brain".

[bygranddesign]

Also, who's body was it that Archer came back in? The body that the LE formerly inhabited? I'll have to go back and reread the last issue, I was a little confused.

I think that "battle" took place within Archers mind, a bit poorly portrayed but without adding another 5 or 10 panels to the book of Archer trying to fight the "infection" and take back control it probably wasn't going to work properly.

It was a little confusing ... but I think this comic is packed with so much over the top idea's and concepts that it lends itself to some scrutiny but its also very rewarding when it works. And I think this issue really worked for me. I think you just need to embrace the silliness a little bit and just enjoy the show.

The battle took place in Archers mind and he purged the foreign consciousness ... but i'm trying to understand fully how it was done. It probably would help if I knew exactly what the Akashic Field was (i'll have to re-read the 1st arc perhaps).

I'm guessing that Archer uploaded his consciousness to the Akashic Field when The Last Enemy took him over. And then in that scene he downloaded back into his body - taking the last enemy by surprise (in his mind) ...and then purging him. I'm not sure what purging means ... whether he is "dead" ... maybe he was purged into the Akashic Field (?). Being that he is an "equation" I guess he could never die

I also like the name "Immortal Enemy" more then "Last Enemy" ... i also wonder why that change was made.

[bygranddesign]

We needed a caption box that said "Meanwhile in Archer's brain".

I think it was meant to give you a "what the *SQUEE* just happened" feeling when you see Archer attacking Archer/Last Enemy

And then the give away of it being in his mind is the Purging of Foreign consciousness caption

its a bit murky at first read .. but I thought it was pretty clever.

[BugsySig]

Also, who's body was it that Archer came back in? The body that the LE formerly inhabited? I'll have to go back and reread the last issue, I was a little confused.

I think that "battle" took place within Archers mind, a bit poorly portrayed but without adding another 5 or 10 panels to the book of Archer trying to fight the "infection" and take back control it probably wasn't going to work properly.

It was a little confusing ... but I think this comic is packed with so much over the top idea's and concepts that it lends itself to some scrutiny but its also very rewarding when it works. And I think this issue really worked for me. I think you just need to embrace the silliness a little bit and just enjoy the show.

The battle took place in Archers mind and he purged the foreign consciousness ... but i'm trying to understand fully how it was done. It probably would help if I knew exactly what the Akashic Field was (i'll have to re-read the 1st arc perhaps).

I'm guessing that Archer uploaded his consciousness to the Akashic Field when The Last Enemy took him over. And then in that scene he downloaded back into his body - taking the last enemy by surprise (in his mind) ...and then purging him. I'm not sure what purging means ... whether he is "dead" ... maybe he was purged into the Akashic Field (?). Being that he is an "equation" I guess he could never die

I also like the name "Immortal Enemy" more then "Last Enemy" ... i also wonder why that change was made.

The Akashic record is a depository for all knowledge and information: past, present and future. Archer's displaced consciousness (possibly with the help of the Geomancer as she hits the Enemy with a blast just before) learns how to overwrite/delete the Enemy programing by uploading a backup of the original Archer that has been saved as part of the Akashic record.

As for the name change, it makes sense given the Enemy's relationship to the Null. The Null despise anything immortal, like Gilad and Aram, so they would never call their champion "Immortal". Only "Nothing" is Forever. Calling him the "Last Enemy" makes more sense as he is the "Last" before the end of all things.

[bygranddesign]

The Akashic record is a depository for all knowledge and information: past, present and future. Archer's displaced consciousness (possibly with the help of the Geomancer as she hits the Enemy with a blast just before) learns how to overwrite/delete the Enemy programing by uploading a backup of the original Archer that has been saved as part of the Akashic record.

As for the name change, it makes sense given the Enemy's relationship to the Null. The Null despise anything immortal, like Gilad and Aram, so they would never call their champion "Immortal". Only "Nothing" is Forever. Calling him the "Last Enemy" makes more sense as he is the "Last" before the end of all things.

cool ...thanks for clearing that up. And very good point about the Last Enemy as opposed to Immortal. Makes a lot sense.