Dead Drop #2 Discussion

Keith · Post by **Keith** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 1:00 pm

Ok, Dead Drop... #1 I was ok with as a light hearted, not taking this seriously, romp.

#2... now you may have lost me. I'm not sure who that spastic dullard was, but that was not Obadiah Archer.

The story is interesting, and I will stick with it to see what happens, but I am not enjoying Kot's interpretation of my beloved characters thus far. Did editorial give another "free reign" pass to a creator just to get them on board? (i.e. Pak's first Eternal Warrior arc)

Brapbrap · Post by **Brapbrap** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 1:15 pm

i think he wrote archer a lot better than he wrote aric but he still seems to have forgot that archer has *SQUEE* superpowers

also dont like how every hero in the valiant universe somehow knows neville even if it makes little sense

i think the problem with this series is that its been written with the marvel method and the artist has no knowledge of valiant, so hes doing the action sequences without knowing how the characters' powers work

BugsySig · Post by **BugsySig** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 7:39 pm

Ugh...so I do kinda like the story, and the art is decent, but the way XO and now Archer's powers have been written just takes me right out of everything.

Archer has access to an infinite storehouse of knowledge and the ability to access any number of psiot abilities.

I can see Archer holding back to protect civilians, sure, that does fit his character. But being taken out by a couple of common Ninja? No flippin way!

Oh, and if it wasn't clear before, this Neville is an imposter.

Michael_Ayer · Post by **Michael_Ayer** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 8:05 pm

So weird. The art is cool. The concept is okay. The characterization is awful. Aric and archer could be any person. It is very obvious that this is just a job for Ales Kot. He couldn't have read anything about the characters.

Weird. I'm only reading it because I've read everything in the valiant universe (except q2 which wasn't in this universe). And... I'm hoping it gets better. Hoping.

BugsySig · Post by **BugsySig** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 9:25 pm

Michael_Ayer wrote:So weird. The art is cool. The concept is okay. The characterization is awful. Aric and archer could be any person. It is very obvious that this is just a job for Ales Kot. He couldn't have read anything about the characters.

Weird. I'm only reading it because I've read everything in the valiant universe (except q2 which wasn't in this universe). And... I'm hoping it gets better. Hoping.

I have come to the conclusion that XO (and possibly Archer) were just shoe-horned into this book to try and increase sales/slap on the covers (though Archer's inclusion made some sense to the story as he is based in NYC at the moment).

I'm thinking the next two issues might read better because they'll feature lesser known/less developed characters. Maybe all 4 issues should have featured non-premier characters? It might have made for a pretty cool street level VALIANT tale that way.

slack · Post by **slack** » Thu Jun 04, 2015 6:28 am

so far, the only 2 reasons I'm finishing this series are:

1. I have everything else valiant...
2. maybe Kot WON'T totally squee up the final 2 characters, since they are secondary characters without much background and characterization.

the first two issues were like watching someone do impressions, badly.
I used to not like quantum and woody very much. now, thanks to DEAD DROP I actually miss quantum & woody.

CongoBill · Post by **CongoBill** » Thu Jun 04, 2015 1:07 pm

Wasn't thrilled with the second issue, but it was OK. I'm beginning to think that this whole story is a bad dream Neville is having, where everything is off just a bit and things are spiralling out of control. You know, we've all had dreams like that, right? That, to me, explains all of the weirdness. I mean, what was the scene with Neville snatching and eating a fly all about??? Yeah, maybe he's an imposter, but I'm sticking with the weird, offbeat dream for now! I'm not buying the complaints that Ales Kot is just shoe-horning VEI characters into a previously written story without doing any research on the characters or their abilities. I don't think Kot or VEI would be so lackadaisical. I could be wrong, of course, but I'm thinking there will be an explanation for why things are not quite how they should be.

jmatt · Post by **jmatt** » Thu Jun 04, 2015 8:55 pm

Reads like a Q&W arc. I think this was marketed incorrectly, and expectations are important. Archer is characterized as if the author read the first issue of AA and not beyond.

I guess I'm okay with him not using psiot powers since I think it was a mistake for him to be given them in the first place.

The story hasn't really progressed, just issue #1 with a different character. Meh.

400yrs · Post by **400yrs** » Fri Jun 05, 2015 5:38 am

Glad I've committed to not buying stuff from Kot. Sounds like a floater in the pool.

slack · Post by **slack** » Fri Jun 05, 2015 8:30 am

it definitely needs a really good payoff to explain, not excuse, how poor the first 2 issues have been.

kinda hoping for the bad dream angle.

side note, it's been years since I looked at homestar runner, even longer since I went to the homestar forums... but every time I see "Kot".. my brain reads it as "king of town" as KOT became the standard abbreviation for that character on the forum.
but seriously... it's been years...

pixierosa · Post by **pixierosa** » Fri Jun 05, 2015 8:42 am

While I agree that the characterizations are off, especially Archer's, I'm actually enjoying the mystery of what is happening with the virus and the not-Neville. That said, I'm sort of hoping that there's also a reason that Aric and Archer weren't using powers other than Ales didn't write it that way. We may find out in the end that he told Aric not to use his powers.

I'm wondering who fake-Neville/possessed Neville really is. The first clue he was fake was the poor quality of the communication with Aric - kept breaking up. In this issue, he called off the next agent and sent in sweepers to retrieve the vial. So the question then becomes, why employ the 3rd agent for the next issue? Why have someone people to retrieve it, then steal it away from yourself essentially, then have someone steal it again? Sounds a bit like a test or a way to infect certain people with a virus that ensures they will be out of commission/in isolation when you want to run an even game.

Who could be the actual villains behind this? Who would want a fascinating virus?

The Edison gang. And the story uses two of their characters. It could be someone new, but out of our established groups, this one fits the M.O.

Just a wild guess since we're only part way through. Looking forward to more teasers.

Also, Adam Gorham does an awesome job on the art. It's the right fit for this story.

Bone-A-Fach-ee · Post by **Bone-A-Fach-ee** » Fri Jun 05, 2015 7:10 pm

jmatt wrote:
The story hasn't really progressed, just issue #1 with a different character. Meh.

I second that Meh sir. Holy disappointment , Batman!

jmatt · Post by **jmatt** » Fri Jun 05, 2015 9:00 pm

The characterization of Archer is somewhat less jaded than he is at this point in the Valiant universe, but I kinda like innocent Archer. So while it is somewhat of a throwback to his early years, I rather prefer it.

That being said, the story is never the less thin at this point.

Dallow Spicer1 · Post by **Dallow Spicer1** » Mon Jun 08, 2015 3:16 pm

Art - excellent (love the angles!!)

Story - passable

Dialogue - woeful!

2/5 - hope to see the artist on more titles!

Sir Sandrick · Post by **Sir Sandrick** » Sat Jun 13, 2015 2:11 pm

I like the art and the page layouts fine, but yeah the writing is very different for sure.

I have always thought of Archer as a more intelligent person who was brainwashed by his adopted parents - but that was a while ago now. He has traveled the world and soaked up a lot of psiot powers, kicked some real butt, etc. He is still a bit naive but he would think a bit more before speaking. The whole time that I was reading his dialogue all I could think of was-

Sir Sandrick · Post by **Sir Sandrick** » Sat Jun 13, 2015 2:14 pm

Sir Sandrick wrote:I like the art and the page layouts, but yeah the writing is very different for sure.

I have always thought of Archer as a more intelligent person who was brainwashed by his adopted parents - but that was a while ago now. He has traveled the world and soaked up a lot of psiot powers, kicked some real butt, etc. He is still a bit naive but it seems like he would let his actions speak for him at this point instead of bumbling on and on. The whole time that I was reading his dialogue all I could think of was-

I like that it is a mini and that it is very different in style and tone. It is something different and I enjoy that - that being said, I can understand how it would rub some people the wrong way.

(sorry I hit the quote button instead of the edit button again

)

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Sat Jun 20, 2015 7:13 am

I actually thought this was a better issue than the first, things moved on to explain the plot such as it is.

The art is fine, and I think Archer was rendered better than X-O Manowar last issue.

Again the writer seems to be overlooking the capabilities of his protagonists, especially when faced with a simply a free-runner - a skill that archer should be picking up as he chases.

For me, this along with previous mis-steps like the fate of Jack Boniface; the new direction for Bloodshot; the seemingly free reign given to Asmus on Quantum and Woody; the poor second half of The Valiant; the repetitious themes each month from Kindt; etc.; all suggests to me that they need to really consider their 'creator-driven' approach and perhaps have a slightly steadier and stronger hand on the tiller.

Shadowman99 · Post by **Shadowman99** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:52 am

Can't think of how to put my feelings into words with this one.

I think my comment on Dead Drop as a series thus far would have to be something along the lines of: *SQUEE*.

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 12:45 pm

Shadowman99 wrote:Can't think of how to put my feelings into words with this one.

I think my comment on Dead Drop as a series thus far would have to be something along the lines of: *SQUEE*.

Is that a 'good' *SQUEE*, a 'bad' *SQUEE*, or a wtf *SQUEE*?

FormerReader · Post by **FormerReader** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 8:29 pm

If this was an ongoing series, it would be the first Valiant book I dropped.

Shadowman99 · Post by **Shadowman99** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 1:25 pm

leonmallett wrote:
Shadowman99 wrote:Can't think of how to put my feelings into words with this one.

I think my comment on Dead Drop as a series thus far would have to be something along the lines of: *SQUEE*.
Is that a 'good' *SQUEE*, a 'bad' *SQUEE*, or a wtf *SQUEE*?

Heh, it's not a good 'squee' I'm afraid!

rbarron · Post by **rbarron** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 2:50 pm

I might be in the minority here but I enjoy the book a lot. I know I'm fairly considered a noob compared to most people on here.

As someone said above. I like the way each book has felt different on every aspect.

The first book was go go go go and I feel this book had some of that also but was more detailed in the plot and why everything was moving at the rate it was. Granted it's not really a complex plot as of yet but I feel the rewards will out way the cons that everyone seems to be having troubles with.

Shadowman99 · Post by **Shadowman99** » Sat Jul 04, 2015 4:46 am

rbarron wrote:I might be in the minority here but I enjoy the book a lot. I know I'm fairly considered a noob compared to most people on here.

As someone said above. I like the way each book has felt different on every aspect.

Dude, get over the 'n00b' thing. New Valiant readers are always very welcome on the board

Certainly don't disagree with you on the way each comic feels different from the other Valiant comics, definitely something the creative teams there have acheived to spectacular effect since the launch a few years back

I think that perhaps the reason most people on the boards here have taken a bit of a disliking to the book is that the writer of Dead Drop (whoever it is, no idea) seems to have totally disregarded the established abilities and personalities of all characters involved within these first two issues and as a result of that has produced a comic that makes no sense when considered alongside the other comics featuring the characters. With the way that Valiant have maintained a fairly decent continuity to date, I'm sure that many here feel that the 'ball has been dropped' fairly critically in this respect, which has led to some justified frustration.

If Dead Drop is read with total disregard to *every* other Valiant comic published then the prospect of some armoured guy and some random white kid with a crossbow chasing a free runner criminal to retrieve a virus can stand up on its own two feet (although it'd still be a bit weird with no real introduction to these characters I expect).

On the other hand, a character who can fly chasing a criminal by foot for a whole issue makes no sense. A character with supreme martial arts abilities who has to date easily whupped every opponent (and gangs of opponents) in his path getting bundled out-cold into the back of a van by four random ninjas makes no sense. A highly intelligent and business-like character who appears to be running England's MI6 institution eating a fly just because it's flying about near him makes no sense.

Hope y'see what I'm getting at here. Anyway, I think that's probably a fairly tidy summary of the majority view, but I'm sure others will have their say too

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Sat Jul 04, 2015 10:15 am

That sums up my [problems with the title too; that too much stuff just sticks out as making no sense given what these characters can do (especially Aric and Archer) that *could* be explained away/rationalised, but hasn't been so far.

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Sat Jul 04, 2015 10:17 am

rbarron wrote:...I know I'm fairly considered a noob compared to most people on here...

No-one will ever have their opinion seriously dismissed here for them being a noob, so welcome aboard and keep posting like Shadowman99 says.

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Dead Drop #2 Discussion

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