ARCHER & ARMSTRONG 5 Discussion

[Donovan]

No love for this book yet?

I found some of the dialogue in the beginning fight scene to be a little forced and awkward. Other than that, it does a fantastic job of setting up the Eternal Warrior's relentlessness. He's a scary mofo!

And Emanuela Lupaccino is amazing! Such beautiful linework. Every panel is clear, requiring no effort to understand what's going on or who is who.

[BugsySig]

Ahhh...just started a thread for this right after you.

Someone can feel free to merge or delete the other one.

[Donovan]

One extremely anal nitpick, I found some of the sound effects to be awkwardly lettered, or at the very least rushed. In particular, the "WAKOOOOM" on page 13 just looked like it was placed haphazardly in the upper left hand corner. At minimum it looks like an explosion of that nature could at least have the individual letters be staggered at different heights instead of straight across.

Not to judge - letterers and colourists deserve a lot of slack as they're usually rushing jobs because the artists might be behind on deadlines. I'm being EXTREMELY picky here, and no disrespect meant to the letterer!

[Donovan]

Ahhh...just started a thread for this right after you.

Someone can feel free to merge or delete the other one.

Whoops!

Great minds think alike!

[BugsySig]

Here's what I posted in the other thread:

I don't know if it was all the build up, but I was expecting more from this issue. I still enjoyed it--pretty good fight between the Bros, some development on the A&A relationship, and possibly the first glimpse at the Immortal Enemy.

But for the first issue of a new arc, it didn't have much plot development except, "We need to get away from my brother and find the new Geomancer," which we already had at the end of issue 4.

Lupacchino's art is really solid. I prefer Henry overall, but not much is lost with the switch.

[Donovan]

But for the first issue of a new arc, it didn't have much plot development except, "We need to get away from my brother and find the new Geomancer," which we already had at the end of issue 4.

Gee, when you put it like that... I guess it'll read better as a trade, but you did pretty much sum it up in one sentence!

Lupacchino's art is really solid. I prefer Henry overall, but not much is lost with the switch.

Slight edge to Lupacchino for me, but only because I want her to draw me like one of her french girls.

Did that come out wrong? Probably.

[BugsySig]

But for the first issue of a new arc, it didn't have much plot development except, "We need to get away from my brother and find the new Geomancer," which we already had at the end of issue 4.

Gee, when you put it like that... I guess it'll read better as a trade, but you did pretty much sum it up in one sentence!

Lupacchino's art is really solid. I prefer Henry overall, but not much is lost with the switch.

Slight edge to Lupacchino for me, but only because I want her to draw me like one of her french girls.

Did that come out wrong? Probably.

I'd like to draw her like one of those French girls... that doesn't sound right either...she's hot.

[cavemold]

overall i really dug the humor in this issue and seeing enternal warrior in action, the flash back scenes were pretty good as well. i liked when the times changed armstrong and enternal warrior amor and weapons changed as well. The last panel was drawn really well.

[cavemold]

i really do like the enternal warrior design as well

[KXXX]

i really do like the enternal warrior design as well

I'm with that. It feels a little more timeless.

Overall I liked this. Couple of funny moments, some grand-scale combat (was that propane? Hell yeah!) and the ever-humble Archer rationalizing like so few can.

My one, constant complaint is that I felt a bit shortchanged on the page count. It takes me 2-3 times as long to read a VH1 book (which I've been doing a lot lately) tan the new stuff. Don't get me wrong, I love that there's new Valiant, I just yearn for heavier issues.

[Spylocke]

It was a quick read but a ton of fun. I didn't read the original Eternal Warrior series consistently as a kid so I'm coming at this with kind of a different perspective than the other books. I remember thinking when I read the preview of this issue that Gilad came off like the Terminator or the antagonist in a slasher movie and I really enjoyed that tone. The fact that an super strong immortal and a guy who picks up martial styles in an instant are so scared really made Gilad seem imposing.

Not a deep or meaningful issue but I can't think of any issue there just to introduce the plot was this much fun.

[SJS4]

Just finished the issue.

I really liked the art, but I really do not like the "costume." It is way too superhero-ish IMHO. Reminds me way too much of the baby blue unitard he had for a few issues (but they got rid of eventually) in VH1.

As mentioned above the story didn't really advance much. I am happy to finally see Gilad back in comics, but his characterization so far seems too much like a caricature of the old version rather than an update. Hopefully he gets fleshed out more at some point (ideally in his own series!).

[pixierosa]

Not my favorite A&A book, but it was better than I was expecting. Was a bit worried when I read an early review that made it sound like EW was depthless. I'm glad it wasn't just a Terminator-style, on the run book. We see some backstory on the brothers, learn why EW feels so strongly about his "mission" (the earth is his mother, in a way) and we get a glimpse at his inner motivations. That said, he isn't as fleshed out as I'd like.

I did like his little speech to Archer, and I really liked that they let Archer expound on how he feels about his new partnership with Armstrong. There was some levity, and I would say that overall I prefer Henry's art. Personal style preference, I guess, but this book looks a little bit more cartoonish in some spots. I guess that goes along with the writing style, but then again, Mary Marie (for example) was drawn more realistically.

I also liked the peek into the geomancer book and learning a bit about it's nature.

Story was a good setup for what's to come.

[400yrs]

This was good, but very decompressed. When I got to the last page, I was surprised as it came so quick. The art was great.

Too light for $4 though.

[ShadowTuga]

I just finished it; I loved it, beginning to end. Art was cool, I prefer Clayton Henry's work, but just like X-O- and unlike Harbinger- the transition in styles was very smooth.
The humour was great, made me lol a couple of times (imho, Gilad's arrival at the bus and the rickshaw sequence were the most funny moments of the series, so far ). The action was short but sweet, I liked how Archer knew he wouldn't be a match in a fight for Gilad.
As for the EW himself, he's kinda of a *SQUEE*, but I understand his whole "allegiance to the cause" (after all he was already dead when the Boon thing happened, right? He must have some sort of knowledge/mission that the other 2 don't share? )

Thing is, how will they turn him into a more likable hero if he's to get his own series?
I can see a "Tales from the Eternal Warrior" mini, dealing with him in the past, fighting in the great battles of the world. I'd buy that *SQUEE*!

Aside: Part of me, is wishing very hard to see an old-school sword-fighting between Gilad and Aric. Make it happen, Warren!

My ranking: 4.75 out of 5.
And A&A IS getting better every month)

[orbitalshift]

I know I am in the minority here, but FVL has managed to all but ruin my favorite corner of the Valiant universe. So far he has ruined Archer, Armstrong, The Sect, Ivar, Buck McHenry, and now Gilad. I'm sure he will turn our new Geomancer into charmless caricature also. The rest of the books I have really enjoyed, but I just wish this series would have never happened. I do like the art work, the only positive part of the issue for me. I have no idea how anyone who read the original A&A, could read this series and think it is anything but drivel. Compare Eternal Warrior 6 & 7 to the past two issues of A&A and you will see how insipid this book is.

[bribri]

I know I am in the minority here, but FVL has managed to all but ruin my favorite corner of the Valiant universe. So far he has ruined Archer, Armstrong, The Sect, Ivar, Buck McHenry, and now Gilad. I'm sure he will turn our new Geomancer into charmless caricature also. The rest of the books I have really enjoyed, but I just wish this series would have never happened. I do like the art work, the only positive part of the issue for me. I have no idea how anyone who read the original A&A, could read this series and think it is anything but drivel. Compare Eternal Warrior 6 & 7 to the past two issues of A&A and you will see how insipid this book is.

Maybe compare the original A&A 13-26...?

[myron]

I know I am in the minority here, but FVL has managed to all but ruin my favorite corner of the Valiant universe. So far he has ruined Archer, Armstrong, The Sect, Ivar, Buck McHenry, and now Gilad. I'm sure he will turn our new Geomancer into charmless caricature also. The rest of the books I have really enjoyed, but I just wish this series would have never happened. I do like the art work, the only positive part of the issue for me. I have no idea how anyone who read the original A&A, could read this series and think it is anything but drivel. Compare Eternal Warrior 6 & 7 to the past two issues of A&A and you will see how insipid this book is.

Maybe compare the original A&A 13-26...?

that's just mean...to tell someone to read those dogs...may as well talk about the X-O bike...

[Kurokashi-san]

I know Gilad is immortal, but how was he surviving underwater all this time without oxygen?

[KXXX]

I know Gilad is immortal, but how was he surviving underwater all this time without oxygen?

That may have something to do with the fact that he's immortal.

[orbitalshift]

I know I am in the minority here, but FVL has managed to all but ruin my favorite corner of the Valiant universe. So far he has ruined Archer, Armstrong, The Sect, Ivar, Buck McHenry, and now Gilad. I'm sure he will turn our new Geomancer into charmless caricature also. The rest of the books I have really enjoyed, but I just wish this series would have never happened. I do like the art work, the only positive part of the issue for me. I have no idea how anyone who read the original A&A, could read this series and think it is anything but drivel. Compare Eternal Warrior 6 & 7 to the past two issues of A&A and you will see how insipid this book is.

Maybe compare the original A&A 13-26...?

Agreed, they were pretty terrible too.

[Kurokashi-san]

I know Gilad is immortal, but how was he surviving underwater all this time without oxygen?

That may have something to do with the fact that he's immortal.

Yes, but the lack of oxygen should cause damage to his brain despite the fact he can’t be killed.

[Zaphod]

I'm officially done with this title. Very little beyond nostalgia kept me around this long.

I know this is just a comic book but the BWS run of A&A never felt so "comic bookey". The dialogue is hokey, the art is passable but not overly exciting and the characters are, as has been pointed out, caricatures of previously rich and textured characters. Gilad was never just some mindless, killing machine.

There are brief bits of interesting substance but quite brief.

[orbitalshift]

I'm officially done with this title. Very little beyond nostalgia kept me around this long.

I know this is just a comic book but the BWS run of A&A never felt so "comic bookey". The dialogue is hokey, the art is passable but not overly exciting and the characters are, as has been pointed out, caricatures of previously rich and textured characters. Gilad was never just some mindless, killing machine.

There are brief bits of interesting substance but quite brief.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this book is terrible. All I am hoping for is that FVL gets a gig somewhere else, so he will stop ruining this relaunch. At this point, I'm not sure how you could undo all this crap to clean up continuity and save the book. My main concern is that these ideas and characters will start infecting the broader Valiant Universe and ruin the other books.

[KXXX]

I know Gilad is immortal, but how was he surviving underwater all this time without oxygen?

That may have something to do with the fact that he's immortal.

Yes, but the lack of oxygen should cause damage to his brain despite the fact he can’t be killed.

Perhaps it did... maybe that's why he's such a *SQUEE*