Archer & Armstrong #9
Written by Fred Van Lente
Art by Emanuela Lupacchino with Alvero Martinez
Inks by Guillermo Ortego
Colors by Davd Baron
Letters by Dave Lanphear
Covers by Emanuela Lupacchino and Tom Fowler
Assistant Editor: Josh Johns
Associate Editor: Jody Leheup
Executive Editor: Warren Simmons
Valiant Entertainment
Release Date: April 10, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

BOOM! Archer & Armstrong #9 opens with a bang and doesn’t even attempt to slow down! This is only the second Valiant comic that I’ve read since they’re relaunch (shame on me) and I have to say, I was pretty impressed. Enough to delved deeper into their universe. But, that’s besides the point, we’re here to talk about this issue.

I’ve become a fan of Fred Van Lente over the last few years, and with good reason. Everything he’s written, from Hercules to GI Joe, has been very entertaining. This book is no different. We get a nice recap inside the front cover and then we hit the ground running. If you’re familiar with Van Lente’s writing, then you’ll know he excels at adding humor to his scripts and this issue is no exception. Even though Archer & Armstrong are fighting against each other, and higher forces than they can handle alone, there’s some great wise cracks, and the occasional laugh out loud moments. As always, Van Lente does a great job with characterizations and writes with the artist in mind. This is a very enjoyable issue!

The artistic team of Emanuela Lupacchino and Alvero Martinez is great! I’ve never seen their work before, but it is PERFECT for super hero comics. Drawing a new(ish) book is hard, let alone having to try to measure up to the nostalgia that some fans feel for the book. Lupacchino and Martinez really hit the nail on the head when they tackle this book. The pacing is great, the layouts are fantastic, and overall everything looks great. They’ve made this comic look as sleek and sharp as one of comic being published by “The Big Two.”

I have no problem recommending this issue. No, it’s not a great-jumping on point, but through storytelling, Van Lente catches you up at to what’s going on, and there’s really no confusion about what’s happening in the issue. A very entertaining read.