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!

Harbinger Wars #1
Written by Joshua Dysart
Story by Joshua Dysart & Duane Swierczynski
Art by Clayton Henry, Clayton Crain and Mico Suayan
Color art by Brian Reber
Letters by Dave Lanphear
Covers by Lewis LaRosa, Clayton Henry, Clayton Crain, and Patrick Zircher
Valiant Entertainment
Release Date: April 3, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Harbinger Wars #1 is the first effort in a line wide crossover from the newly returned Valiant Entertainment. Now, I haven’t been keeping up like I should have or wanted to with the rest of the Valiant line, but thankfully the whole team has done a great job not to let me get lost and make it an enjoyable read.

Joshua Dysart, the writer of this series, does a nice job in the first few pages in bringing you up to speed on who’s who and what’s what in the Valiant Universe. It’s never confusing or convoluted, and flows naturally with the kind of story telling that he’s using in this issue. That said, I’m not a huge fan of first issues of big crossover story lines because the author normally DOES spend a number of pages catching the audience up with what has come before. Again, that being said, this one is quick and painless and then hits the ground running. This issue certainly gets the ball rolling bringing several of the Valiant Universe characters together in what seems is a confrontation that’s been brewing for awhile. Very cool, nicely written issue.

Shadowman #6
Written by Justin Jordan
Art by Patrick Zircher, Lee Garbett and Neil Edwards
Color by Brian Reber and Guy Major
Letters by Rob Steen
Covers by Patrick Zircher and Dave Johnson
Valiant Entertainment
Release Date: April 3, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Welcome to my first review of a Valiant Entertainment comic! I present to you the delightfully dark Shadowman #6. Set in New Orleans, Louisiana, it really draws on that creepy voodoo-like vibe that one feels when they visit ‘The Big Easy.’  But it’s not just drawing on the world as we know it, Shadowman also reveals to us a world that we are completely unaware of in our mundane lives. We are shown the Deadside, a parallel universe of horrific nightmares that seeks to break down the tenuous barriers that separate our two dimensions from one another.

First off, we have Jack Boniface as the new Shadowman, having had his powers bestowed upon him by a loa (keeping with the regional theme of voodoo). His current (and ongoing) job is protecting our world from the Deadside. And while he may still be learning about his new abilities, he is being kept quite busy dealing with a group called the Brethren. We learn that these powerful Brethren are desperate to restore a necromancer named Master Darque to our world, which would bring about untold horrors and destroy our very existence. Then we have a very mysterious, tattooed gunman who is working a different angle against the Brethren at the behest of an old, almost forgotten, local deity named Baron Samedi. But this demi-god is in negotiations with Master Darque–negotiations that could prove troublesome for the Shadowman. Though, as with every underworld deal, not everything is as it seems.

Each and every week “Let’s Go Red Wings!” MK2Fac3 and “Clap! Clap! Clap, Clap, Clap!” Henchman21 read a lot of comics. Seriously you guys, a lot of comics. Maybe too many comics. I mean, it is possible”¦ theoretically. They look forward to some more than others, I mean, who doesn’t? So, let’s take a look into the depths of their pull lists, grab some comics, and we’ll let YOU know what the top books to look forward to are for the week of May 2, 2012. Single issues and trades, they’re all here.

Comics rule everything around me. So, in believing in the mantra of C.R.E.A.M., it is my pleasure to tell you about a vast array of new comic books that are coming out this week. There are a wealth of new creator owned books coming out from Image, while DC Comics guides into the Night of the Owls. Meanwhile, behind the facade of an innocent looking bookstore, your local comic shop lets Marvel showcase the latest installment of their comic about heroes fighting each other, while Dark Horse collects some shorts from Dark Horse Presents and Valiant returns! Yes, comics, indeed, rule everything around me. Hence, we offer upon you the readers, The GoD List.