Archer and Armstrong #0.2014 Review

Archer is a character whose past always seemed obvious. He was raised by religious extremists to hunt down Armstrong and that's all you really need to know, or at least that's what we thought. This issue gives a deeper look into Archer's life before he started battling immortal drunkards, and it's sorta devastating. This comic manages to be sad, frightening and hilarious all at the same time. You might have not known you wanted to read this story, but know that it's hear you should definitely check it out. Archer & Armstrong continues its winning streak, even when it spends a month looking backwards.

Fred Van Lente has built such a great world with this title. It fits comfortably into the Valiant Universe, but still has so much of it s own character. The real surprise here comes when we see The Sect finally “break” Archer. It's disturbing watching them turn him into a brutal killer and brainwashed follower. He's a child and Van Lente constantly reminds you of that. He calls for a mother he'll never see again, is beaten by his new family and locked in a closet. It's all kinds of horrifying. Of course, this being Archer & Armstrong, there's also a healthy dose of humor sprinkled through out the issue that, against all odds, doesn't feel out of place.

Pere Perez is so freaking good. His clean, smooth style is always a treat. This issue is one of his best looking in recent memory. The characters are expressive and dynamic. There's no real action to speak of, but Perez still manages to inject a sense of fluid grace into the entire issue. There's nota single wasted line here, not one out of place shadow. Any time you see Pere Perez's name on a comic, you know it's at least worth a look. The dude can draw, without a doubt.

Benjamin is the co-writer of Captain Ultimate, the co-host of the Assemble After Dark podcast and a vicious lover of Godzilla. Follow Benjamin on Twitter @BenHBailey, or find him on IGN.

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