Archer and Armstrong v.1: The Michelangelo Code
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Penciler: Clayton Henry
Colorist: Matt Milla
Letterer: Dave Lanphear
Cover Artist: Arturo Lozzi, Patrick Zircher
“Archer and Armstrong” has one of the best, most underrated writers in comics, a fan favorite artist, and some of the strongest reviews from the past two years. I’ve been dying to read the much ballyhooed revamp of the Valiant Comics classic and am quite glad I did.
Obadiah Archer has been training his entire life for a mission from the Lord. His father, a Minister, and mother, a Congresswoman, have spent his 18 years of life readying him for destroying “He who shall not be named.” After saying goodbye to his many adopted brothers and sisters, who have also been in training, he sets out into the world of sin, starting with the most sinful place of all, New York City. A special artifact leads him directly to the person he needs to destroy, a big, burly, lush, who’s prone to poetry. And who is very, very old. Armstrong, as he’s called today, is used to people trying to kill him. But an 18 year old fighting prodigy claiming to be on a quest for God is close to new for him. Someone as old as he is and as big a partier as he always has been, he’s seen it all. And it’s that long past that he needs to unravel a large journey centuries in the making. Of course, he also has to stop this kid from trying to kill him. As well killer nuns, Hitler-aficionado monks, devil worshipers and the like.
This is volume one and I need to get my hands on everything else. It’s one of the most entertaining and funny comics around. Cleary, this is the product that should be produced with you revamp a series. Fred Van Lente takes such care in the books he writes. Even though this isn’t his original property, he makes it his own. Every voice is unique and exciting. There isn’t a useless character shown. All will be needed and will be used with care. He has put a lot of work and research into A&A and we, the reader, benefit from it. Best of all, he makes it thoroughly engaging. I love everything about this book. Especially Clayton Henry’s art. A long-favorite of mine, he’s putting out the best work of his career here. His work is bright and animated. The two of them with the stunning color work of Mark Milla make “Archer and Armstrong” one of the best, A+, and obsessive books you need to add to your collection.
