Archer & Armstrong #13 Review

Archer & Armstrong are still stuck in the Faraway fighting aliens and trying to find a way home but will the solution tear the two apart? It’s quite possibly the most entertaining issue to date.

Official description from VALIANT:
…and then things got really out of hand! When the war for the Faraway descends into all-out chaos, can even the combined forces of Archer, Armstrong, Mary Maria and whole mess of dinosaurs be enough to defeat General Redacted and his 500 Shades of Greys?

Issue #13 of Archer & Armstrong leads to a surprising end and one that will leave you guessing as to what could possibly come up next but won’t leave you disappointed. This concludes the battle with General Redacted and we get a full on exposition on how the Faraway came to be and why it’s so twisted, strange and full of historical characters. This all comes from Armstrong’s brother, Ivar Anni-Padda, who was recently been rescued by Archer. Hearst, Ivan and Archer now gather to launch a final raid against General Redacted but need one more pilot to join their team. Who Archer recruits and what he finds in the midst of the search sets-up for a quite explosive ending both literally and figuratively. Flying saucers VS. WWII fighter planes. What’s not to love here?

Fred Van Lente writes this book with an anything goes mentality which makes this book one of the single most entertaining titles out right now. While Van Lente approach feels wild and loose it is the most densely structured and meticulous in details. The Faraway alone is the perfect example of wildly random jumps through time yet there is a schematic of the architecture of time to go along with it. Yeah, let that sink in for a minute…

Within all the craziness of the story there are many moments of strong emotions and honesty throughout which makes this a thoroughly enjoyable read. Archer & Armstrong’s relationship and bond takes a tremendous blow by the end and where it will lead is anybody’s guess but Van Lente will, no doubt, keep us on our toes.

Artist Pere Perez is absurdly solid on this title and his lively expressions and liveliness he brings to the faces and body language of each character strongly bolsters Van Lente’s writing. His creative use of camera angles in his panels makes this extremely dynamic and eye catching as well. It’s simply full of detail and style that deserves your full attention.

Out of all of Valiant’s outstanding titles, Archer & Armstrong is the most overall entertaining. It’s fun, action packed, humorous and full of heart. The story covers so much ground that you’ll be eager to see what comes next and with Archer & Armstrong anything is possible. Don’t overlook this book as it’s the foundation upon which outstanding work is realized. This book appeals to just about any reader and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Don’t miss it!