The Good
Saving the world is a big job, and it's something Archer and Armstrong are becoming accustomed to. They're now teamed up with Gilad (Armstrong's brother who is also immortal) and the new Geomancer to find out what Zorn is up to. Obviously, Zorn is up to something a lot more sinister than anyone could have imagined.
The Geomancer was introduced at the end of the last issue, and she becomes officially part of this team here. I really like the character. I like that she has the ability to see things in code. It's a very interesting concept. I think she makes a good edition to this rag-tag group.
I really enjoyed the banter between the brothers, Gilad and Armstrong, here. It's witty and funny, and it's two guys pretending they do need each other, when in fact, they really do. Fred Van Lente knows how to tell a good story, and he knows when it's the perfect time to have one character throw a quick jab at another character.
I love the ape in the toga. It's brilliant.
The issue opens up with Gilad meeting Archimedes and seeing a whole bunch of "circles" drawn everywhere. At first, I wasn't too big of a fan of this scene, but after getting through the whole issue, I reread it and loved the opening. Like I stated earlier, Zorn is up to something big, and you'll actually have to read the book to find out what. That opening really adds a lot to the overall story and plot, especially if you give it another go after finishing it.
Artist Emanuela Lupacchino does a solid job here, especially with body language. Characters' poses are varied to reflect the scene perfectly, and we get to see a lot of stances and poses that are natural, but not things you'd see in an everyday comic. I was very impressed with how Lupacchino drew Gilad punching in the opening scene. It looked very natural.
The Bad
The issue feels a bit slower than the other ones. A lot more of the plot is being revealed to the reader, and while I enjoyed it, and I didn't find myself really engaged with the issue until about halfway through.
It's really hard to read the security question riddle on the screen because all the colors, in the area, are so bright.
The Verdict
It's not my favorite issue of the series so far, but overall, it's still an amazing ride. ARCHER AND ARMSTRONG 7 delivers a knockout punch of awesomeness across your weak jaw, putting you into a coma. I know some may find it annoying how much Gregg and I hype these Valiant books up, but truth be told, these are fantastic series. Archer & Armstrong is a solid, fun detective story you'll want to continue reading. It's becoming this very cool team book, currently, which I'm really liking at the moment. I can't wait to see where it goes next.
Overall, I highly recommend this issue and series.