The Good
Aric decides that the only way to stop the Armor Hunters is to give the what they want: the armor. However, Livewire and crew develop a plan that will stop the Hunters from destroying the planet.
Right off the bat, the art from Doug Braithwaite and colors from Laura Martin. The artwork on this issue is breathtaking and the colors are vibrant and stunning. Braithwaite nails it when it comes to establishing shots and stoic moments for some of these characters. Braithwaite gives each panel a new angle, so at no time does the book become stale seeing shot after shot of straight on medium shots. The art shows a great deal of movement and Braithwaite gives this book a very cinematic feel, which is perfect for an event of this magnitude.
Speaking of the event as a whole, this is how events should be done. The main book feels like a great summer blockbuster, while the tie-ins tell how these characters fit in the world, and more importantly, they're relevant. The book moves a great pace and from what we see of the secondary Valiant characters here, they all have purpose. Spoiler: I'm not a Bloodshot fan, but I love his role in this book. It feels like a very natural fit. That probably the best part of the series as a whole. Writer Robert Venditti has these events happening naturally and organically. Nothing feels shoved down the reader's throats or overdone.
The story here mainly revolves around Livewire's plan and what happens because of it. She's an essential part of the issue and story, especially because of her part in early issues of UNITY. Because of her actions, that leaves the story in a very interesting place and really changes where the story is going. There's nothing predictable about this book.
The Bad
With one issue of the event left, it seems like ARMOR HUNTERS has an extreme amount of ground to cover before the event is concluded. While there are a few Aftermath tie-ins coming along as well, it sees like the last issue might be a bit crazy because so much has to happen.
So much of what's going on with the Armor Hunters is revealed in the past few issues of X-O MANOWAR. You really have to be reading both of these titles to get a full scope of the event.
The Verdict
Although there's a few minor issues with this book, overall, it's fantastic. This is how events should be done. Venditti, Braithwaite, and Martin provide a story full of twists and turns that feels natural and not forced. As great as the issue is, fans won't be able to stop thinking about where this is headed and what the aftermath is going to be like. Overall, I highly recommend this issue and this event, especially the tie ins.
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