Archer: I haven't seen much of Solar lately.
Armstrong: That guy was nothing but trouble. Kept on creating alternative universes.
Archer: So what happened to him?
Armstrong: I think X-O flung him out into space. Let the Psi-Lords deal with him, I say.
Archer: You mean the kids who don't even know their own names?
Armstrong: He can name 'em after their colors. Solar loves colors.
Armstrong: Whoa! What do we have here?
Archer: An old Valiant book I found. It's called Starslayer.
Armstrong: Oh yeah, I was never quite sure about him.
Archer: Why's that?
Armstrong: Well, how can a kid wish upon a star, if some bloke goes around slaying them all?
In X-O Manowar #7, I love how Aric reads books to understand what his good skin tells him. As in Valiant's recent series, Shanhara may be able to access relevant facts, but it takes perceptive writers to make sense of myriad facts.
If Aric's still around twenty years from now, it'll be interesting to see how future writers regard Donald Trump, and how they compare the two men. I suspect they'll think of "living like Donald Trump" rather differently.
I also enjoyed how he tells his girlfriend about his 5th Century heritage. He knows she won't believe him, but still he tries. After all, he's seen--and come to believe--many impossible things.
I enjoyed how this former warrior for his Visigoth peoples pays his workers with gold to resolve a labor union impasse. Simple and effective.
Why is this so difficult for modern, civilized man to understand?
Aric fires one unethical executive, while he keeps Orb Industries executive Ken Clarkson around with the intent of reforming him. But then, he has history with Ken, and feels gratitude to him for helping him find his place in our modern world. Also, I can't help wondering if Aric, growing up in the shadow of a Roman empire that took over native lands and gave them to their politicians and military officers, equates business corruption with a Roman way of life.
A reader back in the 1990s wrote to Valiant asking them to make a X-O Manowar movie starring "Conan The Barbarian" actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. That would have been fun, wouldn't it?
Dragon Dave
Archer: Sir, why don't the Legionnaires and the giant bugs ever attack together?
Armstrong: That's a stumper. Ask Pulo. He'll drill to the heart of the matter for you.
Archer: I can't believe you just said that!
Armstrong: Sorry. Guess all this travel is wearing me down.
Archer: I know you don't think I'll find a way to recharge the Boon--
Armstrong: That's the understatement of the decade.
Archer: If nothing else, I hope you've enjoying our adventures.
Armstrong: Each day of this farewell tour has served up a golden moment.
Archer: Please don't say things like that, sir!
Armstrong: Then I'll sign off by saying a big "Thank you" to you, and to all the good folks at Valiant for, well, everything.
Archer: They are awesome, aren't they.
Armstrong: On that we'll always agree.
Archer: I need to do some rescheduling, what with the airlines canceling so many flights.
Armstrong: Whatever, kid. Knock yourself out.
Archer: You won't get bored if we just sit here awhile?
Armstrong: No. It's all good.
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| A page from Armorclads #1 |
In Armorclads #1, we met our team of hardworking heroes known as the Ironclads. In addition to writers J. J. O'Connor and Brian Buccellato, this was due to the efforts of penciler Manuel Garcia, Raul Fernandez, and Rex Lokus.
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| A page from Armorclads #2 |
Overseeing the team's efforts was editor David Wohl, who formerly edited Top Cow series The Darkness and Witchblade. Unfortunately, he left before Armorclads came out. Valiant replaced him with editor Rob Levin.
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| A page from Armorclads #3 |
As the series progressed, Valiant announced that Armorclads had grown from four to five issues. With Armorclads #3, Miguel Sepulveda stepped in to assist penciler Manuel Garcia. In Armorclads #4, Miguel took over sole penciling duties, while Hi-Fi replaced Rex Lokus as colorist.
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| A page from Armorclads #4 |
Often, a difference in a penciler or colorist's style can be glaringly obvious. Editor Rob Levin is to be congratulated for extending this exciting series, and keeping the art and story moving forward in seamless fashion.
March on, Armorclads!
Dragon Dave
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| Armorclads #4 Cover A by Bagus Hutomo |
Warning: This post intrudes into the issue itself beyond the preview pages. Spoilers--hopefully not too many--may apply. Read carefully.
Armorclads ushers us into an alien world. It is a world packed with its own mythology, and backed by speculative ideas not currently possible. While I'm not a scientist, I thought one aspect of Armorclads #4 worthy of an indepth discussion.
In Armorclads #4, the Ironclads see a spaceship docking with the other end of the tether. By definition, a tether, or space elevator, should be attached to a counterweight out in space, well beyond the planet's atmosphere.
According to Wikipedia, Earth's atmosphere extends as high as 10,000 kilometers above our planet's surface. A tether would be anchored to a counterweight beyond geostationary orbit, or 35,786 kilometers away. Obviously, both distances extend beyond human eyesight.
I normally envision a tether's counterweight as an asteroid. In science fiction novels, this is usually effected by moving an asteroid into the planet or moon's orbit. According to Wikipedia, the tether's counterweight could also be a large space station. In Armorclads #4, penciler Miguel Sepulveda and inker Raul Fernandez portray an orbiting space station that looks of a similar size to the city on Xeru.
Of course, the science behind space tethers, or space elevators as they're often called in novels, is highly speculative. Also, keep in mind that the action in Armorclads #4 takes place on the planet Xeru, which is very different to Earth. Xeru is so different from Earth, in fact, that people have to be bioengineered to live and work there.
At least in the long-term.
Armorclads #4 delivers an epic battle fought on four fronts. I'll leave you to discover the full intensity of that battle, and the roles the Ironclads, Legionnaires, and the Alphans play in that battle when you read the issue. I just thought this notion of the space tether, and how authors J. J. O'Connor and Brian Bucellato utilized it in this issue, merited further discussion.
I hope you agree, and that it enhances your appreciation of this military science fiction series.
Dragon Dave
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| Armorclads #4 Cover B by Jeremy Roberts |
Armorclads #4, written by J. J. O'Connor and Brian Buccellato, opens with Governor Dohman explaining to Peris the purpose of the fabled godsuits. This seems a little premature, as the governor only seems to have found part of one. But hey, a guy's gotta dream, right?
Kidnapped Ironclad Peris points out the obvious: that peace achieved by the threat of deploying a superweapon is really tyranny.
What's less clear is how people who have been genetically engineered by the Alphans could somehow possess the unique genetics Dohman has spent his life searching for. Whatever the reason, in Peris he believes he has found someone who could wield such an overwhelmingly powerful weapon.
While he promises Peris a partnership, is a man who dreams of gaining absolute power really someone with whom one can partner? Personally, I doubt Lela would think so. But then, she's arrived with her army of Ironclads to rescue Peris. She hasn't met Governor Dohman yet.
Oh, and in case I haven't mentioned it yet, they've arrived on a dark and stormy night, one richly colored by Hi-Fi.
While Peris once served as the Ironclads' leader, Lela has grown into that position. Lela and Cole, penciled by Miguel Sepulveda and inked by Raul Fernandez, clearly are working in harmony.
She's learned how to motivate her people, and channel their abilities, as these scenes--lettered by Valiant stalwart Dave Sharpe--ably illustrate.
What she wasn't expecting was for another force to enter the fray.
We haven't learned much about the Legionnaires yet. The Ironclads view them as a group of mercenaries who have somehow found a way to control the giant bugs. We caught a glimpse of them watching the Ironclads battling the bugs in the last issue.
Now, they choose to attack the city as well.
While clearly influenced by movie franchises like Starship Troopers and Avatar, Armorclads stands on its own. Armorclads #4 showcases more of this complex universe filled with interesting characters, powerful factions, and more story elements than the series' five scheduled issues could ever exhaust. Answer the call, Valiant readers. Buy up every available copy of Armorclads #4, and demand that Valiant publish many more issues of this fantastic series.
If nobody quits on Armorclads, everybody wins!
Dragon Dave
Archer: Shadowman looks like he's in pain.
Armstrong: Yeah, it's not fun to get slashed like that.
Archer: I'm guessing you're not a fan of slashing in general right now?
Armstrong: Depends on how much I've had to drink.
Armstrong: So you're accusing the Maw?
Archer: He lurks in the shadows. He strikes without warning. He--
Armstrong: He nibbles the blue sprinkles off donuts?
Archer: There's no limit to his villainy.
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| Armorclads #4 Cover A by Bagus Hutomo |
In Armorclads #4, our hearty squad of Ironclads--along with a few friends they've picked up at other outposts--arrive at the city where their friend Peris is being held. Bagus Hutomo's Cover A shows the vast city arrayed before them.
The city forms an intriguing circle. Is this for defensive purposes? Or is this series of progressively larger rings, along with interlinking spokes, designed to support the tether that transports goods and personnel between space (or at least the upper atmosphere) and the surface?
Either way, Hutomo's Cover A shows the scope of the Alphan's interplanetary engineering expertise.
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| Armorclads #4 Cover B by Jeremy Roberts |
Jeremy Roberts' Cover B is hands down one of the best covers I've seen all year. And yes, I mean from any publisher. The artist has captured all the energy, tension, and fear that a futuristic science fiction/military fiction/space opera can dish out. I know I'm a Pre-Order guy, and it's rare that I even consider getting another cover. But...
Wow. I mean, wow! I've gotta get me one of these!!!
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| Armorclads #4 Cover C by Bagus Hutomo |
Bagus Hutomo's Black & White & Yellow Cover C shows the mammoth engineering of the city supporting the space tether more clearly than in his Cover A. Space tethers--or elevators, are staples of science fiction stories because they make it far easier to transport people into space without having to build vehicles and power sources to lift them out of a planet's gravity well. Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy, and David Gerrold's novel Jumping Off The Planet, are but two literary sources that highlight what incredible marvels space elevators would be.
As the space tether plays a crucial role in this issue, that makes Bagus Hutomo's Cover C one to die for.
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| Armorclads #4 Pre-Order Cover by Kael Ngu |
Kael Ngu has been bringing Pre-Order customers a focus on each of the primary Ironclads. First off was their leader Peris, followed by Lela, who stepped into the breach after he was arrested and transported to the city. Unlike Jac, the mechanic showcased on his Armorclads #3 Pre-Order Cover, this month's featured Ironclad, Pulo, probably hasn't bowled readers over much yet. But Pulo is younger than Jac and Peris, and despite his doubts about Lela's choices, has proven one of her loyal followers.
His fellow Ironclads are thankful Pulo didn't carry out his threat to do number one or number two in his armor. I'm likewise grateful, as the resultant smell would have distracted Lela from her efforts to unite Xeru's oppressed Ironclads. So as a Pre-Order customer, I'm happy to include Pulo in my gallery of Valiant's mighty Ironclads.
Well, there you have it, Valiant Cover fanatics: all the cover options for Armorclads #4. Make sure you pick up the one you want this coming Wednesday, whether its one, two, or all of them!
Dragon Dave
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| Armorclads #4 Pre-Order Cover by Kael Ngu |
Okay Valiant fans: here it is, the fourth (and sadly, penultimate) issue of Armorclads! They teased it last issue, but now it's finally happening. The Ironclads march on the Citadel to rescue Peris!
But can they?
All that stands between The Ironclads and their missing friend is the
heavily fortified Citadel, an army of ARMORCLADS, and an all-out assault
by The Legionnaires! Meanwhile, in the depths of the Citadel, the
Governor shows Peris a weapon that could change the fate of the entire
universe.
Wow! So much to anticipate! So let's get on with it then: the fab five first pages of Armorclads #4!
Enjoy!!!
Details, details...
ARMORCLADS #4
Created by JJ O'CONNOR
Written by JJ O'CONNOR AND BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Pencils by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA AND MANUEL GARCIA
Inks by RAÜL FERNÁNDEZ
Colors by REX LOKUS
Letters by DAVE SHARPE
Cover A by BAGUS HUTOMO
Cover B by JEREMY ROBERTS
Cover C by BAGUS HUTOMO
Pre-order Cover by KAEL NGU
On sale June 22nd | 32 pages, full color | $3.99 US | T+
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| Bloodshot #1 Pre-Order Cover by Tim Sale |
When getting back into comics a few years ago, one of the series in the bargain bins that arrested by attention was a 1990s series called Deathblow. While Jim Lee started off the series doing the art, Tim Sale soon took the reins. Reading a couple issues not only got me hooked on the series, but the entire range of 90s image titles.
Valiant Comics also started creating enduring characters in the 1990s. One of those, Bloodshot, reminds me very much of Deathblow. Both are reluctant soldiers and blessed/cursed with super-healing abilities. So when it just happened that Tim Sale did the Pre-Order Cover for Valiant's 2019 Bloodshot series, I was a very happy camper indeed.
I was saddened to learn last night that Tim Sale passed away. Rest in peace, Tim. You will be remembered.
Dragon Dave
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| Magnus Robot Fighter #15: Cover by Frank Miller |
Another entry in my 90's Valiant Unity event re-read...
As Magnus Robot Fighter #15 is set entirely in Magnus' time, we don't get to see Archer & Armstrong in this issue. But we get to meet two (Count 'em: 2!) geomancers.
The Eternal Warrior, Gilad Anni-Padda, has lived on into Magnus' time, two millenia from now. He has an interesting story for you to discover, and Rokkie will play an important role in it.
Oh, you'll also see Rai in this issue. He's even got a fun nickname!
I think what I most enjoyed about this issue is how it sets up Erica Pierce's kingdom in the Lost Land that we first saw in Unity #0. So, even though this issue goes forward in time, it also predates the majority of the series, which takes place in the land outside of time: the Lost Land.
And the great future city which is transported to the Lost Land is...San Gabriel?
I used to work in San Gabriel!
You'll find great worldbuilding in Magnus Robot Fighter #15. This fourth chapter in the Unity saga is definitely worth checking out, whether you're a fan of 90s Valiant, or discovered the universe through recent releases.
Dragon Dave
