ARCHER & ARMSTRONG FOREVER #2, from Valiant Entertainment on June 8th, 2022, follows the titular duo on a scavenger hunt around the world to find a new source of immortality to restore Armstrong. Do they find what they’re looking for?
The Details
- Written By: Steve Foxe
- Art By: Marcio Fiorito
- Colors By: Alex Guimarães
- Letters By: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
- Cover Art By: Bernard Chang (cover A)
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: June 8, 2022
Was It Good?
We had some trouble making heads or tails of issue #1 due to its overly wacky tone and weirdly surreal plot developments. To be blunt, issue #1 was odd. ARCHER & ARMSTRONG FOREVER #2, thankfully, is much better. The plot progression makes more sense (challenge – journey – cliffhanger), and the stops along the way are funny in the spirit that made Archer & Armstrong a fan favorite in the first place. In other words, issue #1 got the series off to a bumpy start, but issue #2 hits a sweet spot.
The highlight of this issue is the pacing for each “joke.” The humor isn’t delivered through witty banter but with a series of comedic situations where each lands a pinpoint accurate punchline. The humor works because Foxe delivers the punchline quickly and moves on without letting the joke overstay its welcome. Good comedy relies on timing and pacing, and Foxe delivers.
The down point of the issue, and it’s a minor one, is the abundance of editor’s notes in the first pages that reference how bits of dialog tie to earlier volumes. The references are clear and accurate, but the points of dialog that needed an editor’s note didn’t really need to be there, in some cases, or needed expansion in others. Imagine somebody saying, “This is just like what happened to Bob*,” and an editor’s note tells you which of the previous issues to reference, but Bob is never mentioned again, and there was no reason to bring up the parallel in the first place. Either new information should come out of the reference to further the current story, or it should be removed.
Fiorito’s art, especially the layouts, goes a long way to pulling off the success of this issue. From Archer’s bizarre fighting styles (Flamenco?) to the panel transitions where Archer & Armstong flee from one failed location to the next. So much of the humor in this issue comes down to the visual absurdity and the character acting, and most of that credit goes to Fiorito. Kudos, also, to Guimarães’s gorgeous coloring and Otsmane-Elhaou’s creative lettering choices, especially on the explanatory captions.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Before you dive head first into the shenanigans, first read our ARCHER & ARMSTRONG FOREVER #1 review.
We begin with Archer & Armstrong fighting their way through a conquistador-inspired cult to get to the “Fountain of Youth.” Archer found the fountain through The Sect’s research, and he dragged Armstrong to the spot in the hopes that bathing in the fountain would restore his immortality. As we soon find, most immortality legends are not what they seem.
Flashback to a few days prior. Archer shows off his mildly disturbing amount of research to pull together all possible data on The Sect’s immortality records. Archer browbeats Armstrong into going on a globe-hopping trip to check each lead, despite Armstrong’s skepticism. As the duo makes their way through the increasingly bizarre list, the source of immortality ranges from frightening (vampires) to unwanted (cursed to age but never die). Finally, Archer pursues an unlikely lead in the middle of nowhere.
We conclude the issue with new heights, familiar sites, and a stalker that bites.
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Final Thoughts
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ARCHER & ARMSTRONG FOREVER #2 is a far superior issue compared to #1. The humor lands better through great comedic timing, pacing, and well-choreographed sight gags. If you’re unsure about this series after issue #1, #2 may change your mind.
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