ARMORCLADS #4, from Valiant Entertainment on June 22nd, 2022, begins a race of competing armies as the Ironclads march towards the Outpost to free Peris from the Governor. Unfortunately, a third party makes the rescue complicated.
The Details
- Written By: J.J. O’Connor, Brian Buccellato
- Art By: Miguel Sepulveda, Raül Fernández
- Colors By: Hi-Fi
- Letters By: Dave Sharpe
- Cover Art By: Bagus Hutomo (cover A)
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: June 22, 2022
Was It Good?
ARMORCLADS #4 is the type of rock ’em, sock ’em mech battle action this series has been promising, and the delivery does not disappoint. We’ve had a mixed reaction to this series so far, mainly for the number of tropes borrowed from other, better sci-fi properties that give the story a cobbled-together feel rather than a fresh creation. This issue won’t change your mind on the originality aspects, but what it lacks in newness, this issue makes up for in pure pleasing battle action for the majority of the issue.
If it wasn’t clear by now, the highlight of this issue is the explosive eye candy. After a scant few pages of prologue and setup, the Ironclads march down the mountain for a frontal assault on the Governor’s Outpost. However, a third party arrives to turn a two-way battle into a three-way battle and the results are all-out fun. The explosions and battlefield chaos are big, loud, and energetic. Perfect material to keep you mindlessly entertained for the duration.
The one odd component to the story results from a down point we observed in the last issue. If you recall from issue #3, the Governor introduced a myth about “God Armor” and suggested to Peris that peace and order could be restored if they could use the piece the Governor had found to reconstruct the mythological weapon. We were down on this point because the “proof” wasn’t particularly convincing, but strangely enough, Peris make the same observation and remains unconvinced. It’s unclear if the mundaneness of the artifact was intentional to paint the Governor as delusional or if something else is going on, but it appears we’re on the same page (no pun intended) with Peris. It’s a confusing plot device, but there’s a hint that the confusion may be intentional, so we’ll see if it pays off.
Since this is a “fireworks and eye candy” issue, the heavy lifting rests with the art team, and they pull it off. The action is fast-paced, the explosions are numerous and impactful, and each panel builds on a sense of urgency to get the Ironclads where they need to go while avoiding getting caught in the crossfire. Again, this is mindless entertainment, but it’s still entertaining.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Before jumping into battle, read how the combatants got to this place in our ARMORCLADS #3 review.
We begin with Peris puzzling over the big mini-gun the Governor offers as proof that “God Armor” once existed. Peris is as skeptical as we are. Meanwhile, the ironclads assemble on the outskirts of the Outpost with a plan to charge down the mountain in a frontal attack. But before they can approach the Outpost wall, a large explosion rips open the wall as Legionnaires arrive for their own siege. The Legionnaire’s attack turns out to be a distraction opportunity as the Ironclads sneak into the city unnoticed while the Armorclads and Legionnaires duke it out.
And then they fight.
We conclude the issue with Ironclads closing in on Peris’s location, reinforcements, and really big missiles.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
ARMORCLADS #4 is the strongest issue of the series so far, possibly because it doesn’t try to build complex drama or make sense of political maneuverings. This issue takes all the toys out of the toybox and goes to town with one big battle. Turn your brain off, sit back, and enjoy.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com