RESURGENCE #3, by Valiant Comics on 11/27/24, escalates the conflict between the pro-Silk and anti-Silk supers for a showdown with an explosive cliffhanger.
Credits:
- Writer: Fred Van Lente
- Artist: Guillermo Fajardo, Julio Azamor
- Colorist: Lautaro Ftuli, Brushu Studio, Ludwig Olimba
- Letterer: Ezequiel Inverni
- Cover Artist: Guillermo Fajardo (cover A)
- Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
- Release Date: November 27, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 36
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of RESURGENCE #3:
First Impressions:
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we’re not sure what’s going on. The phrase “All things in moderation” comes to mind when writer Fred Van Lente assails your senses with conflict, drama, and developments on a laundry list of fronts. There’s no doubt that just about every Valiant character gets a turn in this issue, but the mandate to give everyone a spotlight means the plot is getting lost in the noise.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left the heroes of the Valiant Universe in Resurgence #2, Faith was captured by Silk’s psiot team, Baron Samedi and Darque had an unpleasant chat, Tama encountered an uncomfortably familiar face in the Faraway (an older version of herself), and Rai picked the opposite side of the conflict than Bloodshot.
In Resurgence #3, you’ve got to hang on to your butts and get out a notepad and a #2 pencil because this stuff comes at you faster than cross-eyed chicken on caffeine.
We begin with a flashback showing the inauguration of G.A.T.E. before jumping back to the present as Flamingo lays fiery waste to a section of B.O.B. General Capshaw ineffectively intervenes, getting a nasty burn on her arm for the trouble. Ivar steps in and takes Flamingo down. But before Ivar has more time beyond treating Capshaw’s burn, Gilad and Kay show up to subdue Ivar with Kay’s plant powers. Armstrong rushes in to help, but Gilad cuts him down, not realizing Armstrong is no longer immortal. And we’re only up to page five!?
If you didn’t catch the breathless reaction, Fred Van Lente squeezes plot developments, twists, and turns into every available corner. To Van Lente’s credit, the flow is linear and clear, so the ultra-high pace doesn’t get confusing, but you feel like you’re watching a movie on fast-forward.
Meanwhile, Archer, Mary-Maria, young Tama, and old Tama head to the Keepers’ Temple in the Faraway to find Savage. The temple is guarded by Silk’s sharply dressed ninjas. Rather than use stealth, Archer charges in to attack, followed shortly by Mary-Maria, leaving the Tamas to find a way in and retrieve Savage. Archer handles the ninja easily, but his attack is about to get a real challenge when Vexana Anni-Padda joins the fight.
It’s unclear why Savage is held hostage inside the Keeper’s Temple, so add this scene to the laundry list of meaningful developments that come at you on a sprint. Still, Archer gets a turn showing off his martial arts prowess, and it looks great.
Elsewhere, Livewire, Faith, Quantum, and Woody force themselves into the National Museum to steal a “spaceship.” Darque questions an imprisoned Baron Samedi, only to learn that the Loa avatar is really Punk Mambo in disguise.
X-O Manowar finds Abram Adams, aka Divinity, in the deep recesses of space. Aric challenges Adamas to get off his butt and do something about the predicament affecting Earth and a number of worlds Aric encountered in the Resurgence: X-O Manowar one-shot. Adams stands from his Thinking Man position, grows unbelievably huge, and then teleports away with Aric.
The collection of scenes all seem meaningful and well-constructed, so it’s up to the reader to keep score. That said, Archer’s team in the Faraway and Livewire’s team at the National Museum both have a jokey element from at least one character in each that undercuts the seriousness of the situation.
Elsewhere, again, we catch up with the boy Chris, who gave his life to save a young girl trying to get to one of the portals after getting shot by Silk’s stormtroopers. Chris and the girl he tried to save are both healed, and they receive a visit from Dr. Silk, who offers to make Chris his young protege as an acknowledgment of Chris’s grit and courage.
The issue ends with the soldiers aboard B.O.B. separating over ideological lines. Eidolon faces Ninjak while Bloodshot faces Rai, and General Capshaw chooses a deadly option for several Valiant characters.
Overall, Resurgence #3 gives you all the story you can handle, delivered at a rapid-fire pace to ensure every character in the Valiant Universe, good and evil, gets a moment to shine. Fred Van Lente deserves all the credit in the world for stuffing a three-issue story into one, but the biggest criticism remains – Why is immortality bad, and what does Dr. Silk want to do with it?
Artwork and Presentation:
Yeah, you can bet your bottom dollar Valiant needed to pull in extra artists to get this issue done. To the art team’s credit, the characters look great, the action is well done (especially Archer’s fight), and the explosive ending will grab you. All things considered, Resurgence #3 is a great-looking comic.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
Are there tie-ins, and are they required reading? The answer is “Yes and No.” As noted above, during Aric’s search for Divinity, as an example, you get to see the troubles Aric encountered in his search, but those troubles won’t make Aric’s confrontation with Divinity confusing if you didn’t read the one-shot.
Final Thoughts:
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
RESURGENCE #3 keeps the crossover event moving at a breakneck pace to give nearly EVERY Valiant character a moment to shine and further the plot. That said, Fred Van Lente almost does too much too fast, and the central question about the villain’s plan and motives remains unclear.
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
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.