The Bodhisattva

I am not one of these people that pimps a certain publishers products (on a personal level) even though I have to balance being the 8,092th most powerful non-professional web-based SF/F personality (according to some publication in the Vellum and whisper in the Dreaming) and as a webmaster (who has no tech knowledge - in all realities and non-realities) - VALIANT is a possible exception because these are my favorite comics ever and we have had two really solid hardcover releases recently with X-O Manowar (read my review of the issues involved here) and Harbinger. I have a review of the issues of latest offering on the way and that release is Archer and Armstrong: First Impressions. This is simply Barry Windsor Smith goodness and I’ll take a deeper look into it in my review. Here is the release:

Following the successes of its first two deluxe hardcover edition releases, Harbinger: The Beginning and X-O Manowar: Birth, Valiant Entertainment will release its third hardcover edition, Archer & Armstrong: First Impressions, on September 24.

The Archer & Armstrong: First Impressions hardcover edition will contain issues #0-6, digitally recolored and wrapped in a brand new dust jacket cover by legendary artist, Michael Golden. Like their previous two hardcover releases, Archer & Armstrong: First Impressions will contain an all-new story written exclusively for this edition. “The Formation of the Sect”, by original series creator Jim Shooter and artists Sal Velluto and Bob Almond, tells the long-awaited story of how and why Armstrong has been pursued by this secret organization all these years.

“Our first two hardcovers have been big hits with Valiant fans both new and old,” said Walter J. Black, Senior VP & Publisher of Valiant Entertainment. “We expect this new one will be received just as well. We’ve put together a solid package highlighted by the all-new Jim Shooter short story. If you’re new to the series, this is a great way to get involved. If you’ve read it before, this new story alone will make picking it up worthwhile.”

Considered “the superhero buddy book of the decade” by Wizard Magazine, Archer & Armstrong tells the story of comics’ most unlikely traveling companions. When Archer’s preacher parents betray and try to murder him, he goes in search of enlightenment returning as the world’s greatest hand-to-hand fighter seeking revenge. Instead of revenge he finds Armstrong, the centuries old immortal wanderer who spends his time drinking, fighting and spinning tales of his hedonistic adventures throughout history. Together they span the globe facing down a threat that could destroy the world.

Archer & Armstrong: First Impressions will be available to order through Diamond Comic Distributors in their July 2008 issue of Previews which reaches comic stores on June 25.

On a simple aesthetic level, it’s going to have a Michael Golden cover on it and he’s just one of those handful of guys in the industry that nobody can say shit about. If you get Golden to do a cover for you, you are a universally accepted genius for at least that instance. I like the sensibilities here. One thing that does seem slightly odd (and the comic community doesn’t do this much, but the Bod always gives credit and I read this on the Around Comics forum) is that it’s a bit odd that no mention of Barry Windsor Smith accompanies the release. BWS is nothing less than a legend in this field so there may have been so other issues behind this lack of inclusion, though I’m not sure if they would have outweighed me slapping his name on it!

Still, it’s Archer and Armstrong being made available in one package and continues the offerings of just damn good comics - and while VALIANT really can’t make missteps with the Pre-Unity content, it’s still hard not to be excited!

Please visit VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT for more information.

_{*That is not the cover to new release, but is the cover to issue#3 of the regular run}