Today we will make science with our guns!
Creative Staff:
Story: Rafer Roberts
Art: Mike Norton (main story) and David Lafuente (Davey the Mackerel side story)
Colors: Allen Passalaqua (main story) and Brian Reber (Davey the Mackerel side story)
Letters: Dave Sharpe
What They Say:
Archer and Armstrong are on the hunt for Armstrong’s long-lost wife, and the clues have put them on the trail of America’s craziest traveling circus! But it’s not just clowns, carnies, and strongmen lurking under the big top… When the world’s premier adventure duo discover dozens of mutated Armstrong doppelgängers secretly running the show, all heck is bound to break loose! And it’s only going to get worse when Davey the Mackerel returns with a shocking new set of secrets about Armstrong’s bottomless satchel…and what else might be soon plotting its escape!
Mad science meets the midway when red-hot writer Rafer Roberts (Plastic Farm) and Eisner Award-nominated artist Mike Norton (Revival) toss Archer & Armstrong into the wildest show on Earth with a perfect new jumping-on point in “NEXT STOP CLOWNTOWN”!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Rafer Roberts channels a bit of Atomic Robo in this latest issue of A&A: The Adventures of Archer & Armstrong.
Our titular duo continue their epic road trip to find Armstrong’s forgotten (and apparently immortal) wife, Andromeda, but they’ve made practically no progress thanks to Armstrong’s continual delays (“Let’s go see the world’s biggest ball of ear wax!” and so forth). Archer believes that Armstrong is stalling because he doesn’t want to experience the confrontation with Andromeda, and Armstrong grows increasingly uncomfortable with all the changes in his life, focusing his anger on Archer’s relationship with the superhero Faith.
Their latest detour takes them to a diner in Podunk Pennsylvania where a trio of circus performers who all look eerily similar to Armstrong accost them. The trio wants A&A to accompany them to their circus. Armstrong refuses, figuring that these might be some of his illegitimate kids and this is probably a trap. Archer agrees about the trap, but his desire to help overrides his good judgment. After a promise of free vodka, the two head off to the circus where, yes, a trap waits for them.
Meanwhile, Mary-Maria faces death threats from the Sisters of Perpetual Darkness advisory council and prepares for war, but we don’t get much of that.
Archer & Armstrong has always excelled at the weird and the comical, and this issue is no different; however, there is a definite Atomic Robo feel to this new storyline that I really dug. The circus is staffed by Russians and the ringmasters and barkers all intersperse Socialist messages into their patter, and deep down under the circus resides a leader who looks remarkably like Stalin, a bunch of tanks full of people, and a bear wearing a lab coat. The leader often talks about science, uttering my favorite line, “Today we will make science with our guns!” Right now we don’t know much about these Ruskies or their evil intent, but they’re definitely a surreal element in an already surreal comic.
The story cuts off a few pages early to include a side adventure of Davey the Mackerel, who followed the evil that Archer & Armstrong quite literally let out of the bag in the first story arc of this series. Like all A&A villains, the evil is profoundly idiotic, and we get three pages of him trying to navigate the human world with a grandiose attitude but no powers to back it up. Davey and the Evil, who now lives under the nom de plume “Oliver Dumpbucket” (pronounced “Doom Bouquet”) take menial data entry jobs where they get into rows over their cube mate’s music: “Trent! Your music is banal and unworthy to touch my noble ear drums! Put on your headphones or feel my wrath!” I’m not sure where this story is going, but it was definitely fun to read.
The main story was enjoyable, too, but I’m far more interested in Armstrong reuniting with his estranged wife than I am of a Russian circus run by Stalinistic scientists and a bear that wears a lab coat. I hope this detour won’t lost too long.
Mike Norton takes over art duties for this storyline and he did a fine job with this issue, but I have to admit, I didn’t really see the resemblance between Armstrong and the circus performers. Alan Passalaqua also does a fine job on colors, making each respective scene possess a different tone and color palette. All in all, they’ve produced another solidly entertaining issue.
In Summary:
Although I’m kind of disappointed in the detour the story made, I can’t deny that it’s fun, goofy, and out there. I’m looking forward to seeing more of this Commie Circus and their scientist bear. Dr. Josh gives this a….
Grade: B
Age Rating: T+
Released By: Valiant
Release Date: August 10th, 2016
MSRP: $3.99
