A&A: The Adventures of Archer and Armstrong #5 (re-post)

A&A: The Adventures of Archer and Armstrong #5

Written by Rafer Roberts

Art by Mike Norton

Colors by Allen Passalaqua

Letters by Dave Sharpe

                Immortal warrior Armstrong takes leave of his friend and partner, martial arts expert Obediah Archer in order to track down his missing wife. So what is a young lad with nothing but time on his hands to do? Awkwardly ask his friend Faith Herbert (aka the superhero named Zephyr) out on a date, of course! While out on their first get-together not directly involving saving the world, however, someone stalks the couple, planning on putting the kibosh on perhaps a budding romance. And just as they’re going to watch The Princess Bride. Inconceivable!

                The strength of this issue comes from the chemistry between Obadiah Archer and Faith Herbert and their ability to draw the reader in. Both are socially awkward people, but for different reasons and it’s a shared commonality that makes the potential couple both interesting and endearing. Faith’s social awkwardness comes not only from her superpowers and having to hide them, but by being a nerd on top of all of it. Obidiah’s awkwardness stems from his sheltered upbringing in an insane cult. Both have things they can learn from each other and aren’t necessarily considered normal, which they can both relate to.

                The writing by Rafer Roberts nails both Faith and Archer’s characters completely and shows these two young people having a good time just trying to be regular people on a date. Even as the trope of “something or someone ruins the evening” is both brought up and played with, it never feels hackneyed or shoehorned in just to make sure people remember this is a comic book about punching things. The antagonists (known as the “Loan Sharks”, a group of leg-breakers dressed in shark suits), are the right amount of dumb and ineffectual that it doesn’t risk bringing the comic down, but fulfills the cliché of “Superhero date goes awry.” This was a light-hearted issue featuring two people who often times don’t fit in seeing if they fit with each other. Whether they do or don’t, depends on future stories.

                The art by Mike Norton and colors by Allen Passalaqua combine to make an utterly adorable looking issue with the added chemistry of Faith and Archer noted above. Seeing the little moments between the two like when they reach to hold each other’s hands or the way Faith lays her head on Archer’s shoulder, and even the way they bond over their dismay of the necessary violence their lifestyle requires makes their pairing feel natural and not wasted.

Norton’s line work and expressions in the faces of the characters is very neatly conveyed. The fight scene (as there was only one) flowed nicely and the tone of the book never felt off. Perhaps one of the best moments was during an especially tender moment when you see two cupids high-fiving in a stylized romantic background. It was as absurd as it was cute. Even the “Loan Sharks,” didn’t really look or feel out of place, which is something that could’ve been a mark against the issue if mishandled.

                 The Adventures Of Archer And Armstrong #5 provides a sweet, funny, charming little tale of young potential romance and mobsters in shark suits.