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Fred Van Lente
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Archer & Armstrong Deluxe Edition Book 1 (ARCHER & ARMSTRONG DLX HC) Hardcover – May 27, 2014

by Fred Van Lente (Author), Clayton Henry (Artist), Emanuela Lupacchino (Artist),
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 25 ratings
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  • It's history in the breaking! After years of meditation and training, 18-year-old Obadiah Archer has been dispatched to New York City to carry out the sacred mission of his family’s sect ― locate and kill the fun-loving, hard-drinking immortal known as Armstrong! But as this naive teenage assassin stalks his prey, he’ll soon find that both hunter and hunted are just pawns in a centuries-old conspiracy that stretches from the catacombs beneath Wall Street to the heights of the Himalayas. And Archer & Armstrong will have to work together if the future is to stand any chance of surviving the past’s greatest threat!
  • From the New York Times best-selling creative team of writer Fred Van Lente (Marvel Zombies) and artists Clayton Henry (Incredible Herc), Emanuela Lupacchino (X-Factor), and Pere Perez (Action Comics), this volume collects Archer & Armstrong #1-13 and the critically acclaimed #0!
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Previous page
  1. Part of Series
    Archer & Armstrong (2012-)
  2. Print length
    300 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Valiant Entertainment, LLC
  5. Publication date
    May 27, 2014
  6. Reading age
    13 - 16 years
  7. Dimensions
    8 x 1 x 11 inches
  8. ISBN-10
    1939346223
  9. ISBN-13
    978-1939346223
  10. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Valiant Entertainment, LLC; Deluxe edition (May 27, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 300 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1939346223
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1939346223
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 - 16 years
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.69 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 1 x 11 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 25 ratings

About the author

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Fred Van Lente

Fred Van Lente

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Fred Van Lente is the New York Times-bestselling author of comics as varied as Archer & Armstrong (Harvey Award nominee, Best Series), Taskmaster, MODOK's 11, Amazing Spider-Man, Conan the Avenger, Weird Detective, and Cowboys & Aliens (upon which the 2011 movie was based), as well as the novels Ten Dead Comedians and The Con Artist.

Van Lente also specializes in entertaining readers with offbeat histories with the help of his incredibly talented artists. He has written the multiple-award winning Action Philosophers! (American Library Association Best Graphic Novel for Teens), The Comic Book History of Comics, Action Presidents! (all drawn by Ryan Dunlavey), and The Comic Book Story of Basketball with Joe Cooper (Ten Speed September 2020).

He lives in Brooklyn with his wife Crystal Skillman, and some mostly ungrateful cats, and loves hearing from readers at fred.vanlente@gmail.com.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
25 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A Rollicking Adventure: “Archer & Armstrong Vol. 1 Deluxe Edition” Review
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2024
Verified Purchase
Valiant Comics delivers a delightful romp with “Archer & Armstrong Vol. 1 Deluxe Edition,” a comic that marries snappy writing with vibrant artwork to create an experience that’s nothing short of a blast. The dynamic between the characters is the heart of this series, offering a chemistry that’s both compelling and hilarious. Each interaction is a testament to the creators’ ability to craft a story that feels like a buddy comedy wrapped in a fantasy epic.
The character arcs are thoughtfully developed, allowing readers to invest in the protagonists’ journey without the weight of taking itself too seriously. It’s this balance of depth and levity that makes the comic stand out. The narrative doesn’t shy away from the absurd, embracing its whimsical nature to the fullest, which is a breath of fresh air in a genre that can often feel bogged down by its own gravitas.
In essence, “Archer & Armstrong” is a fun-filled adventure that knows exactly what it is—a fantastical escapade with heart and humor. It’s a must-read for anyone looking for a comic that entertains and engages without pretense.
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Anarchy in the US
5.0 out of 5 stars One of Valiants Best
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2014
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I've said it before in my reviews of the other Valiant re-launch series and I'll say it again: Valiant Comics is where it is at. I've read every one of the newly launched series in deluxe edition format and have seen the light that is Valiant. X-O Manowar, Harbinger, Bloodshot, and now Archer & Armstrong join the ranks. So far, I have to say my new personal favorite series might just be A&A.

ARCHER & ARMSTRONG DELUXE EDITION VOL.1 collects the following:

 Archer & Armstrong Volume 1: The Michelangelo Code TP  (Issues #1-4)
 Archer & Armstrong Volume 2: Wrath Of The Eternal Warrior  (Issues #5-9)
 Archer & Armstrong Volume 3: Far, Faraway  (Issues #0, 10-13)

[Since each of the links above have far more detail per each book, please click on the links as I will not delve too much on the details.]

Obadiah Archer is a highly trained 17-year old soldier trained since birth for his mother and father and numerous other child agents. You see Archer's parents run a secret organization named The Sect that have done numerous things throughout human history and Archer is to find a man named Armstrong and assassinate him for some reason or the next. In a weird turn of events, Archer finds out the truth of his parents are using him for their own personal needs and Armstrong is a 10,000-year old immortal that is the key to finding The Boon, the device that made Armstrong immortal. Both characters have to save the world and set things right, even if things get a little whacky to get their like taking on Wall Street, trying to out run the Eternal Warrior, and traveling to places like ancient Sumeria, going to Area 51, and even other dimensions, all uncovering many hidden truths and mysteries of human history.

Of the many Valiant re-launches, A&A is one of the extreme few who drastically changed from the original series. Now this could be disappointing for old fans of the first series, but someone who is new to franchise, I adored this take on the Odd Couple of comics. Seeing as X-O Manowar is the summer blockbuster of Valiant, Harbinger is action-heavy with strong character development; Quantum & Woody is pure comedy, and Bloodshot is action series of a character trying to find out who he really is. So for me, why A&A is now my favorite title is because it strikes the perfect blend of all of Valiants series just right with just enough action to not be over-bearing, enough laughs to not take away from the fabulous globe-trotting story, and plenty of surprise twist and little nods to the entire Valiant Universe without readers needing to know what's going on in other series. So although most of the Valiant line is doing great things, for me, this might be my favorite of the bunch.

This is greatly do to writer Fred Van Lente making just the right amount ingredients for this series and showing it through the main characters. Archer being the uptight/straight man who is naïve of the world yet shows a great deal of respect and hope, while Armstrong is the 10,000 year old hedonist/poet who wants to enjoy life but wants to set things right for the world and the truths behind them. This not only makes for the perfect buddy comedy/adventure, but it does something that sets it apart from the other comics: history. A good deal of what makes this series enjoyable is Van Lente uses actual historical trivia in a fictional setting and it's played out nicely, especially since you start knowing just how much Armstrong had on numerous people and events throughout time. So I thoroughly enjoyed that aspect.

As with the other Valiant titles, a new artist comes on with each story arc, to which this series uses a simple-but-somewhat cartoony style to match the tone. Clayton Henry does majority of the art, with Emanuela Lupacchino and Pere Perez doing a fair share of back art. All three share a very similar art style and tone, so for 14-issues, the art style stays consistent.

This is the part of my reviews where I like to give my negatives or possible setbacks for readers, but for some reason, I am at a loss of words. I never found a real annoyance because I feel this series hits all aspects of a good comic series. I'm sure there will be someone who picks this up and trashes it and writes it all down, but for this review, I got nothing to say in that aspect.

So, ARCHER & ARMSTRONG DELUXE EDITION VOL.1 is a well-rounded series that is well worth your time trying out. Adventure, action, comedy, a strong plot, little Easter eggs for Valiant fans, and great usage of history make for another must-read from Valiant. This deluxe edition adds additional pages of concept art, story boards with scripts, and variant covers that are standards in DE's, but this series is solid even without the extras and for the price. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you haven't gotten on the Valiant bandwagon, these deluxe editions are great for that reason. This, X-O Manowar, and Harbinger are all big pickups from view point.
7 people found this helpful
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Jopper
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, funny, good characters and great action.
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2015
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This comic was suggested by a friend of mine in which he gave me a "money back guarantee" if I didn't enjoy it. Well no need for that... this series is fantastic. If you look a good dose of the ridiculous sprinkled in to your over the top action this is going to be something you enjoy.
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The Smiling Stallion Inn
4.0 out of 5 stars Crazy, crazy, crazy
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2014
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I decided to check out Archer and Armstrong, not quite knowing what to expect, and oh boy, this is one of the most outrageous and crazy comics/graphic novels I have ever read. (Admittedly, I don't read a wide range of comics, just some fantasy, scifi/fantasy, and a wee bit of superhero comics.) So going into this, expect a lot of conspiracy theory or fake conspiracy theory style shenanigans with monstrous super-cults that have controlled the world for thousands of years, teaming up or conspiring against each other in the Sect.

The story starts off with Armstrong, an immortal who has been around since the Sumerian/ancient Mesopotamia times and even wrote the Epic of Gilgamesh based on his adventures with his brothers in an outlandish, alien dimension known as the Faraway. Then fast-forward to a modern day Christian fundamentalist theme-park where Obadiah, or Obie, Archer has been raised in a large family of adopted siblings, trained by his senator and preacher parents to kill He Who Must Not Be Named--Armstrong.

In a series of circumstances, Archer and Armstrong wind up teaming together to stop the monstrous plans of the evil Sect that could destroy the world and solve the mystery surrounding the Faraway...

At times it's okay, even great and funny, although some of the character development is paper-thin. And crazy, outlandish plots do jump around a lot and makes things difficult to handle unless you're ready for some craziness and stuff that doesn't make much sense at times.
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Lloyd Alexander
5.0 out of 5 stars I thoroughly enjoyed this book
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2015
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I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you are new to Valiant, I highly recommend picking up this book and Harbinger Deluxe.

This one is more lighthearted in delivery, but it's a great story and introduction to these characters.
One person found this helpful
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Jeremy
5.0 out of 5 stars This was my first hardcover edition and it's beautifully printed. Very well told and drawn stories
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2015
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I was recently made aware of Valiant comics and started with a few issues of Bloodshot from 2012. The art and especially the writing blew my mind.

This was my first hardcover edition and it's beautifully printed. Very well told and drawn stories. I don't know how Valiant does it, how they maintain such high standards.
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NobleBeard17
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun!
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2018
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I didn't think I'd get into this series, nor did I think I'd find these characters amongst my favorite in the Valiant Universe. Turns out I love this series and the characters!
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J.Lucio
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun story, Valiant has some really well written characters
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2015
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Fun story, Valiant has some really well written characters!
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Top reviews from other countries

Luke Chappell
5.0 out of 5 stars Favourite valiant series so far
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 2, 2023
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I’ve recently got in to valiant comics and have been reading every 2012 series and Archer and Armstrong quickly became my unexpected favourite. It hit so many chords I like in storytelling, immortality, conspiracies, criticism of abuse of religions and those that use it to manipulate people. Some really coo, fun, thought provoking stuff definitely worth a read
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lmallett
5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this book! :)
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 3, 2015
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I have enjoyed VALIANT comics return under VEI, and as a reader, Archer & Armstrong has been the true gem among some great relaunches. Fed Van Lente has woven a rich tapestry through the series, mixing pop culture, historical nods, humour, action set pieces, deft plotting and great characters, with a warmth of tone that stands apart from a lot of the cynical nihilism in many comics today.

There are three story arcs in the collection, so even though Van Lente sows many seeds for the long term, each arc fares well as its own story and also as part of the larger whole.

I have absolutely loved the revamped Archer & Armstrong under Fred Van Lente, who has been very ably assisted by a number of fine illustrators. This deluxe edition offers great value as it repackages 14 issues, in addition to offering bonus art and material. It feels well bound and the trade dress of the VEI deluxe editions looks handsome together. Highly recommended, and one of my favourite comics of the last few years.
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