I love the idea of mech suits and power armor. Ever since I read my first Iron Man comic and watched shows like Neon Genesis Evangelion I’ve found the idea of using a mechanically augmented suit of armor to enhance one’s fighting abilities fascinating and interesting.
Of course, the concept of mech suits and power armor is only a part of these kinds of stories. Sure, the armor may be an important part of the story, but it’s the emotional, political, and sociological aspects of the character inside the armor that make the story truly engaging and interesting.
With that being said, it seems that Valiant is throwing its hat into the mech suit ring with a book called “Armorclads”. Let’s see what they have to say.
Written by J.J O’Connor and Brian BuccellattoCover by Bagus Hutomo
Illustrated by Manuel Garcia
Inked by Raul Fernandez
Colored by Rex Lokus
Lettered by Dave Sharpe
Explore a brand new corner of the Valiant Universe!
In a distant solar system, advanced mechs known as Armorclads are used to fight wars and build worlds. On Xeru, genetically engineered workers live out their short lives mining a valuable mineral called The Pure in construction-class mechs known as Ironclads. When one of their own is killed, the Ironclads’ world is turned upside down and they defy their oppressors. Along the way, they’ll discover they’re embroiled in a mystery dating back centuries that could change the world forever-as long as they band together.
“Armorclads” #1 is set in an unspecified time where the far reaches of the galaxy are populated by humans who have settled on a planet called Xeru in order to mine a mineral called Pure. What does Pure do and how does it work? The book doesn’t go into a lot of details about that, but we do know that Pure is needed to fuel the conquest of more solar systems.
In order to meet society’s demand for Pure, genetically modified workers use specialized mech suits in order to mine the material, and to protect themselves from the deadly native bugs found on Xeru and from rival miners. The problem is that while the miners are told that they aren’t slaves and that their job is very important, they are constantly treated as expendable second class citizens, and there is only so much abuse they can take before revolution starts to sound like a good idea.
“Armorclads” #1 is co-written by JJ O’Connor and Brian Buccellato and while Buccellato is a well known comic book creator who has worked for almost everyone on some big names, there is not a whole lot of information about O’Connor that is unrelated to this book, which leads to the possibility that he is a completely new talent in the comic book industry. Despite the background of the writers one thing is very clear: they understand how to draw a reader in with effective world building.
“Armorclads” #1 is a book that gives the reader just enough of the big picture to keep them curious and eager to learn more about this world and how it works while providing just enough context to show the character’s place in the world, why they do what they do, and how they are viewed by other people who live in this society and their leaders. The most effective example can be seen by the fact that while the propaganda that is broadcasted across every screen these characters see tells them that their job is important and that they are not slaves, the armed and armored guards that escort them on their resource gathering missions treat them like expendable garbage. It’s a highly effective bit of writing that gets the message across without being too subtle or preachy. On top of that, the characters are well presented lives of their own and just enough motivation and personality to really make the reader root for them once the real conflict begins.
While the world building and mystery of “Armorclads” #1 is very well done and intriguing, it does fall back on certain clichés and previous works that are pretty obvious to anyone with a passing interest in science fiction. The idea of armor-clad humans fighting alien bug creatures is something straight out of Starship Troopers while the idea of workers rebelling against an oppressive ruling class is almost as old as science fiction itself. Also, while the characters are well presented, they are kind of boilerplate. Case in point, the clear hero of the story is a good looking white guy with a penchant for leadership who is accompanied by a pretty lady and a wise cracking best friend, and since the best friend gets the most character development throughout the issue, it’s pretty easy to guess what happens to him and what will happen to the rest of the group in the future.
Continued belowThe artwork for “Armorclads” #1 is provided by Manuel Garcia with colors provided by Rex Lokus. The artwork is a study of function over form, with the comic opting for proportions and emotions that tend to favor a realistic look as opposed to a cartoon. Garcia’s pencils do a great job of making everything clear to see and understand, and his action scenes are filled with energy and dynamism that make them exciting to read. They combine with Lokus’ bright and soft colors to create an effect that can be found in a lot of more recent high profile comics–especially Marvel books–where the whole thing feels solid but hazy at the same time. It’s a very pretty aesthetic that comes together to create a very pretty book.
While the feel for the artwork in “Armorcalds” #1 is very nice, it does suffer from many of the same problems that the writing suffers in that a lot of the designs look very familiar and safe. While we may not know when this story takes place, the design of the mech suits and human settlements make it feel like technology that the human race could be seeing in the not too distant future. On top of that, while the alien world is very much present in the background, there isn’t a whole lot to distinguish it from the countless alien worlds and monsters we’ve seen in other sci fi stories. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just that it could have been something really special if it took more creative risks.
“Armorclads” #1 may not be a book that pushes a lot of boundaries or has anything new to say, but it does its job well and creates a world and story that should keep readers engaged for a long time.
Final Verdict: 7.9 – This is a book that should feel very familiar to fans of science fiction but it avoids the worst clichés by understanding how to pull off effective world building with pretty artwork while leaving just enough mystery and intrigue to make the reader want to see more.
