Brandon: To be honest I wasn’t too into it. I am sure it will get better but overall it felt fairly generic to me. I understand there was a lot of place setting going on but overall I didn’t feel hooked and I really didn’t feel that this was some bold new direction that demanded my buy all the future issues to see where this is going. Neither the art or writing was bad it just felt fairly vanilla to me. I can’t think of anything that really stood out about the book if I am being completely honest.
What about you David?
David: I really liked the H.A.R.D. Corps parts, as I like the inside look at the P.R.S. folks and their power set and how they work and everything. I think that’s really great, and I was entertained by that aspect of the issue, plus Emanuela Lupacchino’s art was superb, but holy shit, what is with all of the revisionist history where Harada ends up with everyone? We’ll get to the rest, but how did he end up with Bloodshot? That seems like a huge leap to me.
The Bloodshot part of the storyline was meh, though, and I’m not entirely sure why P.R.S. wants to go and recover Bloodshot. “Hey, that guy who came in and killed like…half our staff was captured. LET’S GO RESCUE HIM.”
Brandon: I would agree Lupacchino’s art was the best part of this issue by far. She’s pretty fucking incredible at her craft. Everything else I could basically forget about.
I also was confused on how they obtained Bloodshot. I may have missed something or just out and out forgot something but I that part threw me off. I can see where it might develop into something interesting but like I said earlier I felt all of the set up was pretty vanilla to me. Was there any characters that we were introduced to that you had an instant affinity for?
David: Well, I continue to really enjoy Charlie Palmer from H.A.R.D. Corps. That’s the grizzled veteran guy, and I think he kicks a ton of ass. They write him really well, and he just reads like the ultimate badass from an 80’s action movie. Like he’s going to rip his shirt off and try to fight Bloodshot with just a machete on a fallen tree or something. I have a lot of affinity for that guy, but as far as the new crew, not in particular. I like how they’re trying to build them, and I think they did a good job, but I didn’t really connect with the “I’ll do anything for my family!” aspect of the story.
I also like Kozol from P.R.S., as that guy is just a villain and he doesn’t give a fuck. What’s not to like about him? Anyone stand out to you? Or is your mind just wiped from the experience because nothing stood out?
Brandon: I had absolutely no standouts whatsoever. There was just no meat to the characters really. Let’s grab a bunch of down on their luck chumps and make them do things for us and we’ll hook em up. Thanks Suicide Squad.
David: Well alright. Tell me how you really feel! What do you give this book, and then we can move on?
Brandon: I’d give the first issue of this new direction a 6.5. What about yourself?
David: I’ll give it a 7.0. I really thought you were going to kill this book, as it seemed like that’s what all of your sentiments were leading to. As for me, I thought it was a solid issue with great art from Lupacchino. However, the disconnected narrative of Bloodshot getting to Harbingerville and the general malaise surrounding that aspect of the issue keeps it down. A good, not great, first issue to the new direction.
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Brandon: I don’t know what else to say other than, “What the fuck was that?”. That was not the direction I expected them to go and not in a good way at all. Also, what a cop out to have homeboy survive after such an awesome skateboard related face caving. This was such an oddly divergent issue from everything else that it took me out of the story instantly and I was unable to get myself back in.
What about you?
David: WHAT?! I am amazed that you thought this issue was divergent. The last issue made absolutely no sense whatsoever, as everyone was acting crazy out of character, in particular Peter. This issue at least explained why they were acting completely out of character – Peter wasn’t Peter, but an evil, Harada construct, while the rest of them are effectively in a virtual reality that is granting their exact wishes – even if it, again, wasn’t a particularly good comic. It at least got the book back on track after it took a wrong turn down nonsense railway.
Ultimately though, I have the same major issue with this that I did with Bloodshot, and this one to an even greater degree: how the shit did Harada end up with Faith, Charlene, Torque and Kris? I mean, we saw where they were at the end of Harbinger Wars. All of a sudden, everyone is at Harada International just because that’s where they want them? WHY IS THIS HAPPENING BRANDON?!
Brandon: If they are all getting what they most wish for why the hell are they in Torquehalla?! I can’t imagine that is where they all want to go the most. Also, how is Torque alive to have a wish?! This this was so much more of a mess than last issue.
David: I think we’re splitting hairs at this point: they were both messes. And I didn’t mean they’re literally getting their wishes all the time. They got what they wanted in L.A., now they’re continuing their quest through the narrative. That said, I’m a little surprised you didn’t like Torquehalla. That really seems right up your alley. Getting wasted with hot ladies around. Burphalla more like it, if only they replaced the metal with Tupac performing 24/7.
Brandon Tupac and remove everything medieval and replace it with superheroes.
David: Fair enough! So Kitson lasted one issue on his own, and now he has teammates. Did that bother you? Did the art redeem things for you at all?
Brandon: I don’t know. It’s amazing how many artists are being utilized to put out these titles. While I didn’t find it distracting I also wouldn’t say it helped matters either. The art by no means was this issue for me regarding this month’s Harbinger offering. It was what it was and did what it could with what it was given.
What were your thoughts on the art?
David: I thought it was relatively seamless overall, and they certainly didn’t detract from the issue. In fact, I think their work was solid, and I really liked the device they used as Torque pitched everyone on the merits of Torquehalla, and the calm interaction between Torque and Kris where they discussed how she killed him. That was a sad scene that was handled very well by…whoever illustrated it.
One thing you never responded to me on: how the hell did they get to Haradaville? Am I an idiot and completely missed that? Answer that and then give me a grade!
Brandon: I have no clue how or why anyone is doing anything in this title at the moment. My grade for this issue is 3.5. Oh how the mighty have fallen.
David: I’ll give it a 5.0 because at least it makes a bit more sense than the last issue, but jeez, what hangover from Harbinger Wars this book has had.
Brandon: Yet another subpar book for the week….
Just kidding. This issue was actually really good. I enjoyed pretty much every aspect of it. I like the continued fleshing out of Aric and his relationships with his people and the people of world as he attempts to be the ruler that he has always wanted to be. I really enjoyed his people jumping ship to ransack a market. I thought that was great. Something like that makes a lot of sense. To see all of that fresh food after living as they have would be like finding Uncanny X-Men #1 at a pawn shop for $2. It would flat out blow your mind!
What did you think?
David: As you know, I got the Avengers #1 for $10 in a pawn shop, so I know what that feels like (hint: it’s amazing!). But yeah, that part made a whole lot of sense, and the whole issue was really, really good. I’m actually blown away by how much this arc has done for the book, and I have to give a lot of credit to the art team.
First off, Lee Garbett has been brilliant. He’s been a perfect addition to the book, and his expressive characters and exceptional storytelling chops do a top notch job at pushing a scene like the whole prologue up another level. I loved the development of his relationship with his family, and the thrust of why he feels the need to fight for Dacia. Both Venditti and Garbett do a stellar job of developing that.
On top of that, Moose Baumann does a wonderful job on colors. That initial sequence glows, like a perfectly colored scene of that sort should, like every color is just right. The whole book is beautiful, and Baumann’s color choices amplify that characteristic greatly. I really, really love the art here. What’s your take on it?
Brandon: I just want to say that I am blown away by the fact that I feel X-O Manowar is better than Harbinger or Bloodshot! This is not something I would have believed just a few short months ago. But i’ll be damned if it isn’t the truth.
As far as the art goes, I feel like it really was excellent. Garbett really excelled in the prologue. I felt like it flowed perfectly panel to panel. It reminded me of the scene in Gladiator where you see the wheat field. It just was beautifully done. Garbett and Venditi are simpatico at the moment, without a doubt.
Was there anything you didn’t like about the issue? I only ask because the only thing I can think of is a massive nitpick and that is the way the suit wrapped around Aric as he jumped off his lady. It looked a little to odd to me. But that is all I’ve got and like I said it is a massive non-issue when it comes down to it. I really liked this issue from top to bottom.
David: Yeah, I don’t really have any complaints. I don’t even recall that moment, so clearly it didn’t bother me, and I dug everything. I really like the fact that Alexander Dorian is back, and I like that America is trying to give Aric his own spot. I’m very curious as to what the deal behind that could be, and it’s going to be really interesting to see what happens next. Obviously this all leads into Unity kicking off, but damn, Aric is bringing some serious heat on him and I love it.
And yes, it is very strange that this has surpassed Harbinger and Bloodshot, but that happens man. Anything else to add before grades?
Brandon: I would agree that it happens but the quickness in which it flipped is incredible to me. Harbinger and Bloodshot were my two favorite books and X-O was my least favorite. Now my world is upside down David! UPSIDE DOWN!
Nothing else to add but a grade. I would give this issue an 8.2.
What about you David?
David: I’ll give it an 8. It’s a damn fine book that features some of the absolute best art at Valiant. Lee Garbett has helped completely transform this book.
