Advance Review: Armor Hunters Harbinger #3

ARMOR HUNTERS: HARBINGER #3 (of 3)
Written by JOSHUA DYSART Art by ROBERT GILL Covers by LEWIS LAROSA and CAFU

REVIEW

Providing a satisfying tie-in to the universe shattering armour hunters cross over currently raging over the Valiant universe, this issue from Joshua Dysart & Robert Gill provides a satisfying conclusion to Generation Zero“s involvement within this conflict and setting the stage for the final confrontation between XO Manowar & the Armour Hunters.

This issue focuses on Generation Zero“s conflict with the alien swarm virus that has been set loose in Mexico City and ends in a fashion you would expect with Generation Zero with help from Faith and Torque overcoming this foe and stopping the attack before it has a chance to get worse. What is compelling as with every issue of Harbinger is the character work that Dysart puts into Harbinger, this issue he focuses on Cronus who is not exactly happy with the situation he and the rest of Generation Zero have been thrust into, still seeing him and his team as soldier/slaves that are looking for their place in the world to live in peace.

The most poignant part of this issue comes at the end and really shows Cronus“ character come to the fore when in the last scene the Telic remarks that it must have been fate that bought them to Mexico. Cronus quickly dismisses this refusing the surrender his freedom to fate, believing that now he has broken free of the Harbinger Foundation and Project Rising Spirit he belongs to no one but himself and that this should apply to his team as well. It is great to see this side of his character really shine through and in the greater Harbinger universe shows his differing viewpoint to that of Stanchek or Harada.

The art really shines in this issue from the horrifically creepy design of the swarm to the facial expressions on the characters; particularly when they are ingesting one of the swarm really shows that Gill brings his A game to this final issue of the mini. Each character is so expressive in their close up shots every emotion that the characters are feeling is plain to see and when the characters are letting their powers loose they literally jump off the page.

Colourist Romulo Fajardo really help sells the art by Gill, giving the book a water colour painted feel to it allows the detail that Gill puts into his work to stand out yet the characters powers are rendered in a more traditional comic book fashion that makes them really stand out. One of the things that Fajardo does with his colours is evoke the truly disgusting and slimy nature of this swarm, when characters are covered in ichor you can almost hear the slime sliding down there bodies or being squelched as they are walking through it.

Armour Hunters Harbinger issue 3 provides a satisfying conclusion to Generation Zero“s arc in this story whilst setting the stage for things to come in the main Harbinger title. The whole book from start to finish and a pleasure to read, new readers will have to look to jump on at the beginning of the Armour Hunters crossover but, for those already invested in the crossover or Harbinger they will lap up this issue thanks to the strength of Dysart“s writing and Gill & Fajardo“s art.

5/5

by Matt Deery

Follow me on Twitter:Â @brujah69ad

Author Profile

Matt Deery

Matt Deery is an avid comic reader from the UK, relatively new to the writing scene but, enjoying being part of the Comic Crusaders team and getting to talk about some the books that I adore. Will read almost anything Marvel, with Spider-Man and Iron Man being my all time favorite comic book characters and has recently found a love for Image and Valiant books and generally anything Sci FI or Espionage related. Check out my twitter @brujah69ad if you want to stop by and talk comics, video games or movies!