Publisher: Valiant Comics
Writer: Ales Kot
Artist: Adam Gorham
Editor: Warren Simons
Release date: OUT NOW!
Price: $3.99
Four issues mini-series are tricky beasts at the best of times. They either launch a new set of characters with a powerhouse opening storyline or take a sideways look at existing characters to cash in on their current popularity or to try and re-boot the series because cancellation looms.
Dead Drop is a mix of new and established from Secret Avengers scribe Ales Kota and Zero artist Adam Gorham and the debut issue covered a lot of ground. In a nutshell: a teenage girl has got her hands on an alien virus and MI-6 agent Neville Alcott has called in X-O Manowar to help him track her down. The only problem is, X-O has contracted the virus himself and is now in quarantine, which forces Alcott to recruit some unexpected help. Actually, that sounded much simpler than I thought it would, but it probably played better in real time.
Alcott’s choice of stand-in agent is a trouserless (you’ll understand why when you read it) crossbow-wielding eccentric, known as Archer. In case you’re wondering, Oliver Queen he is not! He has a tendency to shout when he gets excited but is otherwise very polite. The entire issue is a chase sequence enlivened by starting the sequence almost at the end then using flashbacks to clue us in. In what seems to be a pretty serious scenario this is one laugh out loud interlude and I defy anyone not to be charmed by Archer’s klutzy heroics as he commandeers a train, gets accused of being a pervert (he’s not wearing any trousers remember) and ruins a kids birthday party.
There’s even some ninja’s thrown in for good measure! I don’t know how Archer feature in the rest of the series but this could just be the hero we’re waiting for and if the alien virus doesn’t wipe out the whole darn world my vote goes for an Archer solo series next. If the high standard can be maintained Dead Drop will become the series everyone will want to read because this is where it all began.
Reviewer: Gary Orchard
Reviews Editor: Steve Hooker