Armorines

chuck814 · Post by **chuck814** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 1:47 am

So I finally got a run of Armorines in the mail, and got done reading them. Sadly, I think this is the worst title I've read by Valiant yet. Throughout the 13 issues, I was completely unable to actually give a *SQUEE*. I can't remember anything really. I don't even know who was in the squad besides Gunny and Sirot. I don't even know how many people were on the squad. All of the storylines were subpar, and seemed to lack direction. And unless it was picked up in another series that I haven't read, it had a terrible last issue.

magnusr · Post by **magnusr** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:45 am

chuck814 wrote:So I finally got a run of Armorines in the mail, and got done reading them. Sadly, I think this is the worst title I've read by Valiant yet. Throughout the 13 issues, I was completely unable to actually give a *SKREE*. I can't remember anything really. I don't even know who was in the squad besides Gunny and Sirot. I don't even know how many people were on the squad. All of the storylines were subpar, and seemed to lack direction. And unless it was picked up in another series that I haven't read, it had a terrible last issue.

This should be an interesting re-reading project. Not only did early Armorines have great art (Calafiore), but they comic showed what a well organised group of soldiers can do. Seeing that well trained soldiers could take on one of the mightiest weapons in the universe (XO) felt good.

Most people though, tend to agree with you. Armorines is placed in the same category as PSI-Lords, Geomancer and HARD Corps. Jim Shooter (in Unity 2000) used Armorines as an example of stereo-typem uninteresting comic book characters.

I would like to see what comments a re-reading project brings out.

/Magnus

PS, Armorines were picked up in Solar, after their own last issue, and I think you would not find that a redeeming moment at all.

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 10:46 am

When Valiant first introduced Armorines I liked the premise and I thought it had great potential as a series. Although as it turned out, the execution of the title was bland at best and I agree with Chuck, the characters were just uninteresting. This is the same problem I have with Hard Corps, a great concept that was poorly done and was mediocre at best.

davidb · Post by **davidb** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 1:44 pm

I've got to agree with HARD Corps - the book had a lot of potential that withered away on the vine to a point where the end made little sense.

As for Armorines, I don't have a complete run and am not in a hurry to finish mine. The sad thing is that the Acclaim revival of Armorines is even worse (unless it really gets good in #4.

depluto · Post by **depluto** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 2:54 pm

davidb wrote:As for Armorines, I don't have a complete run and am not in a hurry to finish mine. The sad thing is that the Acclaim revival of Armorines is even worse (unless it really gets good in #4.

Are you another one of those guys who doesn't have No. 4? We should form some kind of support group. Where the heck are those things?[/i]

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 3:21 pm

davidb wrote: The sad thing is that the Acclaim revival of Armorines is even worse (unless it really gets good in #4.

It doesn't.

I was able to get all four issues from my local LCS for a couple of bucks. After reading them I'm glad I didn't have to pay anymore than that.

davidb · Post by **davidb** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 4:45 pm

depluto wrote:
davidb wrote:As for Armorines, I don't have a complete run and am not in a hurry to finish mine. The sad thing is that the Acclaim revival of Armorines is even worse (unless it really gets good in #4.
Are you another one of those guys who doesn't have No. 4? We should form some kind of support group. Where the heck are those things?[/i]

No idea. I know what happened with my store, though - I'd bet money that the owner didn't order it when the books were cancelled and resolicited. I was so excited - found Unity 2000 1 and 2 (still bagged) in his back issue bins for 20% off cover. Of course, no #3.

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 10:06 pm

I have Armorines Volume 2 #4

Preordering rules

I for one loved the premise of the concept but the VH 1 execution did fail.

What I liked about the VH 2 version is that it in some ways it felt like a follow up to the original with Gunny returning from his retirement.

muzzsucker · Post by **muzzsucker** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 1:59 am

I liked the VH 2 version. But it was too much like the movie Aliens. It was nice to see Aric back at the end.

k_c_collectibles · Post by **k_c_collectibles** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 7:05 am

Aric is back at the end? I need to pick up an issue #4 somewhere!

I wonder if that leads into "The Return of Aric" that Acclaim never published...

Chris

depluto · Post by **depluto** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 10:20 am

k_c_collectibles wrote:Aric is back at the end? I need to pick up an issue #4 somewhere!

Another one! There were only 300 or so fewer of No. 4 than No. 3. How come so many of us are missing No. 4?

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 10:43 am

k_c_collectibles wrote:Aric is back at the end? I need to pick up an issue #4 somewhere!

I wonder if that leads into "The Return of Aric" that Acclaim never published...

Chris

I think Aric was dead, chained to a wall next to the map giver.

Todd Luck · Post by **Todd Luck** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 8:44 pm

Amorines I only have spotty issues of. I gotta say Gonzales is capable of making me care about the characters here, like on X-O. Gunny and Sirot are interesting in the early issues I have. Unfortunately there were just too many characters there too properly develop. There's some solid action and some nice build up of tension.

Califore's work is, at times, absolutely fantastic. Other times he unfortnately shows an incapability of drawing group fight scenes. He'll focus in one or two characters and somehow we end missing the whole epic battle. I picked up a latter issue when he's not longer doing the book (where hell did all the artists go 4 months before Birthquake?) and it was hard to even tell what was going on.

Kinda of like Geomancer: started with good art on solid, simple action stories and some promising ideas. Ultimately it ended up being a mess (atleast it was in the later issue I picked up).

It was still never as good as HARDCorp's first year or so. You could clearly tell that they spent time thinking about and developing the concept and characters there (one of the last bit of Shooter influence). Here it's like they gave them a series before they even fully developed the concept. They could've been great supporting cast/guest star material but they weren't ready for a series.

Shakespeare · Post by **Shakespeare** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 9:16 am

davidb wrote:I've got to agree with HARD Corps - the book had a lot of potential that withered away on the vine to a point where the end made little sense.

Hey, the first two issues were good!

S

GGSAE · Post by **GGSAE** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 10:10 am

depluto wrote:
k_c_collectibles wrote:Aric is back at the end? I need to pick up an issue #4 somewhere!
Another one! There were only 300 or so fewer of No. 4 than No. 3. How come so many of us are missing No. 4?

I got mine in a LCS as well, i think there's more out there floating around, we just haven't stumbled on them. But i traded it for an EW gold embossed, so i need to find another one.

Christopher Martin · Post by **Christopher Martin** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 9:32 pm

I flipped my Armorines vol. 2 #4 for twenty bucks. It is a good issue though since you get to see Aric in the spider aliens ship (next to Elvis/map giver).

sonicdan · Post by **sonicdan** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:50 pm

Here's a scan of the page with Aric & Map Giver:

I liked how V2 Armorines featured elements of the Vh2 Universe (when it looked like it had been already written off) with X-O Donovan showing up.
The Aric cameo was cool too (even if it's just a panel of a couple naked, possibly dead, dudes).
All the house ads for U2K featuring Solar & Magnus were exiting to see at the time as well. When this series was coming out it was looking like
things could possibly turn around for Acclaim Publishing. Heck even Walter Black's editorials were inspiring.
Seems like between issue 3 & 4 things hit the fan again. I'm surprised #4 even came out.

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:55 pm

You know, this page makes it clear that neither Armorines nor Quantum & Woody 18-32 take place in the VH 2 continuity.

Aric was never taken by the Spider-Aliens in VH 2, he stayed on Earth with the armor he found on a cave in the Iron Man crossover.

This is the kind of stuff Shooter was talking about when he said that he noticed continuity inconsistancies.

It is an awesome page, and I for one really liked this mini.

myron · Post by **myron** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 6:27 am

I'm not a big VH-2 "fan", but I have my share of issues...this page doesn't have the "feel" of VH-2 to it...just my $.02.

Todd Luck · Post by **Todd Luck** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 6:34 am

myron wrote:I'm not a big VH-2 "fan", but I have my share of issues...this page doesn't have the "feel" of VH-2 to it...just my $.02.

That might be because it's set in VH-3 along with Shadowman Vol 3 and Alexander Darque's world in Unity 2000. Not that a whole lot came of it due to the crashing of the company.

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 10:14 am

VH 3 continuity is more of a mess than VH 2.

Q&W 18 through 32 takes place in VH 3 but it starts on VH 2.

Shadowman Vol 3 takes place in VH 3 but it starts in the Shadowman one shot which has the VH 2 Turok.

VALIANT was THE continuity company, but then after BQuake it completely lost its direction, and it only got worse with Nicieza at VH 2 and Omar at VH 3.

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 11:35 am

That's what happens when you ignore what made your company great in the first place.

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 11:44 am

Hopefully the new owners will learn that, heh.

jedimarley · Post by **jedimarley** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 7:01 pm

I hope so.

betterthanezra · Post by **betterthanezra** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:04 pm

Issue #4 was three months late also....and the print run is much smaller then the one listed in Gregs price guide. Only 2,400 issues were printed.

I own more pages of Original art from #4 then copies....

Somewhere there is a gold mine of issues.......#4 is SOOOOOO hard to find.

-Brian

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