With only a couple issues left in the Armor Hunters saga, the Unity team is in Los Angeles trying to fight off another attack. Will they be successful? And more importantly, is the book any good?
The story
The Unity team is in Los Angeles fighting off the drone attack unleashed by the fallen Gin-GR. With Bloodshot and X-O busy elsewhere, it’s up to Livewire, Gilad, and Ninjak to stop the danger.
What a fun issue! While some may argue that nothing really happens in this story – and they would be partially right – there is so much going on with the characters it was thoroughly enjoyable. The story itself is nothing out of the ordinary and fairly procedural – hero fights baddie, baddie is winning, hero pulls a rabbit out of a hat to save the day – and while this issue really is just a way of moving the Armor Hunters saga into its next chapter we finally get to learn more about Ninjak. Don’t expect a Ninjak origin tale, but it’s nice seeing more of the man behind the mask and how he has been acquiring all the special technology he possesses. If you’re not itching for a Ninjak zero issue or miniseries after this book, then you just hate comics (just kidding!).
The continued focus on the Gilad and Ninjak buddy team is really refreshing as it works so well, and Kindt continues to play upon the characters’ vastly different personalities quite well, even throwing in a few jokes into the mix. I loved how when Gilad complains about Ninjak’s lack of a team effort, Ninjak thanks him for falling down their plane and creating a giant hole in a building so Ninjak would have somewhere to land.
As enjoyable as this book was, that’s not to say that it doesn’t have its issues. Some readers may see this as more of a filler issue for Armor Hunters. Livewire is such a great character but is still seemingly been underused. I’m not sure if my issue is with her role in each issue or whether I’m expecting more than her power set allows her to do, though it seems that someone who can talk to and control technology would be just as effective on the ground as behind the scenes.
What this issue definitely proves to me is that Livewire, Gilad, and Ninjak are such good characters that they each deserve their own time in the spotlight. With Gilad already getting his Days of Steel miniseries, it’s time that Livewire and especially Ninjak get their own books.
The art
I’ve been a fan of Stephen Segovia’s art throughout his Unity run and my appreciation for his work continues to solidify with this issue. Sure, there are a few panels here and there that could use more polish, but overall the art is terrific. A few panels in particular are definite standouts, and most of those panels highlight the stars of this issue, Ninjak and Gilad. Their action sequences are so drawn so fluidly it really brings the scenes to life.
Much of that is thanks to Allen Passalaqua’s work on colors who continues to show us why Valiant has the best color artists in the industry today.
Overall
Unity #11 is the definite standout for me of all the books this week. Kindt and Segovia continue to develop some amazing characters and stories making Unity top of the pile every week. Buy this book!
[author-post-rating]
Issue information
Written by Matt Kindt
Art by Stephen Segovia
Covers by CAFU and Raul Allen
Price: $3.99
Release date: September 17, 2014
Ah Martin I really must disagree about this one. For me, its quite possibly the worst Armor Hunter tie in book, slightly worse than the second Bloodshot book.
This book is the definition of ‘filler’. Kindt likes to go off on tangents, but then just leaves them, never to be mentioned again.
Last month it was the Gin-Gr origin piece that just went nowhere and this month its the ‘personalised’ drones. For me those first few pages were a waste. It does nothing to further any story. Pointless.
The art – why on Earth does this book have more artists than Joseph’s technicolor dreamcoat has colours??? For me its a huge let down and once again, lazy artwork. You get some books with lush backgrounds and defined characters then you have books like this with zero effort put into backgrounds and bog standard characterisation – Unity has officially slipped back to being my least favourite Valiant book.
After 11 issues I would of hoped Kindt had streamlined the voices of each character but here Gilad is wasted and just so very un-Gilad like, his conversation with Ninjak, while fun at times, is a pointless exercise in how to fill a comic thats coming to the climax of an awesome mini event. To say I’m disappointed is an understatement.
The book also defied belief at times, Gilad and Ninjak battling drones aboard the Unity ship, blasts being fired left right and centre and yet the ship stays in tact. I appreciate the reader is maybe supposed to suspend disbelief but these sorts of things are eye catchingly blatant.
The Ninjak flashback scene too – okay it shows that Ninjak is an arms dealer who is interested in chemical and military hardware which can be weaponised and probably sold to the highest bidder but having that Drone disease weapon was a bit too convenient and has he really been storing that on his person this whole time?? Time for more filler. – we get a few pages of Ninjak from years and months ago doing his dealer thing only for it to shown up again a page later in a much better condensed form.
And then a total shift as Ninjak becomes the perfect English gent and offers to help a woman who has been caught up in all the chaos while Gilad asks Ninjak yet again what he is doing. Really horrid, boring stuff.
Even the plane crash which I’m sure was meant to look great was just flat and looked really ridiculous.
I will say that continuity wise this was Kindt’s best effort. The events in this book fall right in line with the Armor Hunter flagship title, so applause to Kindt and the editor for getting this right.
I will say also this title is called Unity and I cant help but think the ‘unity’ part is missing. Livewire is a nobody in her own book, Harada no longer features and X-O only seems to be showing up in the Armor hunter book.
Its left to Ninjak and Gilad to hold the fort. Ive always thought Kindt was better at juggling characters and writing teams, so the sooner we get back to basics, the better.
1.5/5