The second issue of Dead Drop is out on Wednesday. Will it put the drop on us or leave us hanging?
Amy’s take
Dead Drop fills a hole left by the on-hiatus Quantum and Woody. More sophisticated than Q&W, the topic is serious but the tone still lighter-hearted. The unusual mix of characters makes this a good series for newcomers to dip their toes into the Valiant pool and lets fans experience the characters in less serious environs. The storyline continues fast and furious, and there’s a very interesting development. Things are not what they seem. Looking forward to the progression of the mystery. Adam Gorham’s interior art suit the tone of the piece, and he does a good job of portraying the urgency and speed of the storyline. Michael Spicer’s colors are muted yet diverse and properly reflect city environments.
Don’s take
Two issues. Two heroes defeated. By teenagers? Huh?. I don’t get it. Or am I “dead” wrong? Maybe this series has the “drop” on me. Bring on issue #3 for some explanations. I hope.
Paul’s take
The characterization of Archer in this issue is horrible. It’s even worse than the characterization of Aric in #1. Adam Gorham’s art is great, though, keeping this issue from being more unpleasant than it needed to be for me. I love Archer, so this issue probably bothers me more than it would others. There’s also a WTF moment, but not necessarily in a good way. It’d be nice if Ales Kot came off like he knew anything about the characters he was writing. Hopefully the story payoff will be good in the end.
Scott’s take
Aside from the characterization of Archer (which annoyed several of my colleagues), this is fairly fun issue even if it is another long chase scene. If you can get past an over-the-top parody of Archer, then it’s worth checking out. Also, while he technically doesn’t wear shorts in this issue, his appearance is close enough for me to suggest that Valiant gives Shorts Archer a try.
My first Valiant comic title that I don’t like and that includes Acclaim. Ales Kot dialog is just taking me out of the story. It is like he never read a Valiant comic before in his life. Gorman’s art is great and would not mind seeing it again.