Solicitation[]
After years of meditation and training, 18-year-old Obadiah Archer has been dispatched to New York City to carry out the sacred mission of his family’s sect – locate and kill the fun-loving, hard-drinking immortal known as Armstrong! But as this naive teenage assassin stalks his prey, he’ll soon find that both hunter and hunted are just pawns in a centuries-old conspiracy that stretches from the catacombs beneath Wall Street to the heights of the Himalayas. And Archer & Armstrong will have to work together if the future is to stand any chance of surviving the past’s greatest threat!
From the New York Times best-selling creative team of writer Fred Van Lente (Marvel Zombies) and Clayton Henry (Incredible Herc), this volume collects ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #1-4!
Issues[]
- Archer & Armstrong (Volume 2) #1
- Archer & Armstrong (Volume 2) #2
- Archer & Armstrong (Volume 2) #3
- Archer & Armstrong (Volume 2) #4
Synopsis[]
Archer & Armstrong #1[]
Thousands of years in the past, in ancient Mesopotamia (before the Great Cataclysm), Aram Anni-Padda argues with his brother Ivar. Ivar plans to use an artificat called "The Boon," taken from someplace called the "Faraway," to resurrect their younger brother Gilad. Aram believes it is too dangerous, but Ivar insists they owe it to Gilad for the countless times he's saved their city. It is also revealed that Ivar killed the ruler of Ur for trying to stop him from using the Boon. Aram insists Ivar has gone insane with grief, and reminds him they have no idea what will happen when they turn the Boon on. Ivar replies "That's always been your problem, hasn't it? You have no faith." Ivar walks outside the temple to switch the Boon on in front of a giant crowd, announcing that he has discovered eternal life. Aram kills the guards and tries to stop Ivar, but he is too late. The Boon is switched on, and a wave of energy engulfs the entire planet.
The scene changes to modern-day Ohio, in a Christian theme park called "Promised Land" run by a Congresswoman Archer and her husband Reverend Archer. In a secluded room, their son Obadiah Archer receives his "final test" in combat against several other youths. Obadiah defeats them all with martial arts, and his parents tell him he is ready for his first mission in the outside world. It is revealed that they belong to an order called "The Dominion" and they are dedicated to destroying a "son of perdition" they refer to as "He Who is Not to Be Named." Obadiah is given a device called "The Fulcrum" and sent to assassinate this man in New York City. Before leaving Promised Land for the first time, he says goodbye to his large amount of foster siblings. Mary-Maria, the only one who's been outside before, hugs him and gives a tearful goodbye. She quietly tells Obadiah to escape while he has the chance, and not to be weak like her. She also gives him a journal to remember her.
Obadiah Archer travels to New York City and takes in the sights while hunting down He Who is Not to Be Named. The artifact glows brighter as he enters the Meatpacking District in Manhattan, and eventually it leads him to a dive bar. The bar is occupied by a rowdy biker gang called the "Sons of Perdition," and Archer assaults their leader when the artifact appears to be pointing to him. This quickly leads to a massive barfight. The immortal Aram Anni-Padda, now going by the name "Armstrong," is the bar's very drunk bouncer. Archer & Armstrong team up to battle and defeat all the bikers. Immediately after the battle, Archer realizes he was mistaken and the Fulcrum was actually pointing to Armstrong. Archer attacks Armstrong, and Armstrong tries to explain the situation while defending himself. They are both interrupted by a grenade that floods the room with knockout gas. Mysterious masked soldiers then enter the bar and abduct them.
Archer & Armstrong wake up inside a locked room, which Armstrong believes to be in Federal Hall (where he has previously been imprisoned). Armstrong explains that he is targeted by an ancient organization known as "The Sect," whose membership goes back to George Washington and Benjamin Franklin in the Freemasons. Archer insists this is a lie, and he is on a holy mission. Archer threatens to kill Armstrong while he's tied up, and Armstrong replies that the Sect has been failing to kill him for almost 10,000 years. He also explains that Archer's "Fulcrum" is a part of the Boon, the machine that "ended the world that came before this one." The Sect has taken over every secret society trying to find the pieces of the Boon that Armstrong hid across the planet. Archer uses his lockpicking skills to escape the room, promising to "find out what is going on" and then kill Armstrong when he returns. Archer disables several masked soldiers, and finds a large room where members of the Sect are talking. The group that captured them is a cult known as The One Percent, devoted to greed and enacting the will of Mammon. Archer is horrified to see the faces of his parents on the screen, revealing they are also members of the Sect. They admit that they intended him as a sacrifice, to "distract or destroy Aram Anni-Padda" so they could assemble the Boon together. The One Percent explain that they are betraying the Dominion, and stealing the Fulcrum means they now have 2 out of the 6 parts of the Boon. Their plan is to stabilize the Euro by blowing up Greece. Archer's parents beg them to return the Fulcrum, saying "You can keep the boy -- he's a failure -- useless to us now."
Archer & Armstrong #2[]
Issue 2 continues the events of its predecessor with Archer surprising attacking a secret gathering of "The One Percent", a sect of Wall Street devil worshipers, after learning his parents were in league with them. After learning of his parents' true intentions, Archer downsizes a significant portion of The One Percent's security force and then confronts his parents via the live video feed before being knocked unconscious.
Armstrong, after learning the location of his satchel from his guards as well as the sect's intent to sacrifice Archer, breaks loose from his chains, disposes of his captors, and reclaims it. Before leaving, he tries to convince himself that Archer's whereabouts aren't his problem, but his good nature admits how much Archer reminds him of his brothers as well as his brother Ivar's words, "You have no faith."
Meanwhile, Archer wakes to find himself shackled to a sacrificial wheel and about to be slaughtered, when a godly vision appears to him, who happens to be the spirit of Armstrong's brother Ivar. The vision convinces Archer that Armstrong is key to finding the last piece of The Boon which should then be used to bargain for the safety of his siblings. He then stops his own sacrificial ceremony to the surprise of Armstrong who bursts into the chamber with the intent of freeing Archer himself.
Archer and Armstrong then unite forces in order to search for the remaining pieces to The Boon and keep them out of the hands of those who wish to use it. Armstrong reveals that his satchel contains a map that refers to Boon piece locations with notes written in lewd humor while he was drunk, but he directs them to Rome, Italy to meet with a friend that might know the meaning of such notes.
This friend turns out to be the Vatican Library's very own art expert and ex-Sect member, Sister Thomas Aquinas. Armstrong met her while helping her resistance fighters against Mussolini in the hills of Romagna. She shoots Armstrong with a machine gun upon their entry as everyone has been on high alert since their escape in New York. She leads them to Michaelangelo's tomb of Julius II where Armstrong triggers a hidden catch to reveal a combination wheel lock with various symbols. After positioning the lock to the wrong symbol, the entire basilica begins to collapse. Archer luckily reminds Armstrong of the correct symbol on the combination wheel which then triggers trapdoor beneath the party and leads to an underground chamber.
While Archer and Armstrong engage in a disagreement, all three are caught by surprise by a violent group of nuns who call themselves "The Night Cloister", sisters of perpetual darkness, who minister to those who oppose the Spirituali with death.
Archer & Armstrong #3[]
Mary-Maria joins the Sisters of Perpetual Darkness, as a different group of sisters battle Archer and Armstrong. The pair protect Tommy.
The trio end up in the Vatican Z-Collection. While Archer and Tommy look through the books, Armstrong looks at the wine in the collection. Sister Thomas discovers the location of The Torque and then she finds Armstrong, alongside Archer. Archer and Tommy discuss why Tommy tolerates Armstrong.
Archer abandons Armstrong and heads towards the Torque. He confronts Mary-Maria, who he catches stealing the piece of The Boon. Mary-Maria tells Archer that The Dominion are securing all of the pieces of The Boon, as well a control of The Sect.
As Armstrong walks into the room, Archer stops Mary-Maria from killing him. Mary-Maria turns on Archer. While she holds Armstrong Hostage, Mary-Maria shoots Archer. However, her crossbow bolt goes through Archer and strikes Tommy, killing her. Mary-Maria escapes with Armstrong's Satchel.
Congresswoman and Reverand Archer arrive at La-Chen Monastery and meet the Green Dragon Lamas. They discover that the Lamas have reassembled The Boon.
Archer & Armstrong #4[]
The Boon is reassembled by The Sect as Archer and Armstrong watch from a distance. Archer & Armstrong infiltrate The Sect's base.
The Green Dragon Lamas interrogate Reverend Archer as to the presence of Archer. Archer battles the Lamas with the help of Mary-Maria. Armstrong confronts The Dominion, who are holding the Geomancer.
Joseph Archer activates The Boon, taking the souls of the members of The Dominion, including Mary-Maria.
Archer is instructed by Ivar to destroy The Boon. Once The Boon is destroyed, it falls on the Geomancer, killing him. As the Geomancer is dying, he warns Armstrong that The Fist and Steel will be coming for him and Archer. Armstrong is advised that he needs to find The Geomancers successor with the help of his book.
Mary-Maria walks away from the monastery.
Notes[]
- The story of The Michelangelo Code was adapted into an audiobook in the form of Archer & Armstrong: The Audio Drama.
Gallery[]
Trade Paperback[]
Collected Issues[]
Related[]
- Archer & Armstrong (Volume 2)
- Trade Paperbacks
- Hardcovers
References[]
This section is for footnotes and citations.