Fred Van Lente on Archer's Origin in Archer & Armstrong: Archer #0: "I'm Not Sure Your Sanity Could Handle It"

In an issue that's simultaneously a flashback and a step toward the big crossover story 'Mission: [...]

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In an issue that's simultaneously a flashback and a step toward the big crossover story "Mission: Improbable" that's coming up next month featuring Bloodshot and the H.A.R.D. Corps, Fred Van Lente and Pere Perez's Archer & Armstrong: Archer #0 hit over a week ago--so what's taken us so long to talk about it? In the issue, we got a look at Archer's secret history with Project Rising Spirit, the operation behind the action in Harbinger and Bloodshot and H.A.R.D. Corps--a series which will end shortly after the Archer & Armstrong tie-in...so the stakes coming up are pretty high, since a character death (or even a defection to join Archer and Armstrong themselves) wouldn't be totally out of the question along the way. Archer & Armstrong writer Fred Van Lente joined us, as usual, to discuss the most recent issue, look back at some of the ways previous issues of the series have reflected this previously-unknown history of Archer and forward to how it might impact the title's future (hint: it seems there might be a new character hanging around when all is said and done).

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Remember, of course, that these commentary tracks are spoiler-heavy, so if you haven't already read the book (which you really should have by now), grab it at ComiXology and join us for the conversation. ComicBook.com: Now, given how much research you like to put into these things, I have to ask: is the test Archer is taking in the opening pages a send-up, or is this an accurate representation of a test people are taking for psych evals? Fred Van Lente: No, it's a parody -- I couldn't tell you what it is PRS is looking for here, maybe a certain combination of responses that indicate brain activity frequently found in Psiots. ComicBook.com: Is the kid next to him in class meant to be anyone in specific? I kept watching for familiar faces but I'm maybe not as up on my Harbinger as I should be. Van Lente: No, that cigar is just a cigar. ComicBook.com: We haven't really seen Archer "copying" others' powers a ton. Was the training session a way of holding up a red flag to readers that it was on the table, since we're about to go into at least one story where he'll be surrounded by powered characters? Van Lente: It's a natural conclusion of what his powers do -- assuming Psiot powers are purely mental, and don't require somatic modifications, they're something Archer can "download" like any other skill.

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Morphic resonance was never used as an explanation for Archer's powers in the '90s, was it? Van Lente: I know Archer was retconned into being a "Harbinger" ("Psiot" is a term Josh Dysart invented, I believe) in the '90s but I just read that on a Valiant Wiki somewhere, I don't know what the exact mechanics were. ComicBook.com: It's a fascinating concept that kind of reminds me of comic book science, so it fits nicely. Are you yourself interested in the concept outside of fiction or did you just find a nice home for it here? Van Lente: The idea of "morphic resonance" was inspired by Grant Morrison's Animal Man and I fused it with the mystic idea of an "Akashic Field" which I stumbled across researching the Nazi Lamas in #4. I believe originally Archer could just copy other skills, but as I had recently written a book (Taskmaster) about a person with the same abilities, I wanted to come up with a different explanation. As a scientific theory it sounds like bunk, but those often make for the best superhero explanations. ComicBook.com: It didn't even really occur to me--does The Sect have other Congressmen in their pockets, or has the apparent death of the Archers really materially impacted their ability to function, without Congresswoman Archer supporting them? Van Lente: The events of Vol. 1 and the subsequent decimation of the Sect in Vol. 4 have left them barely able to function -- Archer is, for all intents and purposes, their supreme leader.

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ComicBook.com: It's interesting to see Mary-Maria in the flashbacks. I know that both she and Archer happily went along with their parents in the interest of God's will in the past, but knowing everything we know at this point, it seems so...insidious...recruiting her to lie to Obie after his slate's been blanked out. Van Lente: Yup, agreed. Nasty pieces of work, those Archers. ComicBook.com: Is there any chance we'll find out more about what happened in The Basement coming up? Van Lente: I'm not sure your sanity could handle it... ComicBook.com: Certainly this issue raises some questions about Archer's distant past, his parentage, etc., that I hadn't given a lot of serious thought to ever getting an answer to. The Valiant Universe is a small place, though; if we DO find out who he was, what are the odds we'll know the players already? Van Lente: Time will tell. ComicBook.com: Is that nose-hold thing that Mary-Maria does to Obie while they spar a real martial arts maneuver? I've only encountered it before in Strangers in Paradise. Van Lente: Pere Perez, our wonderful artist, is a student of the martial arts in real life and he likes to bring a lot of verisimilitude to how kung fu is depicted in the book. I give him free rein -- I pretty much write "Pere, draw kung fu here" and let him go to town. So if he drew it, if I have to assume it's legit.

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ComicBook.com: Even notwithstanding the mental interference of the ghost-parents, Mary-Maria was even more deeply engrained in the culture of the Dominion than Obie was. When/if she finally, totally frees herself of their influence--will that even be a good thing? It seems like it might be hard to recover from everything. Van Lente: Having the freedom of possessing one's own thoughts is always good, I'd say; but yeah, Mary-Maria will need a lot of therapy if she's ever to be "normal" again -- if that's even possible. ComicBook.com: I'm not sure I ever made the connection between the antichrist and Armstrong before; I thought Aram's whole prophecy thing was more fo a vague, culty one than a specific Biblical one. Is that just me who missed/forgot something, or is this a new wrinkle? Van Lente: Well, it was a much bigger deal in the original series. As of Vol. 1 we moved away from the Sect chasing down Armstrong as a major plot point in the series, so we've downplayed the Antichrist aspects somewhat. Also, initially, Valiant was nervous about offending Christians so they asked me to downplay overt Biblical references. Fortunately, they've become much less sensitive in that regard. :) ComicBook.com: It's interesting that Bloodshot's assessment of the situation isn't all that much different than the Archer kids's belief that Armstrong was chewing up and spitting out the killers sent after him for kicks. When you do questionable things in the interest of self-defense or even a larger goal, it can make you look pretty evil to those without context. Was that an intentional parallel? Van Lente: It's more like the lines between "good" and "evil" and "hero" and "villain" are not very clearly defined in my work always, and in Archer & Armstrong in general. These Sect people are constantly trying to kill Armstrong, so he's not going to lose much sleep over killing them in the process of defending himself. And he is invulnerable and super-strong, so he can damage these kids pretty easily. The real evil are the Archers, who know this and keep hurling kid assassins at Armstrong anyway. ComicBook.com: Will we see some of the Bloodshot and the H.A.R.D. Corps characters stick around in Archer & Armstrong, perhaps? With their story ending shortly after the crossover and Rising Spirit's role in Archer's life being played up here, it just occurs to me. Van Lente: I can think of one in particular that will.

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