Valiant; $4.99  

A lot has happened in Foundation City. The Human League terrorist group set off a bomb that seemingly killed rookie Harbinger Team member Cici. In the aftermath, team leader Obadiah Archer started questioning Foundation City leader Peter Stancheck, who is also one of the most powerful psiots.  

Archer was then tasked with escorting Glass City ambassador Maria Azevedo to important locations in town, including at a high security prison. When a riot broke out, Archer used the opportunity to ask Stancheck’s former right hand, Kris Hathaway, about him and she claimed that the real Stancheck had died in the Psiot Wars. The last issue ended with a shocker when Archer was shot on live TV.  

That shot at Archer and riot at the prison has convinced the Harbinger Team that ambassador Azevedo is in danger. The threat presents itself as the two-in-one assassin team Sanction, who jump from one body to the next in search of their target. While that is happening, Cici delivers distressing news to Archer, there’s friction between the former and current team leaders, and Alloy’s family is put in danger from Sanction. 

Just like the first All-New Harbinger arc, this one is packed with important moments, revelations, and good action sequences from writer Fred Van Lente, artist Erik Tamayo, and colorist Exequiel F. Roel. Archer is fine with Flamingo being team leader, but he still makes leadership decisions that he shouldn’t, annoying Flamingo in the process. Stancheck continues to look shadier and shadier as the series goes on, and the dynamic between psiots and regular humans is quite messy – not to mention imprisoned villain psiots itching to find a way to freedom.  

The good guys have a lot of work ahead of them, and with this creative team, I’m here for it.  

–Amanda Sheriff