Listen, if you're still on your "killin' alleged antichrists" kick I'm gonna take my ball and go home --
- -- Armstrong
Archer & Armstrong[]
Appearances[]
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Ivar Anni-Padda (vision)
- Sister Thomas Aquinas (First appearance)
Villains:
- Benito Mussolini (Mentioned only)
- The Sect
- The Dominion
- The One Percent
- The Spirituali (First appearance)
- Sisters of Perpetual Darkness (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Brother Gavin (The One Percent member)
- Dan Brown (mentioned as Sect member)
- Emperor Claudius (Mentioned only)
- Freemasons (Mentioned only)
- George Washington (Mentioned only)
- Illuminati (Mentioned only)
- Michelangelo / "Mikey" (mentioned as a friend of Armstrong)
- Moses (Statue)
- Napoleon (Mentioned only)
- Pontifical Swiss Guard
- Pope Julius II (mentioned as Sect member)
Locations:
- Italy
- Rome
- The Colosseum
- San Pietro in Vincoli
- Catacombs
- Rome
- New York
Items:
- Armstrong's Satchel
- The Boon
- The Axle (Mentioned only)
- The Fulcrum (Mentioned only)
- The Inclined Plane / The Eye of Providence (First appearance)
- The Sphere (Mentioned only)
- The Torque (Mentioned only)
- The Wedge (Mentioned only)
- Knives
Vehicles:
- Scooter
Credits[]
- Writers: Fred Van Lente
- Pencilers: Clayton Henry
- Inkers: Clayton Henry
- Colorists: Matt Milla
- Letterers: Dave Lanphear
- Cover Artists: Arturo Lozzi, Patrick Zircher (variant)
- Editors: Warren Simons, Josh Johns (assistant)
- Editor-in-Chief: Warren Simons
Synopsis[]
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.
Notes[]
- This issue is reprinted in the collected edition Archer & Armstrong: The Michelangelo Code.
- This issue establishes several skills of Archer's, including Knife Throwing (that he uses to hit someone's flexor digitorum superficialis and force a trigger finger) and Escapology.
Quotes[]
- Betrayers! False prophets! Liar liar pants on fire! You taught no compromise with the evil in the world! I believed in that cause! I was willing to die for it! But your "values" are just words, aren't they? Just words so you can get what you want!
- -- Archer
- Listen, if you're still on your "killin' alleged antichrists" kick I'm gonna take my ball and go home --
- -- Armstrong
- I deeply regret my earlier homicidal overtures.
- -- Archer
- Look to your left! I got laid in that alley during Napoleon's occupation --
- -- Armstrong
- You mean like that book mom and dad kept checking out of the library to burn? "The Da Vinci Code"?
- -- Archer
- Please. "The Da Vinci Code" was a classic black ops misinformation operation. That Brown guy is 100% Sect!
- -- Armstrong
- I only believe about 40% of what comes out of your mouth...
- -- Archer
Gallery[]
Cover Art[]
Panels[]
Related[]
References[]
This section is for footnotes and citations.