Unity #10 focuses on the history of GIN-GR, the armor hunters living base of operations, in light of Livewire interfacing with her and discovering all she contained in her memory banks. Livewire doesn’t understand the language but can understand the events taking place as she sees GIN-GR respond to a mating call from another, and eventually they have an offspring. It’s clear that love and family is part of the equation when GIN-GR leaves the planet along with countless others of her species only to be met by what appears to be a meteor shower that wipes all of them out including her family. GIN-GR is left floating in space damaged physically and emotionally as she sees her family dead and is ready to give up completely until a ship passes by. She successfully communicates with the ship and the pilot attempts to repair GIN-GR, starting what would eventually become command of the armor hunters. Livewire is clearly affected by this and the events of Armor Hunters #3 and she’s not sure how to proceed. However the same can’t be said for Ninjak and Gilad who have to still contend with the extraterrestrial hounds preying on civilians. Is Livewire’s new knowledge of GIN-GR’s past a breakthrough in ending the conflict or is it to late to even entertain such an option?

Focusing on GIN-GR this issue was a very interesting choice but in light of the events in Armor Hunters #3 it was the most logical choice as well. And a remarkable job was done by Stephen Segovia as his artwork really made the opening sequence showing GIN-GR’s backstory touching. However I didn’t draw the same conclusion that Livewire drew from what was shown in those panels because those panels only showed Control repairing her. So there seemed to be a disconnect or a key part wasn’t shown. However Livewire’s reaction to what she did to GIN-GR was intriguing because of the potential ways this could shape the conclusion to the armor hunters event and its aftermath. The issue would shift to Gilad and Ninjak who were still on alien hound cleanup duties since they would encounter another hound attacking civilians and would seek to intervene. When the hounds were first released they were impressive but to keep fighting them over and over when they don’t pose a new challenge is dull at best. And this was an extended battle that was executed well so if you enjoy seeing Ninjak in action regardless of the enemy then you might appreciate it more. There was a potentially meaningful development from this that I’m not in a position to say if it was just a reminder of what has already been revealed about the character or if it’s something that will be explored later about the character. And if you’ve read Armor Hunters #3, which you should, then the ending of this issue fits in line. And so in terms of what this issue brings to the crossover event, aside from GIN-GR’s backstory at the start of this issue it brings nothing else new. Whether or not the impact on Livewire or Ninjak’s encounter with the hound carries over once the event ends remains to be seen. So this issue is far from essential reading for the event but GIN-GR’s backstory adds to the overall understanding, and for that it was entertaining.

SUMMARY

Unity #10 gives insight into GIN-GR, one of the more intriguing armor hunters, and makes her a more rounded character but aside from that it adds very little to the armor hunters event. Livewire’s reaction to her interfacing with GIN-GR was intriguing and has potential that could play out soon but that remains to be seen. Ninjak’s battle with an alien hound was reminiscent of last issue so instead of being impressive it felt as a way to just fill an issue despite being well-executed. I’m not sure what next issue will cover in terms of the team’s role in the conclusion of the event but I am looking forward to seeing how things will ultimately start to line up in the aftermath so I’m optimistic about that.

Release Date: 8/13/14

Writer: Matt Kindt

Artist: Stephen Segovia