The Official Valiant Comics Thread

[Lord]

With Valiant Comics making a return i decided to pick X-O-Manowar.

I liked what i saw, hope to see more, and i hope the other 3 valiant titles are good too.

Opinions?

 

[Lord]

After reading all the 4 titles i must say that Valiant is on to a great start, however X-O Manowar seems to be moving way too slowly. Don't remeber much of Bloodshot and Harbinger seems a little too similar to X-Men.

X-O MANOWAR #5

Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by LEE GARBETT
Cover by MICO SUAYAN
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by PHILIP TAN
Interlocking Variants by PATRICK ZIRCHER
All new arc! X-O Manowar vs. Ninjak!
Jump on board the smash hit series of the summer as two legends of the Valiant Universe collide for the first time! The X-O Manowar armor has fallen to Earth… and now the world’s most lethal intelligence agent has a new target. But who is the operative known only as Ninjak? And who – or what – has marked Aric of Dacia for death by his blade? Find out as the all-new Ninjak makes his shocking first appearance – and cuts his way to the forefront of the Valiant Universe.
$3.99/ T +/32 pgs.
ON SALE SEPTEMBER 12th!

HARBINGER #4

Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art by KHARI EVANS & LEWIS LAROSA
Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER
Variant Cover by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
School is out. Of control.
Inside the Harbinger Foundation, Peter Stanchek thought he would finally find freedom. Instead, he found a prison of his own design. As Peter begins to yearn for the comforts of his old life, he’s about to discover that leaving Harada’s program isn’t easy – it’s impossible. As rebellion brews among his pupils, Harada must ask himself: has he been building an ally in Peter all this time – or the perfect enemy?
$3.99/ T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE SEPTEMBER 12th!

ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #2

Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Art by CLAYTON HENRY
Cover by ARTURO LOZZI
Variant Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER
In the Valiant Universe, even secrets have secrets. Have you heard the one about The Michelangelo Code?
Inside a Masonic crypt beneath Wall Street, The 1% engineer a financial apocalypse that will save the dollar, but could destroy the world. Within the secret archives of the Vatican, The Spirituali shelter a secret that could crack history in half. And – in a bar somewhere – Archer & Armstrong are all that stands between the ancient conspiracy that binds these two group together. But can Archer survive a terrible betrayal from his own family – and the shocking revelation of Armstrong’s closest ally? Get ready for a spreadsheet-shattering, kung-fu gripping action epic that will set the Valiant Universe aflame!
$3.99/ T +/32 pgs.
ON SALE SEPTEMBER 5th!

BLOODSHOT #3

Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by MANUEL GARCIA & ARTURO LOZZI
Cover by ESAD RIBIC
Variant Cover by ARTURO LOZZI
Heroes aren’t born. They’re built.
You have no name, just a project designation. They call you Bloodshot, but the voices inside your head call you “daddy, “sir,” “commander,” “comrade” – whatever it takes to motivate you to get the job done. But after so many missions and so many lives, you’re finally ready to confront your handlers at Project Rising Spirit and find out who you really are. You’d better move quickly though, because your former masters don’t like it when a billion-dollar weapons project decides to go rogue. Can you discover the truth before their next deadly mind wipe takes you off the board for good? Let’s hope so…because everyone inside you is counting on it.
$3.99/ T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE SEPTEMBER 5th!

 

[Baramos]

I've been loving X-O Manowar so far, it didn't move as slowly in the original, yes (I think he got into the X-O suit at the end of issue 1 in the original, here they left it until the end of issue 2), but I think that's a definite strength, not a weakness.

I've liked Harbinger so far quite a bit as well...and yes, the original was very similar to X-Men (except if Professor Xavier were morally ambiguous instead of the good guy).

Bloodshot was okay, I could take or leave it. But I am looking forward to when Eternal Warrior, Rai and the Future Force, Archer and Armstrong, etc. start to weave together as they did in the original Valiant universe. That was the main strength of the Valiant universe, it had such a compelling continuity that due to its short life-span never got confusing or contradictory...it was neat how all the comics like Rai, Magnus, Psi Lords, etc. all weaved together.

 

[Overman27pj]

I've been loving every panel of Valient so far...I plan on going with every issue until they either die or make it!

I like the slow pace of XO...the first XO really sucked (I just bought and read thru every issue) because they tried to make every issue some giant battle. This one looks like it might focus more on the man and the issues and power that man has.

If you want fast paced check out Bloodshot 1. That book was all killer no filler.

Harbinger is also moving slow, but I think that book has to, because Harada is, of course, the most powerful, and the most dangerous character in the Valient Universe. It's not just about Pete and the team there.

I'd suggest everyone get on this and keep it rolling!

 

[Baramos]

Hmm, wasn't Master Darque Harada's equal, although in a different way? It's been a while since I read them, but...Dr. Solar is pretty powerful too, on a Dr. Manhattan-like level, but I assume he's not in this new continuity since Dark Horse has the rights to the three Gold Key characters (Turok, Solar, and Magnus...of course, they canceled them all I think, or at least Turok)...

What you say about X-O Manowar was totally true. If it wasn't a giant battle it felt like a shoe-horned "very special episode", like that time he loses the armor and helps these South American pygmies defeat these evil loggers.

 

[CaptainCraig]

Interesting cause X-O is the title I've been enjoying the most and tomorrow's issue, #4, will be his first full issue in the modern day.

Harbinger has always had an X-Men vibe, nothing surprising there. So far this Valiant 3.0 edition is doing a good update to the original. Although until #3 I had felt it was moving a bit slow. It was my least fav until then.

BloodShot I'm also really liking. I'm hoping that with him in play that Rai is being set up if this relaunch maintains momentum.

Archer & Armstrong I'm mixed on. I find things to like and some to be wary of but that's just one issue. Will be waiting for issue two. I feel the impending set up for more Gilead and Ivar will be worth it if nothing else.

Really looking forward to Shadowman #1 in November. He was my all time favorite Valiant character. Curious about Ninjak in X-O#5 also. The preview makes it seem like he'll be very much in the Deathstroke mode. I don't fully recall how he was portrayed in the Valiant 1.0 90's days.

 

[Baramos]

Rai has been confirmed, I know I saw ads for it.

I honestly don't remember much about Ninjak. I remember he was British. I remember Acclaim ruined him (like all the others) with the reboot, where he is a teenager who gets the power to turn into Ninjak (god I hate Acclaim for the **** they did...yeah, Turok 64 was a fun game, but it wasn't worth this nonsense).

EDIT: Oh, God, I loved Archer and Armstrong. That was the funniest first issue of a series I think I have ever read. When they got to the end, with the cult of Mammon saying they want to

Spoiler

blow up Greece to stabilize the Euro

...I think I like it more than X-O Manowar.

 

[CaptainCraig]

Rai has been confirmed? I didn't see anything on the ValiantEntertainment.com website about it but I do hope it's coming.

X-O Manowar #4 came out this week and was a great first issue with Aric in modern day. It was more of a "shock to the system" issue leaving us a few more issues in the opening arc for him to explore his surroundings. This issue also reveals how The Vine, both in space and earthbound, will be dealing with Aric being in control of the sacred Shanhara.

 

[Baramos]

It was in the Free Comic Book Day Valiant issue. You can get it free on Comixology. Here is a screen cap:

By the way, to people out there who haven't bought the Valiant #1s yet, Comixology is having a Labor Day sale-- .99 cents for any of the new Valiant issues released so far, and .99 for any of the classic Valiant issues! Sale ends on 9/3, though. NOTE: These are digital comics. That's pretty neat, offering the old comics for .99 a piece, too.

This is a good chance for people who know nothing about Valiant to get into the new universe--you can buy X-O Manowar 1-3 for .99 cents each, Harbinger 1 and 2 for .99 cents each, and Bloodshot 1 and A&A 1 for .99 cents each (Note: this does not include XOM 4, Harbinger 3, or Bloodshot 2). Or if anyone wants a digital Comixology copy, I don't think it's going to get much cheaper than that.

 

[CaptainCraig]

Very cool!! My LCS didn't have that Rai at FCBD.

So Shadowman is the lone "wave 2" title in the winter and Rai the only known "wave 3" title? Is that kinda what we are looking at?

 

[Baramos]

That comic also has an Eternal Warrior teaser. Not surprising since he's turned up in both X-O Manowar and of course A&A (Gilad is supposedly that one dude on a horse yelling at Aric's uncle in one scene in X-O #1. The scar gives him away. I'm pretty sure this was confirmed by the creators, at least insofar as they said there was a Valiant character hidden in the comic book and people immediately spotted him as being Gilad).

Plus I'd expect to see a Ninjak standalone eventually, too. I don't think they'll introduce him in X-O and not give him a standalone. Probably next spring with Rai.

EDIT:

Gilad was also in this teaser image, was this in the original paper FCBD?

He's the arm on the far right you see there.

 

[CaptainCraig]

X-O Manowar #5 was a great read! I like how this issue was Aric coming to terms with 'when' he is now. They didn't just say, "Hey, you the reader and Aric knew last issue he's in the 21st century....here's your desk at ORB Industries for issue #5".
Plus I thought the introduction of Ninjak was well handled. Not too much but enough to make him interesting right from the start.

 

[Baramos]

Yeah, I like how the cover played with our expectations, implying there would be some epic battle, haha. This way was realistic and made sense. Makes me look forward to the inevitable Ninjak comic I presume they will eventually be making.

I was confused why they want

Spoiler

Aric alive

, maybe they want to use his DNA to make a

Spoiler

Vine-Human hybrid, like the plantings, so that maybe the armor will accept it and they can use it? I highly doubt the armor chose him because of his DNA, though...it has to be something to do with his warrior spirit or something, or his destiny.

Harbinger #4 really moved the plot forward. I thought they would take another issue to get to that point. Really great issue, I like what they're doing with Harada (I think he knows about the

Spoiler

impending Vine invasion, and the plantings

and that is going to be his main motivation for forcing the world to come together as one under his guidance, not just his past as a survivor of Hiroshima). He is best as a morally grey villain and I think that's what they're going to be doing with him going forward.

 

[RockSP]

I'm hoping they don't try to expand too fast. They don't need 50 kabillion titles like marvel & dc, IMO...

 

[CaptainCraig]

The stated goal by the new management is to have around 14-16 titles by 2015. This was mentioned at Baltimore Comic Con a few weeks back at a panel there.

 

[Baramos]

That makes sense. The original line-up was over twenty comics--winnowing out the chaff, around 15 titles is probably best. Plus we know the Gold Key characters (three of them, Turok, Solar, and Magnus) will not be getting titles, since Dark Horse owns the rights to them.

 

[CaptainCraig]

Dark Horse doesn't own the rights to Turok, Solar and Magnus they had licensed them from their owners.
Magnus=Random House Publishing
Solar=Radom House Publishing
Turok=Classic Media

Mighty Samson has fallen into public domain due to inactive copyright on the character. It's why a version of him can also be seen in Dynamite's Project SuperPowers. Not that he was ever a Valiant character. Just mentioning it since we brought up the Gold Key charcters under DHC.

I do think 12 or so active titles by 2015 sounds like a solid number while allowing for mini's of the more lesser characters like PsiLords if they go that route. Also, for any new concepts they may launch allows for expansion beyond 12 ongoings.

 

[Baramos]

License, own, you know what I mean--they probaby aren't going to give the license up, so Valiant can't acquire it, even though their own versions failed pretty badly (well, I don't know why Turok failed, I liked it and how it used the Aztecs for some of the primary villains, but the fact that I had to wait six months in between each issue is probably part of the problem).

 

[E-Man]

XO Manowar has been damn good for 6 issues. It's getting to a really nice build with Ninjak now coming on the scene. I hope that the new Shadowman is as good. I gotta try out Harbringer too when I get the chance.

 

[Lord]

These Valiant comics have been really good, they're my favourite comics right now, beating all the DC ones. For what seemed like ideas that had been done too many times they're being able to make it seem fresh.

 

[Baramos]

Archer and Armstrong has solidified itself as my favorite comic in years. It's hilarious, action-packed, and original. It is AMAZING.

Like all the other ones, too, but A&A is my favorite.

 

[CaptainCraig]

X-O Manowar is better than most everything else on the shelf.
I've only enjoyed Rucka's Punisher as much as X-O from Marvel
I've only enjoyed Aquaman equally as much as X-O at DC.

Valiant's whole 4 title catalog though has been great to date and I can't wait for Shadowman in just a few short weeks now.

Anyone getting the HC Bloodshot Omnibus/Absolute(can't recall the name they are using) that features the 90's era issues? I think it comes out tomorrow.

 

[Baramos]

Eh, I have a bunch of the original comics sitting around here in a box...frankly if I wasn't willing to pay .99 a piece for the run on Comixology this past summer (they had them on sale), I don't think I'll be buying the omnibus.

Anyway, X-O Manowar and Ninja team-up next month? Now that'll be fun.

 

[RockSP]

Any thoughts on Shadowman?

 

[E-Man]

Any thoughts on Shadowman?

Haven't picked it up yet, but my eye is definitely on it this weekend.