The Official Valiant Comics Thread

[E-Man]

I couldn't sleep so I read Shadowman last night. It was a really good set up that merged both of the old series. Darque was there, as was deadside and the night factor, but I'm liking them using Shadowman as a separate entity that takes over at night. In the original Jack would get a little more "dark" in his personality at night when he was Shadowman, but this time it's like Shadowman is a different personality. This could be very interesting.

 

[Baramos]

Yeah, I liked it. It's definitely mostly based on the second version, but with Jack Boniface instead of Mike LeRoi. Having him be the host for a spirit called Shadowman is a new twist, though.

I like that he turns into Shadowman by taking off the magic amulet. A bit of a twist, normally a character would put something on to turn into their alter ego, but in this case it's to keep Shadowman from possessing Jack's body. I looked back at his father's transformation and it was after he took off the amulet, as well. Didn't catch it when I first read it.

The art is also top-notch. As good as Archer and Armstrong's, definitely better than Harbinger's.

 

[NDX]

I was never much of a fan of Valiant back in the day. Hell, I probably only own a small handful of issues because of bulk lot buys back in the early 90s. But when I read that Valiant was coming back, I said what the hell, I'll read these.

I've read X-0 (gonna read issue 7 in a few), A&A and Bloodshot, and I have to say, I'm loving what I've read so far. All the books have great art, some interesting stories and I was able to go into them blind without needing to know the history (I new of every character, but knew nothing of them). I'm greatly looking forward to adding the trades of the 3 series I read to my shelves.

I'm going to read Harbinger before the weekend is through, as well as Shadowman. I read a few pages of Shadowman I liked how it was progressing, so I'm expecting to like that.

I wouldn't mind seeing a crossover mini between the books, something that incorporates all the guys but is self contained. When the books are more established, of course. Like 18 months into the revival.

 

[Baramos]

They did that back then, too, it was called Secret Weapons. Also all the comics continually had a lot of interconnectivity within them with various characters showing up in the other series. X-O Manowar did that quite a bit, and also Magnus, Robot Fighter and Rai and the Future Force. There will be no Magnus of course but Rai will probably have quite a bit of interconnectivity with some of the other ones like Eternal Warrior and X-O Manowar (in that the Vine are in X-O Manowar and eventually in the future part of the timeline post robot war).

 

[Cain]

In one issue of Harbinger (#6) Kris is a much more 3 dimensional character than she ever was in the entirety of the previous volume. Zephyr has also been reinvented quite well in terms of how she reflects the sheltered types that stay getting babied by mommy and are sometimes even home schooled when it comes to today's youth.

An interesting departure from her emo self which was more reflective of 90's youth last volume. Like a lot of sheltered kids she also is an optimist and holds a naive outlook on the world that rings pretty true. Proving that Valiant remains the one comic company that TRULY feels like the world outside your window as opposed to the big 2.

Shadowman despite changes like not making Boniface a jazz musician seems to be taking an interesting James Robinson Starman like approach with the legacy aspect in this volume that is serving it well. Archer & Armstrong keeps getting better by the issue and so does X-O Manowar. Bloodshot has also had a much more interesting approach this go round than the previous volume ever did.

Valiant 2.0 rocks the casbah. Forget the New 52 or Marvel Now (which I'm avoiding like the plague like I do most Marvel comics) THIS is the best relaunch ever.

 

[Baramos]

The new Valiant's first big crossover:

http://valiantuniverse.com/2012/12/07/harbinger-wars-coming-in-2013/

 

[NDX]

Oooooooooh. Now I really need to read Harbinger. I have no idea what I haven't gotten to it yet.

 

[E-Man]

I heard a lot about how good Harbinger is, so I decided to go ahead and check it out. It was so good that I'm going to have to check out Archer and Armstrong to get in as much Valiant as I can.

Alyssa in Shadowman also looks a helluva lot like an old girlfriend I had though. I want to like her, but that's going against her.

 

[Baramos]

Oooooooooh. Now I really need to read Harbinger. I have no idea what I haven't gotten to it yet.

Harbinger and Bloodshot have both been very interconnected since issue 1 (both the Harbinger Foundation/Psiots and Project Rising Spirit are in both comics) so I'm not surprised this is their first crossover attempt with the new Valiant universe.

 

[E-Man]

Man Valiant is really doing a damn fine job. I've read all of the issues of each series, and there is not a bad thing going with any of their titles right now. Archer and Armstrong reminded me of Quantum and Woody, and I'd do backflips if they can revive that series. Hell get Priest to write it so he can make a comeback. Valiant is setting up something great here.

 

[Lord]

Valiant Comics have been a great surprise, they're very engaging and keeping me interested every month. By the way their site released a christmas illustration

 

[RockSP]

If X-O and Bloodshot come down your chimney...it ain't to deliver presents (unless you work in a morgue )

 

[E-Man]

Are you sure X-O would come down the chimney? He seems like the type that would just blast the chimney altogether.

 

[Baramos]

"What is this infernal contraption? It smokes like the bowels of Hades! DEATH TO IT!"

 

[Baramos]

Having read Archer and Armstrong #5, I think I can safely say that

Spoiler

Xu Fu will be standing in as the Immortal Enemy ( as opposed to General Cheng) in this version of Eternal Warrior. While he lacks the differing eye colors of the original (at least as far as I can tell in my copy in the one close-up we get of his face), the fact that he is an Illusionist makes me suppose he will have tricked Gilad into making him think he has decapitated him at the battle at the Great Wall when he has not, OR he is going to be continuously reincarnated like the original Immortal Enemy. The phoenix tattoo on his neck (clearly symbolic for how the Immortal Enemy is continuously reincarnated) and various things he says ("Foolish immortal. Nothing is forever") makes me assume he will show up again as the Eternal Warrior's nemesis, with the phoenix tattoo as the "mark" of the Immortal Enemy this time around, as opposed to the differing eye colors.

So what new titles do you think Valiant will be having in the future? I already mentioned Rai and Eternal Warrior that will definitely be coming next year, and of course Harbinger Wars. I'm going to make a couple of predictions: I think we may get separate Geomancer and Timewalker titles. Clearly at the end of A&A #4,

Spoiler

Ivar says he can't physically affect the world

, though, so unless that changes within A&A I don't know if we'll actually see a separate Timewalker comic. But since the original Valiant had it it's always a possibility. As for Geomancer I wouldn't expect it until at least the second half of next year, IF they are going to expand that character into a separate title, as opposed to just keeping the Geomancer in A&A/Eternal Warrior.

 

[Baramos]

Shadowman #3 continues to deliver.

I know I'm going to be heartbroken when Valiant does a relaunch and I end up hating it. I'm sure it will happen sooner or later.

 

[E-Man]

At this point I just tell Valiant to shut up and take my money. I was hoping that they wouldn't have a big crossover so soon into their rebirth, but the Harbinger Wars just seems like two books crossing over instead of a GIANT MEGA EVENT THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING that comics seem to always have. With what's been happening in Bloodshot I see where things are heading towards the Harbingers a bit.

 

[RockSP]

Quantum & Woody return, with new creative team: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=44482

 

[E-Man]

Quantum & Woody return, with new creative team: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=44482

[YT]CeRoi43azds[/YT]

 

[NDX]

Looks like I need to read that original series as I planned before July.

 

[Baramos]

Not sure if it is anymore but if you want to read the original Quantum & Woody #1 for free it was up on Comixology a few months ago. I'd search for it and see if it's still up for free. I know they had the rest of the series, too, not sure how much (probably .99 or 1.99 an issue).

I'm excited about the new Quantum and Woody. Valiant just keeps getting better and better each month--Archer & Armstrong #7 for instance was absolutely amazing.

EDIT: Yeah, it's still free. http://www.comixology.com/Quantum-and-Woody-1/digital-comic/ICO004413

 

[NDX]

Thanks for the link.

 

[E-Man]

Anyone pick up the first issue of Harbinger Wars? Harbinger has stepped up as my favorite Valiant title in the past few months, and that first issue of the crossover is a really good set up. Basically it's Peter Stancek and his crew, Harada and his company looking for Bloodshot and [BLACKOUT]those psiot kids that he found and saved from the government[/BLACKOUT]. It's nice seeing how things are unfolding when you look back at everything that happened in both comics.

 

[Baramos]

Yeah, I really liked Harbinger Wars #1. Both Bloodshot and Harbinger seem to be dancing around actually having anything happen in them right now--much more character studies this past month than Harbinger Wars, which was fairly action packed. I think the main action is going to be in the Harbinger Wars with the two main series acting as character studies or commentaries on the action.

That part at the beginning of Harbinger Wars #1 where

Spoiler

Peter has a vision of Bloodshot killing them all

was very chilling. That part where Bloodshoot shoots through the roof of the van...I'm rarely moved by single panels but that one sent chills up my spine. It still isn't as good as that splash page in Archer & Armstrong #7 where Gilad

Spoiler

drives the car off the roof, through the plate glass window, and pops up through the sun roof to shoot everyone in the room

, or indeed the action in say, Bloodshot #2, but it's up there.

As far as new characters go, I think Cronus and the "strike team" are the first new psiots I've cared about since the first arc. All the new ones in Bloodshot especially kind of just blended together. I thought really focusing on a particular group here helped flesh them out.