I checked out the first few issues of X O Manowar and Harbinger for Barry Windsor Smith and David Lapham respectively, but I was none too impressed.
I checked out the first few issues of X O Manowar and Harbinger for Barry Windsor Smith and David Lapham respectively, but I was none too impressed.
Definitely, my choice would be Ninjak (the Joe Quesada version):
Shadow Man from Acclaim/Valiant, Garth Ennis & Ashley Wood for issues 1-4 and the Jamie Delano & Charlie Adlard run that followed.
I very much enjoyed the early issues of Archer and Armstrong. Later series/issues, not so much.
Age/Bronze, Age/Reptiles, Alex&Ada, Anne Bonnie, Astro City, Bone, Briggs Land, Cerebus, Criminal, Courtney Crumrin, Eleanor & the Egret, Fables, Fatale, Fell, Grass Kings, Green Valley, Goon, Gotham Midnight, Groo, Hellboy, Hillbilly, Incognegro, Jack Staff, JL8, Jonah Hex, Kane, Lazarus, Little Nemo, Lone Wolf, Next Wave, Popeye, Powers, Princess Ugg, Resident Alien, SiP, Squirrel Girl, Stray Bullets, 10G, Thief of Thieves, Tuki, Uncle Scrooge, Usagi, Velvet
Haven't read too many Valiant comics, but I enjoyed reading Faith.
image Ascender, Birthright, Deadly Class, Die, Lazarus, Monstress, Nocterra, Oblivion Song, Rat Queens, Realm, Reaver, Redneck, Sweet Paprika Marvel Excalibur, Marauders, X-Force, X-Men DC Batman/Catwoman, Wonder Girl Dynamite Red Sonja, Vengeance of Vampirella Boom Dark Blood, Once & Future, Something is Killing the Children
I'd extend the recommendation to his complete Harbinger saga (Harbinger, Imperium and The Life and Death of Toyo Harada) as it's really a single story flowing from the rebooted Harbinger. I really can't recommend it enough, it's an unsung modern masterpiece if there is one.
Sorry you didn't like those they are bedrocks of OG Valiant.
OG Shadowman through the 20s is good consistent quality. Around the Birthquake crossover it goes off the rails.
The Acclaim era is mostly meh, but again Shadowman by Garth Ennis is a brightspot. Not to sound like a broken record.
Valiant 2.0 (2012 relaunch).
X-O Manowar by Robert Vendetti is solid gold
Harbinger followed by Imperium
Ninjak
"Freedom is the right of all sentient beings" - Optimus Prime
The Valiant. As in the miniseries by that name. It made Bloodshot THE character of the Valiant universe for quite a few years.
I still miss Renee Montoya. Oh, and I'm a dude.